Homeland Security Committee Chair Ignorant

Do you remember when I told you about the court ruling that guns are not allowed in the Atlanta airport? Well, I should have done more research then, but I'm a little lazy. Someone else has now done it for me. Apparently, allowing guns in the unsecured areas of airports is pretty common, even at some of the busiest airports in the US ("Philadelphia, Detroit, Phoenix, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles and San Francisco").

What's that you say? You're shocked? That's so dangerous?

Really? When was the last time you heard of a licensed concealed carrier busting into an airport and mowing people down?

Never?

Hmm. That's probably because it doesn't happen.

Unfortunately, "some anti-terrorism experts say that is a glaring security loophole that could endanger airport workers, passengers and people waiting to pick them up or see them off. Some suggest that allowing guns in terminals is practically asking for them to be smuggled aboard a plane.

"'If your airport is not secure, then the security of your airplanes is jeopardized,' said Rafi Ron, former security chief at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel who now works as an aviation consultant. 'You cannot separate the two.'"

Others have completely different viewpoints: "the nonsecure areas of the terminal are no different from other public venues and do not warrant special restrictions.

"'It's really not more of a concern than at a mall or a train station,' said Philadelphia police Lt. Louis Liberati."

I couldn't agree more. Mr. Thompson, however, couldn't disagree more: "Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, was surprised to learn that airports have been allowing weapons for years, and warned that Congress could move to ban the practice. In a July letter to TSA, Thompson called guns in terminals 'a threat to the safety of airline travelers.'"

Um, hello? If he was so "surprised" that this was the case, he obviously didn't know about it (which is bad enough in itself considering he's the chair of the HOMELAND SECURITY Committee). And, if he didn't know about it, there must not have been any tragic events that would have brought this to his attention.

Because it's not dangerous.

These are law-abiding citizens. The lunatics and crazies and terrorists don't need a conceal carry permit to be a lunatic, crazy, or terrorist and bring a gun to an airport.

Duh.