SAFER?
Now that our twenty-five thousand airport security search personnel have been
transformed into federal employees, do you feel any safer?
Actually, if there is really any safety in numbers, you ought to feel much better,
much more secure from in-flight suicide bombers and the like, because the number of
such employees on the federal payroll federal payrolls is approaching sixty-thousand, and
shows no signs of stopping until it is deemed politically correct!
It is not required that such personnel be American citizens, either, which makes it
interesting to see the number of non-citizens growing steadily. Pay remains minimal but
the flow of new employees remains steady because benefits are good. Language
requirements are not specified, either.
All newcomers should become aware, of course, as to which political party pushed
this legislation through the Congress and they will be expected to get qualified, one way
or another, to vote in the elections upcoming and to influence their friends and families
and anyone else to do so - especially those who have citizenship papers in order.
The alternate plans, you may recall, was to have airport surveillance people hired
by private firms working under strictly enforced Federal rules and regulations. This had
been the rather haphazardly supervised plan which had been in use previous to
September 11th. It all became suspect after the Trade Towers and the Pentagon
tragedies became a symbol for making quick reforms in the minds of so many people who
have never worried about such problems before. That brought in a host of amateur
do-gooders and followers and they, in turn, accepted, without question the panacea set
forth when the whole thing was made, unfortunately, into a political thing. It was speedily
passed and became law and now we see it speedily changing to accommodate itself to
political rather than airport safety and security needs.
The burgeoning bulk of new inspection people come to the front lines of airport
security virtually untrained and without practical experience in their work routines. The
airlines are experiencing enough hazards in trying to stay alive as business firms and
inadequate or incapable inspection personnel at the local airports will not help built
consumer confidence as to the safety of air travel.
Unless air traffic can be increased, our airlines face almost certain disaster.
Of course, we could, then, “federalize” all pilots and maintenance crews.
Would that make you feel safer when you fly?
A.L.M. May 21, 2002 [c410wds]
