I don't usually link to columns I agree with. I leave that to the linkers. I like to link to columns I can deconstruct or I can fisk. Today I make an exception. As Stephen Green would say, this is required reading.
I wish I had written that. I have attempted to write something like that in a few blogs, but he stated it so much better. I have a few things to add. There may be some adult language.
To the American followers of the religion of peaceTM. Are you Americans? Do you support this country? If so, how come there has not been a mass condemnation of September 11? And I do not want to hear any bullshit about Israel or 'root cause'. I'm sick of hearing about Israel and 'root cause'. The facts are that some radical members of your religion of peaceTM declared war on this country. The 'root cause' is they hate us and everything about us. Your goddam religion of peaceTM believes in killing innocent people. That is barbaric and beyond any civilized behavior. If your religion of peaceTM wants to declare war on this country do it by attacking military installations. You know, like Japan did in WWII. No, your religion of peaceTM only seems to be able to attack civilians.
And while I'm on this subject, if the American flag is objectionable to you get the fuck out of this country. This is America. During WWII, we had Americans of Japanese descent and Americans of German descent join the armed services to fight for this country. If you are Americans, prove it by fighting for this country. If you're here for jihad, get the fuck out of this country.
And another thing, you will follow the laws of this country. If the law says you have to have your driver's license picture taken without a veil, you will have the driver's license picture taken without the veil. That's how we identify you. 'But it's against my religion' you whine. 'Hey lady, in Saudi Arabia it's against your religion to drive. So do it, or don't drive. Next person in line please.'
This is the most tolerant nation on this planet. Evidence of this is the very low level of any kind of vandalism against mosques. Contrast that with what the members of your religion of peaceTM have done to synagogues throughout the world. I am really gettin sick of you assholes. Get with the program. We know there are terrorists here. You know there are terrorists here. Help us out. Do your part as Americans or get the fuck out of this country. And quit your fucking whining. It is making me sick to my stomach.
OK. I'm sorry for the diatribe and I'm sorry for the language, but we keep seeing these religion of peaceTM spokesmen on television whining about this and that and I have yet to see anyone condemn 9/11 without some disclaimers about 'root cause'. Deliberately targeting civilians is barbaric. Shooting little children in bed as they sleep is barbaric. And listening to the Palestinians bitching about the Israelis killing civilians Monday by buttheads who target civilians as their main strategy makes me want to puke. I hope the Palestinians never get a state. And they don't deserve one until they are willing to join the ranks of civilized human beings.
OK. I'm back to normal. Now, I want to talk about pilots and guns. The last time the Atlanta Urinal and Constipation had an editorial about pilots and guns I took it apart. Well here we go again. I'm sure this editorial was written by Cynthia Tucker. Cynthia is the editor of the editorial page and is very anti-gun.
In a sound bite, arming pilots sounds great: Give the pilots guns, and we'll all be safe.
I'll feel a hell of a lot safer if the pilots have guns. Hey, we agree, right?
The U.S. House of Representatives bought that line this month when it overwhelmingly passed a bill that would do just that. Now if the Senate would just pass the legislation, the House would have you believe, air passengers would be protected.
I'll be damned! Congress is actually doing one thing right! So far, so good.
Right. Would that it were so easy.
I dunno. Sounds easy to me. What's the problem Cynthia?
While Congress fools around with the issue of pilots and guns,
Fools around with the issue of guns? Haven't you been paying attention? The American public (Remember them? They're the voters.) and the pilots (You know. They're the guys and gals responsible for the safety of the aircraft and all the passengers) are overwhelming in favor of pilots with guns.
programs that would actually make the flying public safer -- air marshals on flights,
Air marshalls on flights? Do you know how many air marshalls would be required to put one on every single flight every single day? Where they gonna come from? Who's gonna pay for 'em all?
checked-baggage screening at every airport, better trained screeners for passengers and carry-on bags
But our screeners are professional. Don't you remember little Tommie Daschle saying 'to professionalize, you must federalize'? What a truckload of bullshit that was. Are we gonna start using common sense and concentrate on the people most likely to hijack planes? You know, the members of the religion of peaceTM Are we gonna ethnic profile or are we gonna continue searching Al Gore, Ray Charles, and my friend Cindy who is a small redhaired lady with green eyes? Yeah, lots of Irish lassies have been hijacking planes lately.
-- are miserably behind schedule. The agency charged with making new security measures a reality, the Transportation Security Administration, is foundering under impossible pressure.
So here's an idea. Let the pilots carry guns.
The TSA is charged with installing huge and expensive explosives detectors at 429 airports in order to screen all checked baggage by year's end. Meanwhile, by Nov. 19, it must hire 60,000 airport security officers.
Or just arm all the pilots.
Those deadlines cannot reasonably be met.
Captain Smith? Here's a gun. Only took 30 seconds.
Congress just cut the TSA's funding by $1 billion, and last week the undersecretary of transportation hired to carry out these programs -- former Secret Service head John W. Magaw -- was asked to resign amid criticisms that he was unresponsive to airlines and lawmakers,
Who want to arm pilots.
and that he and his agency were so preoccupied with meeting deadlines that the real work of improving the system was not getting done.
Yeah, and he was against arming pilots. And now clueless Minetta is actually considering arming pilots. Do you think that might have had sumpin' to do with his leaving?
Airport managers all over the country are screaming about the deadlines. "If that Dec. 31 deadline holds, you're going to see chaos out here," said Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport Manager Ben DeCosta. He strongly backs a one-year deadline extension included in the Homeland Security Administration act.
And while we're waiting, why don't we at least try arming pilots? We can do that right away.
Congress should drop the dubious notion of arming pilots and focus on fine-tuning security measures to make every passenger on every plane safer. While Congress should allow some flexibility with deadlines, it should also insist on unwavering support for installing the best security systems possible.
As far as I'm concerned, the best security system is rods in the hands of the guys up in the cockpit.
That's going to take thoughtful, reasonable debate and action -- not sound bites.
And the action I prefer is for Captain Smith to have a Glock.
Knock. Knock.
Who's there?
Mohammed.
Mohammed who?
Mohammed the terrorist.
Bang! Bang!
Mohammed the dead terrorist.
Posted by denny at July 24, 2002 03:04 PM