Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/07/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 06:10 PM 7/10/02 +0200, Nathan Wajsman wrote: >So, are you implying that the Right to Bear Arms should apply on airplanes??? Even >taking the silly legalistic point of view, an airplane is private property, and as >far as I know the owner of a private property has the right to restrict people >from bringing in weapons onto that property, or any other items for that matter. > >This whole debate is plain silly. Yes, security precautions are inconvenient, but >what is the alternative? I just flew from Zurich to Tel Aviv and back. I assure >you that the checks at Tel Aviv airport in particular are most inconvenient, and >it is certainly not pleasant having to show up 2 1/2 hour early for an 8 a.m. >flight--but I also know that no El Al plane has been hijacked in the past 25 >years, and I am grateful for the safety. And by the way, in most airports outside >the U.S. the security checks are carried out by professional, properly trained law >enforcement officers, not minimum-wage rent-a-cops. > Nathan Several points in response. First, the Second Amendment "right to bear arms" applies in the sky, on the ground, and on the territorial waters of the United States, without any geographical restriction. Second, the debate is not over a decision by the owners of the airplanes -- the airlines -- to restrict a pilot's bearing arms. The debate is over the worth of the decision by the US federal government to do so. If the federal government lifts its restriction, then the airlines are certainly capable of taking any position they might wish for their employees. (There is substantial, but very old, case law guaranteeing passengers on 'common carriers', such as railroads, the right to bear arms. This is not really on point, of course.) Third, I believe that El Al has armed security agents on a number of its flights or, at least, this is the story the airline puts about. Note that the recent murdered at the El Al ticket counter in Los Angeles was killed by an armed El Al security guard. I do not know El Al's policy on whether the crew of an airplane can or should or must be armed -- but I would be most surprised if there weren't some suitable ordnance available to the crew of their aircraft. Marc msmall@infi.net FAX: +276/343-7315 Cha robh bąs fir gun ghrąs fir! - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html