In a message dated Wed, 12 Sep 2001 11:21:02 AM Eastern Daylight Time, "Jim Elwell"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes:
>
> (6) I do fear that this will be taken as an excuse by some to
> further impinge on personal liberty in the USA. I hope not, but
> will be surprised if it does not happen. Some of the more radical
> of libertarian writers have already posted essays to this effect.
Absolute liberty cannot take precedence over basic public safety. Airports are going
to have to have security gates staffed by professionals (police or whatever) and not
minimum-wage people who could make more at the fast food counter down the concourse.
No more letting people by to avoid a confrontation, and likely a lot more pat-downs to
look for non-metallic but nonetheless lethal weapons as were used yesterday. So if
some pompous passenger with an overly inflated concept of his importance in life gets
upset that his privacy and dignity are affected, he can always turn around and drive.
The airline industry will collapse if passenger perceive that it is not safe. No one
wants to be an involuntary participant to some nut job's idea of turning the plane and
its 60 tonnes of Jet-A into a flying bomb.
Carleton
