Root-Cause Redux: The dispute over arming pilots echoes earlier crime debates

Opinion Journal ^ | 06/24/2002 | BRENDAN MINITER

[Pokey78]

We have a Texan in the White House, hundreds of congressmen who fly home for weekends, and terrorists who ram planes into buildings. So why is it we're not allowing pilots to fly with side arms?

On Capitol Hill that's not a rhetorical question. More than a few members realize that if the terrorists had struck on a Friday instead of a Tuesday any number of congressmen might have been on the Dulles flight that smacked into the Pentagon. So lawmakers are pushing the issue. Last week the House Subcommittee on Aviation approved legislation to force the Transportation Department to create a program to certify and train up to 1,400 pilots to carry pistols. The legislation would also restrict liability, so that pilots acting in good faith couldn't be sued for shooting a hijacker. The full Transportation Committee is expected to vote on the bill this week. In July it'll likely come before the full House for a vote--it's expected to pass overwhelmingly.

[mrustow]

The legislation would also restrict liability, so that pilots acting in good faith couldn't be sued for shooting a hijacker.

What kind of insane world are we in, when we even NEED to "restrict liability" to protect pilots against lawyers representing outraged hijackers and their families?

[Libertarianize the GOP]

I have been trying to figure out how the Federal Government has any legitimate Constitutional authority to address what gun policy a particular airline ought to set for its pilots and my socialist Rep’s in Congress won't respond to my questions.

[mrustow]

my socialist Rep’s in Congress won't respond to my questions.

I think that's a pretty good sign that you're on to something, and that the feds have no Consititutional basis to tell the airlines anything.

However, since we're talking about folks -- your soci congresshumanoids, the airline CEOs, Norman Mineta, and yes, George W. Bush -- who are unfamiliar with, indifferent, or hostile to the Constitution, let me hazard a guess as to how this is playing out. After 911, the feds fed the airlines $15 B (can that be right, or have I lost my mind?!) worth of federal catnip, and so the airlines aren't about to bite the hand that feeds them. Which is the way Leviathan tends to work these days.

Constitootion? We don't need no steenkeen' Constitootion!

[Libertarianize the GOP]

bttt

[kitchen]

This is just smoke and mirrors legislation so congress critters can tell you how strongly they support arming pilots. Ask them why they only want to arm 1,400 - 2% of the 70,000 commercial pilots. Do the math: flight time per week divided by hours in a week times percentage of armed pilots and you'll have less than a half of a percent chance of flying with an armed pilot. I don't believe any terrorist cell is going to be deterred one bit.

Previous thread.

Congress critter switchboard: (800) 648-3516.

[DJ_JeremyX]

True, but it's more than our supposedly conservative president wants to do. His own boys, Mineta and Ridge are completely opposed.

I don't get it. Even the democrats have seem to have noticed that the majority of the public is not afraid of guns. Why are Bush and his minions?

[DJ_JeremyX]

What almost every article misses, is that they make special bullets that won't penetrate the skin of the plane. They're called safety rounds. I think air marshals use them.

[gonzo]

Ah, what the hell! Remember, this 'denial' crap starts at the top!.............FRegards

[Virginia-American]

WE should require the passengers to be armed. No sidearm, no boarding pass.

[Frohickey]

What kind of insane world are we in, when we even NEED to "restrict liability" to protect pilots against lawyers representing outraged hijackers and their families?

The same insane world that has lawyers representing the families of illegal aliens who died in the desert crossing on their way into the United States, sueing the Border Patrol for not providing water stations.

The same insame world that has lawyers representing illegal aliens being given kidney dialysis treatments in the US, when they should have been deported back to their country of origin.