Transportation Security Aggravation.Even (or especially?) among experts, such as Robert W. Poole Jr. and Jim Harper ("Transportation Security Aggravation Any circumstances surrounding the commission of a crime that increase its seriousness or add to its injurious consequences. Such circumstances are not essential elements of the crime but go above and beyond them. ," March), there seems to be confusion about the 9/11 airline security problems. The worst was the non-confrontation policy favored by the airlines, seconded by the Federal Aviation Administration Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), component of the U.S. Department of Transportation that sets standards for the air-worthiness of all civilian aircraft, inspects and licenses them, and regulates civilian and military air traffic through its air traffic control , and followed by disarmed dis·arm v. dis·armed, dis·arm·ing, dis·arms v.tr. 1. a. To divest of a weapon or weapons. b. passengers and air crews--the root cause of which was the elitist e·lit·ism or é·lit·ism n. 1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources. , leave-it-to-the-police attitude that has been fostered in the population for a couple of generations now. The hijackers knew that even if an armed federal agent were aboard, policy would stay his or her hand as long as it was believed to be an ordinary hijacking hijacking Crime of seizing possession or control of a vehicle from another by force or threat of force. Although by the late 20th century hijacking most frequently involved the seizure of an airplane and its forcible diversion to destinations chosen by the air pirates, when . (The terrorists went to considerable trouble to reassure the passengers.) Considering the roadblocks thrown up against arming pilots, it seems the corporate and government bureaucrats have learned--or perhaps care--little. So why does Jim Harper think that an effective "heterogeneous, fully private airline security system" is likely? Or a government-run one either? The bureaucrats know they'll never be held fully accountable. I do agree that there is a "better result when security is provided by interested parties with a real stake in the outcome." To me, that sounds like passengers and air crews. William J. Durr Cornwallville, NY |
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