It occurred to me, after receiving numerous solicitations to support
organizations working for gun rights, and some for arming pilots, that the
airline industry could be converted to our side.
Could we not by grassroots effort, by website and/or bulk email, convince
hundreds of thousands of people to call or write the airlines often, urging the
ideas presented below? What I think is really great about such a campaign is
that it is a POSITIVE campaign -- the airlines know that consumer confidence (in
security) must improve for profits to improve or break even. It seems to me
foolish on their part to wait on another 'law' when there are seemingly
overwhelming financial reasons the airlines should be proactive.
Could not the airlines' profit-motivated move to legitimize self-defense help
to change and persuade Brady perceptions?
--BEGIN--
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY
May I appeal to the bottom line of your profit-and-loss statement? Recent
reports are that airlines are suffering daily losses due to curtailment in
flying since September 11. Passengers' confidence in their security is
attributed to this downturn.
Everyday, you ask passengers to fly when it is guaranteed that the only
weapons on board will possibly be those in the hands of evildoers. Someone
determined enough will always be able to circumvent prohibitions -- whether
drug smuggling or smuggling weapons on board your aircraft. I ask you not to
wait for the enactment of some new 'law.' I advocate arming the aircrew or
allowing them to be armed -- which you the airlines have the power and
justification to do immediately.
Public confidence and your bottom line can only be increased by this
measure. Every objection you might raise to this course of action can be
refuted, to wit:
RESPONSIBLE ACTIONS
A crew already entrusted with hundreds of lives and a multi-million dollar
aircraft will more likely than not handle firearms with safety and
responsibility. An airline pilot may be paid 5 times or more than what a
private security guard is paid -- why should he not be entrusted with the same
self-defense tools?
SURVIVABILITY OF PASSENGERS
Frangible ammunition has low likelihood of penetrating a human target and
injuring an unintended target, so accidental shootings are less probable.
SURVIVABILITY OF CREW
The Pilot is the last line of defense and the last hope of bringing the
aircraft down safely. No matter what happens in the cabin, the cockpit must be
defended. Asking the pilot to defend the cockpit with his bare hands against
weapons (or even trained barehanded killers) is counterproductive to the
notion of saving the aircraft and possibly property and lives on the ground.
SURVIVABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT
Bullet holes in the aircraft do not impair its flying, only the maintenance
of a breathable atmosphere. If aircraft systems are damaged, it is likely that
backup systems will provide a degree of safety. The Pilot is the last line of
defense and the last hope of bringing the aircraft down safely. No matter what
happens in the cabin, the cockpit must be defended.
SURVIVABILITY OF GROUND TARGETS
We are (or should be) convinced of the damage an aircraft converted to a
missile can cause. The legal, financial, and especially the ethical
responsibility of another such occurrence may be enormous. A sky marshal, if
present, may not prevail against multiple hijackers. Pilot (and passengers, an
unknown element) may not be able to prevail barehandedly against a superior
force.
SKY MARSHALS
It is not a valid alternative to depend on sky marshals. With 35,000
flights daily, only a small fraction could ever have even one marshal aboard
in the foreseeable future. And, in the instance of 4 - 5 hijackers, it is not
a certainty that one marshal will prevail.
LEGAL LIABILITY/FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES
I understand that the airline's liability is a concern. The consequences of
a limited number of passengers being accidentally shot or killed is, it seems
to me, insignificant compared to the consequence of All passengers killed
and/or the aircraft destroyed and/or property on the ground destroyed and/or
people on the ground killed and or all of the above.
--END--
Please call or write any airline, with some or all the above message. Your
personal phrasing would be best, but not essential. You may use/cut-and-paste
any or all of the above message. Email other Patriots urging them to do the
same. Thank you.
