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As a Master Sergeant with the Airport Police, I am afraid I have to side with Hartmut on this one. Right after 9-11, we did a lot of quick, knee jerk stuff that really cost a lot of money, limited people's ability to move freely and quickly, and about put several airlines - (also remember all those "little guys"- the small charter ops and mechanics?) out of business. We were shaken, we were scared, we reacted. At the time, I agreed with all the increases in security. However, I slowly began to see the bigger picture. While I watched the size of my agency double and my job security increase, I watched my wife, a 35 year United Airlines employee, worry and cry about the likelihood of losing her job. Those bastards stole PLENTY from us already by what they did on September 11. They stole our virginity, so to speak. Let us not sit back idly by and watch MORE of our freedoms be taken away. Trying to build the corrall after the horse has left is NOT going to solve these issues. We need cool, level heads, common sense, and to not just throw up new laws and restrictions in the name of "security". Hell folks I WORK IN THIS BUSINESS and I am not in favor of it! I agreed with some of the changes-- I have always felt we should not let people take their 4" buck knifes on the planes. But our fingernail clippers? Shit. Likewise with the government's desire to start background checking pilots. Who is next? And as Hartmut aptly pointed out, it wouldn't have prevented a damn thing on 9-11. It simply adds to the huge pile of government imposed burdens that we already have. I see Larry's side to this issue- I truly do. As one who is empowered to serve and protect, I want him and everyone else to know that the Police take their jobs seriously and we will do just that. But -- BE CAREFUL about being too quick to say "yeah, that sounds like a good idea!"-- If it is, let it be put out for review for 3 or 6 or 9 months... Let some folks look at it... if it STILL looks like a good idea, it probably is. But let's go SLOW before we let them add more restrictions to our already encumbered lives. Just my 2 cents and you all have yours. Think I'll go fly my Ercoupe while I still can... John in Boise ====================== TO UNSUBSCRIBE go to: http://ercoupers.com/lists.htm
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