Racial profiling by idiots.

[Pongo]

See that several of the 9/11 terrorsts where pulled asside for detailed searches because they set off the metal alarms and the box cutters were still not found. They have it on video. Bloody hell. What do they pay those idiots?

[ra]

If they had found the box cutters what could they have done?  They were legal back then.

[AKIron]

How does being pulled aside for setting off metal detector alarms equate to racial profiling?

[Pongo]

They were legal to have on a plane? Wow.
So instead of the department of homeland security and the patiot act they could have just sent a memo to not alow box cutters on planes anymore?

[Toad]

Generally, back before 9/11,  most airlines allowed knives with blade lengths of less than three inches. The FAA rule was under four inches, IIRC.

Passenger knives in excess of that length were sometimes (at the Captain's discretion) carried in the cockpit and returned to the passenger upon unloading.

[Chairboy]

Originally posted by Pongo
They were legal to have on a plane? Wow.
So instead of the department of homeland security and the patiot act they could have just sent a memo to not alow box cutters on planes anymore?

They did.  Where have you been hiding?

After they sent the memo, a guy brought explosive shoes onto a plane.

BTW, such a  memo only prevents planes from being used in attacks.  Grow up.

[JBA]

Originally posted by Pongo
What do they pay those idiots?

And now they are "Federal employees", some how that made them smarter, they can never be fired and in a few years will retire with full pensions, paid for by those of us that pay taxes.

[Pongo]

Originally posted by Toad
Generally, back before 9/11,  most airlines allowed knives with blade lengths of less than three inches. The FAA rule was under four inches, IIRC.

Passenger knives in excess of that length were sometimes (at the Captain's discretion) carried in the cockpit and returned to the passenger upon unloading.

Increadable. Thanks for the clerification Toad.

[AKIron]

Originally posted by Pongo
Increadable. Thanks for the clerification Toad.

Incredible? How so? It's not like it was ever really a problem until 9/11. When you have a group of fanatics willing to sacrifice themselves to hurt you, they're going to hurt you. Especially in a free and open society such as ours in America. Only real way to defeat these fanatics is to attack their fanaticism at the root. Stopping the sermons of hate in their schools and mosques is the only way to end this terrorism, short of killing them all that is.

[Trell]

Originally posted by Pongo
They were legal to have on a plane? Wow.
So instead of the department of homeland security and the patiot act they could have just sent a memo to not alow box cutters on planes anymore?

Ding Ding Ding,  My thoughts exactly

that and maybe enforce the laws that were allready there.

[lazs2]

well... we coulda put out a memo that didn't allow shoes on planes either or... simply, strip everyone and give em an airline "gown" like those spiffy hospital ones...

any president who doesn't implement this is playing into the hands of the terrorists.

lazs

[Mini D]

Is there a point behind this thread pongo?  Seriously... I'm missing it.

Are you upset that the terrorist weren't caught?  That they were allowed to bring box cutters onto an airplane?  What?

And should it be policy to wait until a weapon is used to kill 3000 people before sending a memo asking that it not be allowed on airplanes anymore?

The homeland security bill was a horrible decision IMO.  I've never supported it.  One thing that wasn't a bad idea, however, was to require a drastic increase in airline security.  There were rules in place, which made them easy to bypass.  The question is given the curent set of a rules, just exactly what could a terrorist use as a weapon on an aircraft and how could it be prevented without driving all customers away.

[lazs2]

mini... Iam against a lot of the homeland security measures and the knee jerk airline security too... If you say that they need to be even more secure without driving customers away... well.... they allready drove me away... I will do just about anything to avoid an airport these days.

lazs

[Mini D]

And that's your choice.  Any increase in security is going to drive some customers away.  Fortunately, you have quite a few alternatives.

The problem with it being purely customer based is aparent.  The ideal situation would be letting everyone just get on the plane and not worry about things.  Somewhere between not caring at all and requiring people to wear a smok, there is a reasonable area.  The airlines used to think it was in one part of the spectrum right up until 2 planes crashed into the World Trade Center buildings.  Now they have to completely rethink things, wheather they like it or not.

[kevykev56]

Prior to 9/11 I walked up to airport terminal to meet my wife. Realizing that I had brought my knive in with me and was about to go to the metal detector. I showed it to the inspector, he opend the knife and measured it on a rule they had on the xray machine. He said I was good to go and sent me on my way. At that time I thought, wow that is odd anyone can bring a knife on a plane???

Not sure how this fits into racial profiling. Im white, if I had been arabic would I have been stopped?? Would I care either way...not at all. I was fully prepaired to make the walk back to the truck, or let the inspector hold the knife until I gathered my wife. In todays environment however I wouldnt even stop at the inspector, it would be a quick trip back to the truck to drop off the knife.

RHIN0