It's more than just the Four Rules; it's knowing where your firearm is, where you are -- and what the rules are in that location for both of you.
Take, for instance, the airport. After a dozen years of Security Theater and, what, thirty years before that of having to walk through a metal detector lest your flight from Minneapolis to St. Paul end up in Havana, you'd would think it would be dawning on folks that carrying a loaded firearm into the "secure" area of an airport is going to be all manner of exciting, and not in a good way.
--Sure, that rule is wrong, and when I rule the world, I'll fix it; but what we've got now is what we must deal with now and right now, they frown on it. For "hauled away in handcuffs" levels of frowning.
And yet it keeps happening. Two people were nicked last week in separate incidents at Indianapolis International House Of Airplanes (it once had a much better name) with handguns in their carry-ons.
"Oops?" Quite apart from the twittering fears of the brainless, if the people carrying had "forgotten that was in there," they need to take a seat over there next to the other dimwits, put on a tall conical cap, and listen up: A firearm is not a pencil stub, a paperclip, a furry old cough drop or a wadded-up tissue and if you're not aware of the presence of your personal carryin' iron, maybe you ought to rethink carrying. What's going to happen if you need it? "'Scuse me, Mr. Miscreant, it's in here somewhere," as you hold a mess of small items in one hand and root around in your purse or valise with the other, "at least I think it is. Here, hold my pocketbook while I look, and I'll shoot you just as soon as I find that darned Glocolt & Smithson automatic revolver...." What's gonna happen when Little Timmy looks through your bag for spare change or a decongestant or a well to fall into? --You'll be down at the pawnshop buyin' that thing back again, is what; or he'll be out holding people up while they dig through their bag for their gun (btw, you totally need a new set of friends and relatives) and those are just the good outcomes.
You're free to be a dam'fool but I'll do what I can to talk you out it -- 'cos if I don't, some nitwit-in-office is gonna try to legislate you out of it. I don't care how badass or nice or Constitutional you are, you pay attention to where your gun's at and keep it away from the secure area of airports. You're not gonna de-infringe those wasp's nests by poking at them with a "How'd that get in there?"
BUILDING A 1:1 BALUN
4 years ago
6 comments:
Surely they packed those bags the night before. Or checked their contents to make sure they had everything they needed.
Once detected, "I forgot" seems kind of convenient; perhaps it is better translated, "I know I should have checked it but that's such a pain and only for the plebes anyway."
Unless you carry so many backups (3,4,5,?). that you just forgot one, It's difficult to imagine how you get to the airport without knowing about it.
I remember a flight attendant was collared for doing this just a few months ago. She normally carried a revolver in her purse and forgot to remove it before going to work. I think it's believable. When I traveled regularly I carried the same briefcase I used for going to the office and I didn't pack it specially for the trip.
I sometimes think these people having an oops moment with findng a firearm or other no-no stuff when going through security at the airport are really some one hired to do that. It makes the security screeners feel like they are doing something worthwhile and makes their day. Just Saying. ATB
DAVE Sam.
I had one of the designated TSA checkers end going through the magnetometer between my wife and myself at one of those dual-lines once. Once the Bag X-ray guy saw the weapon, it was big delay for all of us, even though he know all the proper safe-words and everything.
After getting caught with tiny pocketknives that I'd forgotten on my key-chain or in my bag, I do a complete dump and restock of any back I will be carrying before traveling now.
As a teenager (post'73/pre'01) I was once corralled into an impromptu trip to the airport when my mother was called to pick up someone on short notice. The plan was that I would go to the gate and meet the party, and then party and I would go together to a designated pick-up point where we would be picked up after my mother completed a loop of the ring-road.
I had been working on repairing my bicycle, and wearing cargo pants. I think I had three trips through the magnetometer before we found all of my tools and determined that they were not firearms. They then let me put them back in my pockets and go to the gate.
I remember carrying a small pocket knife with me when Flying around the World with the U.S. Navy. Back in '80, someone at LAX said that I couldn't carry it on the Plane when I went through the Metal Detector, so it needed to be Boxed up and placed with my Checked Luggage since it was a "Weapon." But all they had for Boxes at the Ticket Counter were designed to hold something 3 FEET Long and 6 inches wide.
When I told the Ticket Lady I wasn't throwing my Knife Away, she said, "Well, at least you'll be able to Find it at the Other End."
When I landed at Cleveland, my Dad was waiting for me. He wasn't too happy to have to go down to the Luggage Carousel, since I usually just used Carry On. Parking Fees, you know. And when the Box came out, there was a Rent-a-Cop standing by "Just-in-Case." Guess LAX phoned ahead.
You should have seen the Look on his Face when I open up the Box right there in front of him and dropped the Pocket Knife into my Hand.
So Security Theater was NOT Invented by George Bush.
And I haven't flown out to Kalifornia since then.
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