Sky Pilot

As the young men move out
into the battle zone
He feels good,
with God you're never alone
--Sky Pilot, The Animals

I know my place inside your heart
The painted figure that glows in the dark
No you're not mysterious now
I don't worship that sacred cow
--Sacred Cow, Crowded House

Ranger Question of the Day:
If God created the earth,
and we are the sole intelligent life in the universe,
What are all these other planets about?
Why do we need all this other stuff?
________________

We have discussed the efficacy of the Federal Air Marshall Program (Sky King), now let's look at the Federal Flight Deck Officer (FFDO)Training Program which has made 85 - 90,000 pilots and crew members eligible to be armed and trained in the use of handguns in commercial aviation.

Ranger opposes the cost and utter mindlessness of this program. Air crewman are not law enforcement, nor should we want them involved in airborne shooting scenarios; they have more important flight duties. One can be a gunfighter or an air crew member, but one cannot be both at the same time.

All of this training for naught. Not once has a gun been properly used to suppress any terrorist activity on an aircraft. In fact, not one Federal Marshall has used his weapon for anything more than impressing a steward or stewardess. Policies are implemented and money spent on counter-terror measures without oversight or reevaluation of the basic premise for the expenditures.

The word terror now incites terror; it is become our sacred cow.

Going now to ground level gun toters in the name of averting terror: Federal law has authorized retired law enforcement officers to carry their weapons concealed upon retirement. When has any retired officer used his weapon to deter an act of terror here in the Heartland. Answer: NEVER.

U.S. Counter-terror policy is based upon a total misunderstanding of the supposed threat and is managed by those with cowboy mentalities. Let's disarm the flight crews and retired law enforcement officers as both policies are ineffective and pointless.

If the U.S. wishes to play cowboys and terrorists let us just arm everybody, creating an illusion of security (which would soon fall as human vice and folly took over.)

Considerations of reality do not seem to be steering the ship of State these days.