Demand To Eliminate Psychological, Physical And Background
Checks Is Absurd
Op-Ed By ANN Correspondent Juan Jiménez
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your thoughts to editor@aero-news.net.
On Wednesday, February 12, the Airline Pilots' Security Alliance
issued an "Action Alert," calling on its members to complain to
their Representatives and Senators, as well as to the White House,
regarding the TSA plans for the implementation of the pilot program
to allow pilots to carry firearms in the cockpits of airliners and
other commercial aircraft.
The Alerts states that the APSA opposes the TSA's
plans to require a lengthy application and resume, a psychological
exam, a psychiatric exam with a TSA psychiatrist, a background
investigation, a medical evaluation, supervision by TSA employees
during firearms training, and a final psychological assessment at
the end of the training.
The TSA Is Right On This One
For once I agree with the TSA. Just what exactly is it that
makes APSA thinks that airline pilots are exempt from such
requirements? Do they want the airlines to simply hand out guns in
dispatch to take onto aircraft without so much as a passing
thought?
Pardon me, but the fact is that during the past few months we
have had numerous instances of these "highly training, stable,
reliable and ex-military" personnel attempt to get into an airplane
and fly off with passengers while legally drunk. I for one am tired
of the bizarre assertions that just because someone is trained to
fly an airplane and came from a background where the average
officer qualified once a year with a firearm, the same person is
qualified to carry firearms in an airliner cockpit without any
training, psychological tests and background checks.
In this case, the TSA is absolutely correct: not a
single pilot should be allowed to carry firearms in the cockpit
without having gone through the tests, checks and training listed
on the APSA web site. As far as I am concerned, those pilots who
object to going through the same steps that a law enforcement
officer, federal air marshal or armed federal officers must go
through before being allowed to carry firearms in an airliner can
simply choose not to be allowed to carry that firearm. The average
airline pilot has more than enough off-duty time each month to go
through the process the TSA is putting in place for this program.
If they choose not to go through it, fine, they don't get access to
the firearm in the cockpit. End of story.
Pick Up The Phone
Finally, I urge the public to call (202) 224-3121 and ask to
speak to their Congressional representatives and Senators, and tell
them that you don't want to see pilots carrying firearms in
airliners without the tests and checks that the TSA is suggesting
be given to them. Next, call (202) 456-1111 and tell President Bush
that you support the TSA on the issue of firearms in the cockpit
and that no one should be allowed to carry firearms in an airliner
without appropriate tests, checks and authorizations.
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