N830MH

Right, this is US Airways Express.

Affection

You stated that the most likely purpose for carrying a gun is intention to commit suicide. There are tens of millions of handguns in the US, and less than 1% of them have ever been used to kill someone (suicide, murder, or otherwise). Your argument is, therefore, wrong.

--Jon

Affection

I should also add that around 100 handguns illegally make it on airplanes weekly, almost all of them loaded (source: TSA blog says they catch about 30 handguns a week, and GAO says TSA misses 70% of guns, therefore total would be about 100). I've heard no reports of suicidal intent.

--Jon

WillCAD

Incorrect math, Jon - if they catch 30, and they're catching 30%, but they're missing 70%, then the total that gets through is 70.

70 guns per week making it onto planes. If those numbers are still valid (and we have no reason to suspect otherwise, since TSA refuses to release those number), that's a contemptible amount of failures from an agency which justifies draconian and abusive measures by claiming that they can't afford to fail even once.

littlesheep

You have better things to do, says to self.

MaximumSisu

Comes to YOUR mind, which we can't argue with, although he certainly had other means at his disposal while flying to do away with himself and others. However, many,many thousands of guns are carried in the USA daily without suicidal intent (most firearm suicides happen at home, anyway).

Most are carried with homicidal intent (intent to commit justifiable homicide in self-defense if required), and the vast majority of those weapons are carried legally.

WillCAD

Funny, the first thought I had was that he was trying to TRANSPORT his gun from point A to point B for the purposes of self-defence or recreational target shooting, not suicide, murder, or terrorism.

But what do I know; I'm just a bitter, jaded, cynical old pessimist who has trouble seeing the good in people. Hm... yet even I didn't automatically jump to the conclusion that developed capacity equals nefarious intent. Funny.

littlesheep

Same.

littlesheep

Huh? I don't know what you mean by 'developed capacity', but there's nothing nefarious about suicide. Murder is a remote possibility, unlikely but possible.

My whole point is that he's obviously not a terrorist, but way to go people, misconstruing what I said, and diverting the discussion from the main point.

Mikey likes it

Yet there's not been even the threat of a hijack using a firearm for how long now?

And of course, guns can be detected via the WTMD and don't require "advanced" screening techniques.

Superguy

A lot of people do for protection, and do so legally.

Just go to Texas and see how many people are carrying. Very few of those carrying would be suicidal.

littlesheep

Enough. Waste of time.

WillCAD

There are currently over 188,000 active CCW permits in his home state of Virginia. What's your first thought on hearing that over 188,000 people, many of whom are "high functioning professionals" are carrying loaded guns around all the time? Are all 188,000 of them suicidal? I tend to doubt it.

Suicide is also a remote possibility, far more remote, in fact, than murder.

I'm not misconstruing what you said, and the main point of the discussion is that a pilot was illegally carrying a gun aboard planes in his carry on bag. Speculations as to the motives for this behavior are entirely to the point of this conversation.

But since you've chosen to wipe out all of your posts in this thread and replace them with comments about "wasting time", I assume that you've taken your ball and gone home, as it were, so we'll just continue the conversation without you.

MaximumSisu

That's one of the big deficiencies of this board --- posts can be edited long after their first appearance, and even after being quoted. It's especially pernicious when someone who has been proven wrong can just remove all evidence of their misbegotten posts.

That is one reason never to quick post ---- always quote whatever you are responding to, as the original poster can't change the quote.

RatherBeOnATrain

Some interesting reporting by Phil Fairbanks:

The Buffalo News:
U.S. may allow TSA to handle weapon charge against pilot
Updated: July 13, 2012, 8:36 AM


A short quote:

Under a deal worked out by both sides, Brett Dieter, 52, of Barbersville, Va., would instead face possible administrative penalties by the Transportation Security Administration.

"That's accurate," Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael L. McCabe said Thursday when asked by a federal judge if the charges against Dieter might be dropped.

McCabe said there are conditions to the government's dismissing the complaint, most notably the understanding that Dieter might face fines or other penalties by the TSA. He also would be required to forfeit the Smith and Wesson .357 Magnum he owns.

and the money quote: