Originally Posted by copwriter
I made reference to this before: in order for common sense to be employed, we must first have a "sense in common." We have to have a set of values and understandings that we all accept. It's clear that we don't have that.
But, in the traditional meaning of "common sense," I think the common sense-ical response would go something like this:
FAM: Sir, I am a federal air marshal [displays ID]. Why were you asking the flight attendant how many people there were in the crew?
Goalie: I was going to give them all a Tootsie Pop as a way of expressing my appreciation for their job. See, I have a bag of them here.
FAM: I see. How thoughtful of you. Sorry to have troubled you. Have a nice day.
There are lots and lots of stops made by cops that turn out similarly. I once stopped a car where I was all but certain that the driver was drunk. Turned out that he was eating a taco that he had just purchased, and the contents had dumped into his lap.
part of what you wrote using the "common sense approach" happened........
happened: "FAM: Sir, I am a federal air marshal [displays ID]. Why were you asking the flight attendant how many people there were in the crew? "
happened: "Goalie: I was going to give them all a Tootsie Pop as a way of expressing my appreciation for their job. See, I have a bag of them here."-i did open my briefcase and show them.
didn't happen: "FAM: I see. How thoughtful of you. Sorry to have troubled you. Have a nice day."
happened: the rapid fire questioning and me showing my i/d and what i mentioned in my initial post.
i'm going to take the wait and see approach as this situation could go from one extreme to the other and i would not want to give the "other extreme" any fuel but what i would like to do now with utmost sincerity is-to those of you who expressed your concerns by pm and here in this post,
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU and i will keep you informed (though i will continue to give out tootsie pops but i might take a different apporach in wording how i offer them).