Shooting on a plane in Miami

Now Brother Ian,

This isn't the kind of news I want to hear right before I take a flight home.

Jamie

 

I guess the 9-11 Commission was wrong when they said we weren't prepared.

 

It appears to be a very unfortunate incident, but one that was handled like it should have been. And some pretty darn good shooting by that agent.

 

He did what he had to do.

 

I feel really sorry for his wife - she must have felt so helpless.

 

OK, the cynical side of me sees the future unfolding like this: The man had an irrational fear of flying; since this has been voted to be an illness, the man couldn't help it, so the agent should have been more compassionate. In the future, no one who threatens with a bomb is to be taken seriously until it is detonated and we can verify that it's real.

 

It's clear, Hope of Glory, that you've never been close to anyone with a serious mental illness. Crazy people tend to act crazy when they go off their meds or when the dosage is wrong. There is very little the relatives and still less the friends can do if the sick person won't acknowledge he's sick.

Usually passengers and their carry-ons are searched before they are allowed to board a plane, nowadays. A really effective terrorist wouldn't run off the plane screaming that he has a bomb while his companion tries to convince the agents that he is bonkers, imho.

The agent did what he was trained to do. I feel sorry for him as well.

 

I'm not saying it's a good situation, I'm saying the whackos that get ridiculous laws passed will run with this. Sort of like the school districts that ban all peanut products because one student is allergic.

I think the agent did the right thing, based upon the facts given, and I feel sorry for everyone involved. But, the psychiatrists and psychologists have determined many things to be illnesses that aren't, and vice versa, and it's all done on a vote, not on scientific evidence.

I can see this happening.

 

Ok, agreed.

Laws such as no nailclippers allowed on planes? Or no shooting madmen running away from planes?

School districts have banned parents from packing peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches in their child's lunch box? I hadn't heard of that.

I have heard that life threatening nut allergies are fairly common in children. I can see the schools not serving potentially deadly foods even if only one student would die. That doesn't seem so whacko to me.

I don't know that shooting the guy was the right thing, but it was understandable given the general hysteria of our times.

Are you sure they don't just flip coins or throw darts? Or maybe they put write them on little pieces of paper and draw them out of a hat.

Actually, I agree with you that mental illness is not well-understood yet. I disagree that there is no science in determing what is an illness, what a disorder and what a normal variation. I am surprised that anyone in this day and age would equate serious mental illness with a fear of flying, though.

 

You simply don't take chances with a man who says he has a bomb and then reaches into a bag while on the tarmac surrounded by fueling jets full of passangers. I can tell you from experience he will only loose one night of sleep. If he was justified, and he was, he will not be traumatized by the event.

 

I know you're not supposed to, but I don't know what I would do.

You've killed someone? It didn't bother you at all?

I've had no experience with that whatsoever (killing, not not being bothered).

 

I did not sleep that night at all, but that was the only night I lost any sleep. I was completely justified and I knew it, and a couple of other officers were still alive because of it. Not every one is cut out to be a law enforcement officer, but I think you have to have a "you gota do, what you gatta do" attitude. I felt bad for the man and his family of course, but it was only to the degree any one reading the morning paper would feel bad, but as far as being the guy who pulled the trigger, I have never been bothered about it at all, as far as I am concerned, he shot himself.

 

Agreed. The nutjob had no business on a plane, without his meds. he shot himself.

 

The agent did what was necessary. It looks like he was trained right.

 

It will doubtless surprise some of you to learn that, unfortunate and tragic though this incident was, I think the marshalls really had no choice and their actions were wholly justified.

[ETA - the alternative course of action would give a green light to any would-be terrorist that all they have to do to avoid being shot is pretend to be mentally ill]

 

I think the marshals did exactly what they are supposed to do, and what they are supposed to do is correct.

Do any of you remember the incident a few years back when someone waiting to meet an arriving pilot said, "Hi, Jack", and the airport was shut down for a couple of hours while it was straightened out? (I missed it by 10 minutes, thankfully.)

Well, things are much more serious now. If you want to play, you have to play by the rules, and these rules are serious.

Sad? Yes. Tragic? Yes. But, the man shot himself.

 

Why call him names? The guy isnt even buried yet and Christians are sledging him. No wonder people dont want to go to church!