From this Washington Post Article it might appear that the government has lost its mind. Just a few years ago we were led to believe that everyone was to be a suspect and that small bladed knifes were as dangerous as guns. What are we to do now? I don't know if I'll feel safe flying now!!! Will you???
If you are easily scared by reality, or if you are a constantly worry about what if, what if, or what if, then read no further. Remain ignorant - and as unsafe as you ever were.
Look folks this change is a good thing! Let me say this again: "We are only safe when we choose to be safe!" We are never safe when we relinquish our moral obligation to self-defense to a third-party. (This takes nothing away from those who - everyday - go to work and attempt to provide security for others... Military, law enforcement, correctional officers, and, well yes, security professionals.)
First of all, finding small blades can be very difficult, at best, during a screening process such as one finds at airports. Ask any security professional responsible for building security. Throughput is king! With that said... I remember shortly after September 11, 2001 (yes I was flying on the first day flights were permitted) a flight attendant asked me to move to the front of the plane near the cockpit door and then asked, "If anything happens will you help me?" What a disturbing question. If anything happens. What is supposed to happen? We've been carefully stripped of all tools that human development has provided us to make us able to defend ourselves better. What was really disturbing is that someone may have said 'no'. After answering in the affirmative, all I could think was what all those years of telling citizens to submit to crime, criminals, and miscreants had done to us. We lost our will to resist. Why do I say this now? Because if you think that a pocket knife is that big of a threat on a plane then you lack a certain amount of the survival drive (I deeply apologize if this offends anyone, but keep reading).
A pocket knife is of little use, if you understand how resilient the human body is, against a determined defender. A human an bleed a considerable amount before experiences a serious degradation in their capabilities. Some say that bleeding is the most over-treated injury. So a little slice here or there might be disturbing but not seriously damaging. Now a thrust could be deadly. A thrust of just about two inches into the torso will hit an organ - not good. So how do you fight back on a plane? Think man, think! (Woman too). Be creative - MacGyver creative - what is around you in the passenger cabin? Seat cushions, magazines, headphones (with wire), air sick bags, the armrest, seatback trays, soda cans, plastic utensils, plastic cups, and anything in your carry on bags - like hard plastic bookmarks and so on. Roll up a magazine and strike yourself (not your little brother or best friend - belated sorry Russ) and see how much that hurts. Striking major muscles can cause them to malfunction - also called fluid shock techniques - or use it a means to keep that little toy knife at bay. Throw water in someone's face (cocktails are better) to distract them. A soda can weighs roughly one pound. It can really hurt when used as a rock - thrown or striking. If it's empty, tear the top and bottom off and fold the long strip of metal into a very sharp edge. So I ask again, "What do you defend yourself with?" And the answer is the same as it has been for centuries - Your Mind! Do not panic - react. Do not submit - overcome. Oh, by the way, a pocket knife is very likely to fold onto your own figures if you try to use it as a thrusting weapon - a bad experience I do not recommend.
That all sounds great, I know. I've been spouting if for years, but practically speaking the bad guys to have advantages at the of attack - mainly coordinated action. So how then are these changes to security policies worthwhile?
The threat has changed significantly. I would venture to say that, unlike the 1970's, if someone were to yell this is a hijacking they would be picking their teeth up off the floor pretty fast. The bad guys thrive on control, and they get it by instilling fear (terror). The few affecting the many by affecting the few. They threaten one person to hold everyone at bay and so. Anyway, these policies reflect the fact that times have changed. It's time to focus on the next threat, whatever that may be.
Rob
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