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Should TSA agents be armed?

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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 1:56 am
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Should TSA agents be armed?

Note: I kept this thread separate to focus on this specific question, and not the wider issue of the LAX incident which is already in the other thread.

In light of that LAX incident, one question has been raised, should TSA agents be armed? It would give them a chance of self-defense in situations like this. And they would'nt be so helpless and be able to defend themselves and others. However, would having a gun make that much of a difference in situations like this? In addition, would being armed make those power tripping TSA a.......s even more unpleasant than they already are? Yes, they aren't there to be your friend, but a modicum of respect for the passenger would'nt hurt either. ..
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 1:20 am
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Hell, no.
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 1:33 am
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No. Just about every airport I fly through has police at the checkpoint who are armed.
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 1:41 am
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Originally Posted by PTravel
Hell, no.
+1
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 1:45 am
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:facepalm:
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 1:50 am
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uh, no.
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 3:35 am
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Should TSA agents be armed?

Definitely not. I can almost guarantee that armed TSA will hurt/kill more people that it saves.

Think about this... I'm not sure about the statistics, but I would be interested to know, of all the guns found BEHIND security, how many were from pax, and how many were from FAMs, LEOs, or armed pilots that accidentally left their weapon somewhere...
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 3:43 am
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Not by the hair of my chinny, chin, chin.

Should workers at McDonald's be given weapons?

Should school bus drivers be given guns?

Postal workers?

All of these have had assaults, murders and other stuff happen in the work place. I know of no way to totally eliminate violence in any of these locales. Arming workers would only lead to more killings, in my opinion.

Heck, I'd even go so far as to say that half the police officers who have guns now, might be better without them.
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 4:35 am
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Originally Posted by PTravel
Hell, no.
+2

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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 5:04 am
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Nope. Trained personnell that are armed should be stationed at all entrance and exits.
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 5:05 am
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Aw, HELL NO!
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 5:34 am
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No, unless they become police officers.
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 6:01 am
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Not as police officers with powers of arrest - but everyone has an inherit right of self defense..

LAX dumped their police from their lines a couple months ago so my guess is they'll just bring them back..
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 6:22 am
  #14  
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Not now, not ever.

Their role is to prevent unauthorised items from entering the secure area. Not to introduce them.

Given their inherent rudeness, incompetence and outright arrogance most of them shouldn't even be employed in customer facing areas let alone in a position of authority.
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Old Nov 3, 2013 | 6:23 am
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Originally Posted by PTravel
Hell, no.
+3. I would feel a whole lot less safe.
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