Difference between revisions of "User:Woozle/positions/2013/airport security"
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Airport security measures were excessive even before [[9/11]], and they have only gotten more so. I have yet to see a good argument for even the restrictiveness of preventing non-ticketed passengers from going out to the gate (e.g. to be with friends or loved ones until boarding time) which was prohibited sometime in the 1980s or 1990s, and the additional restrictions imposed in the wake of 9/11 are not only dehumanizing but also do not even address the (possibly valid) issue of preventing terrorism from taking place on airplanes. | Airport security measures were excessive even before [[9/11]], and they have only gotten more so. I have yet to see a good argument for even the restrictiveness of preventing non-ticketed passengers from going out to the gate (e.g. to be with friends or loved ones until boarding time) which was prohibited sometime in the 1980s or 1990s, and the additional restrictions imposed in the wake of 9/11 are not only dehumanizing but also do not even address the (possibly valid) issue of preventing terrorism from taking place on airplanes. | ||
| + | ==Arm the passengers?== | ||
| + | Although I generally favor [[gun control]], the arguments in favor of taking the ''opposite'' tack and [[citizen empowerment|empowering]] the passengers by [[2002-06-01 Arm the Passengers|arming them]] (rather than making vain attempts to deprive them of anything which seems even vaguely [[guilt by association|associated]] with weaponry by halfway stripping them naked) to be rather compelling. Perhaps there are flaws I haven't yet seen, but this idea certainly seems less absurd than many of the measures currently in place. | ||
| − | + | If we could trade ''all'' the current faux-security for that plan, I would probably support it -- especially if: | |
| + | * there was some mechanism in place to make sure that only those well-trained in firearm safety would be carrying them | ||
| + | * the gun-carrying was introduced gradually to minimize the damage if it turned out to be a bad idea | ||
| + | * the rules under which guns could be used onboard were very clear, simple, and sensible | ||
| + | * complete data on firearm incidents were published online and reviewed regularly by citizen panels with authority to initiate changes in the rules | ||
Revision as of 13:31, 30 November 2010
main article: airport security
Airport security measures were excessive even before 9/11, and they have only gotten more so. I have yet to see a good argument for even the restrictiveness of preventing non-ticketed passengers from going out to the gate (e.g. to be with friends or loved ones until boarding time) which was prohibited sometime in the 1980s or 1990s, and the additional restrictions imposed in the wake of 9/11 are not only dehumanizing but also do not even address the (possibly valid) issue of preventing terrorism from taking place on airplanes.
Arm the passengers?
Although I generally favor gun control, the arguments in favor of taking the opposite tack and empowering the passengers by arming them (rather than making vain attempts to deprive them of anything which seems even vaguely associated with weaponry by halfway stripping them naked) to be rather compelling. Perhaps there are flaws I haven't yet seen, but this idea certainly seems less absurd than many of the measures currently in place.
If we could trade all the current faux-security for that plan, I would probably support it -- especially if:
- there was some mechanism in place to make sure that only those well-trained in firearm safety would be carrying them
- the gun-carrying was introduced gradually to minimize the damage if it turned out to be a bad idea
- the rules under which guns could be used onboard were very clear, simple, and sensible
- complete data on firearm incidents were published online and reviewed regularly by citizen panels with authority to initiate changes in the rules