Originally Posted by
RxFlyer
OK, let's say that a passenger is carrying a book on how to do just that. In bold letters on the front is the title: "How to blow up an airplane" Your posts seem to indicate that you are fine with that book being confiscated by the TSA.
Now, what if the book is in Arabic (or any other language not spoken by the screener). Is it any less dangerous because the TSA has no idea what it says? Should they let it pass? Should they confiscate all books or papers that the screeners can not understand?
I realize that I'm going a bit overboard here, but the fact is that the OP's airline charts are:
1. legal to own
2. not prohibited by TSA policy (except maybe those super secret policies that we can't see but are still expected to abide by)
3. not particularly suspicious
The TSA screener in question had no more right to demand to see a pilot ID and then confiscate the charts than he would to see a medical license if someone is carrying a copy of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Of course, I can't comment on what my post seems to indicate to you but what you've suggest is not how I feel. What I'm saying is that, regardless of what is legally/morally right and wrong, having that book in your possession would attact unwanted negative attention by the TSA (or any LEO that found it).
No the book would not be any less (or more) dangerous if it was written in Arabic (or any other language), just less obvious to someone who wasn't able to read the title. Whether they SHOULD let it or any other item pass is not the point I was trying to make.
Regarding your 3 points about the OPs original post and the following paragraph, I agree completely and I don't think I ever said otherwise.