“Reno, Nevada – National Rifle Association Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre told his association’s convention in Reno, Nevada some time ago that if airline pilots had been allowed to carry guns, the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against New York and Pentagon wouldn’t have happened. “What would have made 9-11 impossible? If those pilots on those four airplanes had the right to be armed. When you think about it, they should have been armed 30 years ago. It’s a no brainer,” said LaPierre.
“LaPierre said airline pilots should be trusted with firearms in the cockpits because they are very disciplined workers and could do a better job protecting airline passengers than federal air marshals. According to LaPierre, arming pilots would be “the quickest, cheapest, most thorough means to protect our skies.” “Airline pilots are among the most disciplined and the most professionally screened personnel of any profession in our country,” LaPierre said.
Ted Nugent, late-1970s rocker and political activist, supported LaPierre publicly and stated that “it would be even better if passengers were also allowed to pack some heat.”
“There’s an age-old wisdom that goes, ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it;’ well, not only is the situation in our country’s air transportation broken, it’s catastrophic,” the Motor City Madman said. “I hate to break it to ya, but every single time I board an airplane, I’m in awe of how quickly a couple of guys with ordinary hand pistols could potentially take control over so many people. So, not only do I support and applaud Mr. LaPierre, I also think we can go even further.”
Asked to elaborate, the Nuge said: “Well, it’s simple: Can you tell me what’s safer than an airplane in which the pilots carry guns? An airplane in which, in addition to pilots, the passengers also carry guns. There’s no complicated philosophy about it – the bigger the threat, the more protection required. I’m a huge fan of weapons, as everybody knows, and I can say I’m quite proficient when it comes to using it. But let me tell you, even I would be scared sh*tless if I had to take over a plane in which the whole goddamn crew and passenger manifest were packing heat. I’m crazy, but I’m not that crazy, and I believe terrorists aren’t, either.”
The rocker also added: “What hurts me most is the fact that we’re just now coming around to it. That’s something that should have been done a long time ago. If it had, maybe we could have avoided 9-11 altogether. But, what’s done is done. What we should focus on now is passing legislation that will allow the present and future passengers to protect themselves and their airplane, as well as kick some terrorist ass, since our President, apparently, isn’t capable of doing that himself.”
