After a recent bout of flying I find the story that the TSA may be relaxing its restrictions on small knives, razor blades and bows and arrows very interesting. I'll be the first to admit I find all the shenanigans they put us through before flying to be a total farce, and like many I've often found myself on the plane in possession of a banned item due to pure accident. Even when bags are searched for items there is almost never a really thorough effort to explore all its cavities, and I've never once seen anyone rip apart a laptop. Anyone with half a brain could devise a way to put box cutters, large knives, or even explosives inside a laptop and get them on a plane.

But really, now TSA wants to allow a bow an arrow on a plane? What is the thinking there - they are trying to appease great white hunters who are tired of having to shoot Bambi instead of impale him with a pointy stick? I agree it seems unlikely anyone could really hold up a plane with a bow and arrow, could someone really kill more than one person with it before being stomped by a dozen angry passengers determined not to smacked into the ground? Yes, much of the change in inflight safety has come from passengers realizing that not all hijackers are intent to take their passengers along for a safe ride to the next airport. But really, did anyone think that a few guys armed with nothing more than box cutters could hold up a plane?

Also think about that pilot locked in the cabin with his gun. If a bow and arrow is aimed at a flight attendant or the boys in biz-class don't you think he'd be tempted to come out to take some pot shots? And after that the rest is history, hijackers storm the cockpit (because it doesn't have double doors to allow secure entry and exit) and the plane and probably the only gun on board is theirs.

I still stick with my radical theory of inflight security - everyone goes armed to the teeth (guns for all!), or they go buck naked, or they go chemically sedated. I can even imagine airlines specializing in such security policies might actually gain some very loyal supporters.

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