Post by Mitch HanK Sauer on Dec 18, 2003 20:18:46 GMT -5
Source: Gun Owners of America
GOA-backed Legislation to Arm Cargo Pilots Becomes Law
-- Yet TSA continues to drag its feet in arming passenger pilots
Gun Owners of America
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
www.gunowners.org
Thursday, December 18, 2003
Gun Owners of America welcomed cargo pilots to the world of concealed carry this past Friday, after GOA-backed legislation was signed into law.
While this new law will allow cargo pilots to carry firearms onto their planes, GOA remains concerned that the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) will work to limit the number of cargo pilots who can carry guns, just as it has impeded the number of eligible passenger pilots.
Captain Tracy Price published an editorial in The Washington Times last week which detailed the extent to which the TSA has dragged its feet in this area.
The TSA has “very intentionally and successfully” minimized the number of volunteers to the armed pilots program, Price says, by employing “thinly veiled threats” and making the program extremely difficult to get into.
[You can read the details at www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20031211-085721-8712r.htm on the web.]
While the TSA has technically complied with last year’s law, it has only done so in the manner of a little child who goes to his room when ordered—stomping his feet along the way.
At the current rate of arming pilots, it will take 15 years to arm all pilots who wish to be armed. In the mean time, Air Force pilots continue training on how to shoot down hijacked planes.
ACTION:
Please urge President Bush to order the Transportation and Security Administration to step up the pace in protecting our skies. You can contact the President by going to the GOA website at www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send the pre-written message below as an e-mail.
------ Pre-written message ------
Dear President Bush:
I congratulate you—and the entire military stationed in Iraq— for steadfastly continuing to pursue and capture the Butcher of Baghdad. But while we have won a huge battle abroad, we have been left defenseless here at home.
Specifically, I am talking about the foot-dragging that has surrounded the program to certify pilots for carrying firearms. At the current rate of arming pilots, it will take 15 years to arm all pilots who wish to be armed.
As you know, Al Qaeda has threatened to hijack additional planes in this country. But to date, we have a very small percentage of pilots who can actually defend their planes. Air Marshals are virtually non-existent as well.
Why has the Transportation Security Administration been allowed to drag its feet? You might have seen Capt. Tracy Price’s editorial that was printed in The Washington Times on December 12. Capt. Price says that, “The TSA has very intentionally and successfully minimized the number of volunteers though thinly veiled threats and by making the program difficult and threatening to get into.”<br>His frustration with TSA is shared by many concerned Americans all over the country. I don’t think it’s wise for us to wait 15 years before our skies are sufficiently protected. I hope that you will do everything in your power to make the TSA arm pilots now.
Please let me know how you intend to act. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Stop supporting the big anti-gun internet service providers! The parent companies of AOL / Time Warner / Compuserve, Sprint / Mindspring / Earthlink, and Southwestern Bell / Prodigy—just to name a few—have all given money in the past to Sarah Brady. Now, there is an ISP dedicated to gun rights and the sporting life. Plus a portion of your monthly fee will be donated to GOA. By switching to Outdoors Unlimited, you move money away from the Brady Bunch and to the fight for the Second Amendment. Check out www.outdoorsunlimited.net and consider switching your Internet service today.
GOA-backed Legislation to Arm Cargo Pilots Becomes Law
-- Yet TSA continues to drag its feet in arming passenger pilots
Gun Owners of America
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
www.gunowners.org
Thursday, December 18, 2003
Gun Owners of America welcomed cargo pilots to the world of concealed carry this past Friday, after GOA-backed legislation was signed into law.
While this new law will allow cargo pilots to carry firearms onto their planes, GOA remains concerned that the Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) will work to limit the number of cargo pilots who can carry guns, just as it has impeded the number of eligible passenger pilots.
Captain Tracy Price published an editorial in The Washington Times last week which detailed the extent to which the TSA has dragged its feet in this area.
The TSA has “very intentionally and successfully” minimized the number of volunteers to the armed pilots program, Price says, by employing “thinly veiled threats” and making the program extremely difficult to get into.
[You can read the details at www.washtimes.com/op-ed/20031211-085721-8712r.htm on the web.]
While the TSA has technically complied with last year’s law, it has only done so in the manner of a little child who goes to his room when ordered—stomping his feet along the way.
At the current rate of arming pilots, it will take 15 years to arm all pilots who wish to be armed. In the mean time, Air Force pilots continue training on how to shoot down hijacked planes.
ACTION:
Please urge President Bush to order the Transportation and Security Administration to step up the pace in protecting our skies. You can contact the President by going to the GOA website at www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send the pre-written message below as an e-mail.
------ Pre-written message ------
Dear President Bush:
I congratulate you—and the entire military stationed in Iraq— for steadfastly continuing to pursue and capture the Butcher of Baghdad. But while we have won a huge battle abroad, we have been left defenseless here at home.
Specifically, I am talking about the foot-dragging that has surrounded the program to certify pilots for carrying firearms. At the current rate of arming pilots, it will take 15 years to arm all pilots who wish to be armed.
As you know, Al Qaeda has threatened to hijack additional planes in this country. But to date, we have a very small percentage of pilots who can actually defend their planes. Air Marshals are virtually non-existent as well.
Why has the Transportation Security Administration been allowed to drag its feet? You might have seen Capt. Tracy Price’s editorial that was printed in The Washington Times on December 12. Capt. Price says that, “The TSA has very intentionally and successfully minimized the number of volunteers though thinly veiled threats and by making the program difficult and threatening to get into.”<br>His frustration with TSA is shared by many concerned Americans all over the country. I don’t think it’s wise for us to wait 15 years before our skies are sufficiently protected. I hope that you will do everything in your power to make the TSA arm pilots now.
Please let me know how you intend to act. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Stop supporting the big anti-gun internet service providers! The parent companies of AOL / Time Warner / Compuserve, Sprint / Mindspring / Earthlink, and Southwestern Bell / Prodigy—just to name a few—have all given money in the past to Sarah Brady. Now, there is an ISP dedicated to gun rights and the sporting life. Plus a portion of your monthly fee will be donated to GOA. By switching to Outdoors Unlimited, you move money away from the Brady Bunch and to the fight for the Second Amendment. Check out www.outdoorsunlimited.net and consider switching your Internet service today.