Get FREE BuzzFlash News Alerts

Email:  
Home

The Wrong Lesson from Flight 253

Submitted by BuzzFlash on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 10:05am.

c

by Steven C. Day

There’s little doubt that I personally stand a much greater risk of dying from a (frustration induced) heart attack in an airport security line than of being killed in a terrorist attack. The recent failed attack on Northwest Flight 253 doesn’t change that.

By the same token, there’s little doubt that virtually every man, woman and child in the United States stands a greater risk of being killed in an automobile accident than of being killed in a terrorist attack. Of course, we could prevent most of those vehicular fatalities quite easily: all that would be required is to set the maximum speed limit on all roadways and highways in the United States at 25 mph, and then to strictly enforce it.

The fatality rate on our nation’s highways would nosedive. But it would also take a hell of a lot longer to get from one place to another.

It’s the old risk/benefit ratio. To most Americans the benefit of being able to travel with reasonable (or even excessive) speed outweighs the increased risk of doing so.

We make similar risk/benefit compromises every day, of course. Undercooked eggs, for example, increase the risk of foodborne illness — but, let’s face it, eggs served over easy can be mighty tasty — so we take the risk (the same for sushi, oysters on the half shell and that plate of cookies left on the office lunch table cooked by God knows who, all of which, for different reasons, create some risk of making us as sick as a dog). To the same effect, driving to work in the snow increases the risk of being in a serious accident. But since staying at home in bed greatly increases the risk of starving to death from lack of a paycheck, we drag our sorry asses into the the blizzard and drive away. 

And, for the most part, we are fairly accepting of these inevitable risks of life. Not so, however, for terrorism. As to it, the acceptable level of risk often seems to be regarded as zero — something that is in reality, of course, impossible to achieve. Yet, in this quixotic quest to ensure total safety we have spent more of our money, bended more of our national principles and created more discomfort for ourselves and others than has been true in the cases of numerous much more likely risks to our safety.

And here we go again with new security measures in response to the attack on Flight 253 — measures destined to make air travel even more miserable than it already is. Will they make us safer? I’m no expert, but mark me down as dubious. But even if these latest assaults against our air travel sanity will provide some small measure of increased security, that still leaves the question of whether they will be worth the cost.

That’s a question we as a society need to be asking more often. Obviously, we must take all reasonable steps to keep ourselves safe, but the line between what is reasonable and what is unduly destructive of other interests and values couldn’t be any thinner. The threat of terrorism is likely to be with us for as long as anyone reading these words is alive, a risk that will provide endless opportunities for fear induced limitations upon our freedom and comfort. And whatever the Obama Administration does, rest assured, it won’t be nearly enough for the alligator brains of the far right. 

Here’s hoping we remember that there can be worse things than a little risk.

Last Chance Democracy Cafe




»

This article is to my

Submitted by goodxo.com on Sun, 08/15/2010 - 7:14pm.

This article is to my feelings, thanks for your sharing, hoping to see more useful content, refueling,We are a Chinese supplier, we provide the best bag bag and clothes,ghdMoncler clothingP90xghdMoncler Jackets MenMoncler Jackets Women

»

Look here ,so beautiful!

Submitted by www123 on Mon, 07/19/2010 - 10:03pm.

Moncler Moncler | Moncler Jackets Moncler Jackets | Moncler Vest Moncler Vest | Christian Louboutin Christian Louboutin | Christian Louboutin Shoes Christian Louboutin Shoes | GHD Straighteners GHD Straighteners | GHD Hair Straighteners GHD Hair Straighteners | GHD Straightener Cheap GHD Straightener Cheap | Jammer Phone Jammer Phone | Bose Headphones Bose Headphones | Abercrombie Clothing Abercrombie Clothing | Abercrombie and Fitch Abercrombie and Fitch | Abercrombie Shirt Abercrombie Shirt | Abercrombie Jeans Abercrombie Jeans | Herve Leger Dress Herve Leger Dress |

»

Let's play this out to the

Submitted by Z1 on Tue, 12/29/2009 - 4:58am.

Let's play this out to the most extreme absurdness! Simple two step solution.

1)  Put everyone on the no fly list. That way you have no planes, no planes, no terrorists trying to knock planes out of the sky! No planes we get rid of a small fraction of the greedy corporate rats screwing up this country! No planes, a lot less pollution from the burning of millions of gallons of aviation fuel! No planes, retrain the hourly employees into green jobs. A win, win, win, win situation!

2) To fit the character of the American people, strip the last two lines out of the national anthem. Land of the free, Home of the brave, ya right!!!! 

That should satiate the fantasies of the lizard brains!

»

Solve both problems

Submitted by freepubtrans on Tue, 12/29/2009 - 3:36am.

Luckily there is a simple solution to both the "terrorism" problem and the highway accident problem: Free public transit. Make the buses and streetcars free, and stop punishing urbanites who are saving energy and the environment. As more people ride, public transit will gain more acceptance and political power and the service will become better and more frequent, leading to more ridership... get it? To learn more, search for #freepubtrans on twitter.

»

The Wrong Lesson from Flight 253

Submitted by MtnWolfGrlq on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 11:04pm.

Right after the incident occurred, there was an interview with somebody (name forgotten) concerning tighter airport security with the 'fluoroscope' machines (for lack of another word) on NPR.  It was pathetic to hear this guy rant and rave.  The scare tactic.  It doesn't seem to matter who's in the w.h. when it comes to fear inducement.  I'm sick of it.  All it does is continue the culture of fear that leaves the public running around like headless chickens.  Yes, there is a risk factor in everything we do as human beings so the sooner we accept it and forget about it, the better off we'll be.  Why pay for the priviledge of flying in order to undergo this kind of unnecessary intrusion into one's life.

»

We Have Neither...

Submitted by neoconned on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 11:04am.

...prosperity nor security anymore.

I suspect that the reason this guy didn't attempt to blow up the plane over the ocean a la Richard Reid was to get the maximum possible television coverage of the event. In order to facilitate this, he didn't want to blow the plane up over Canada. Therefore, to ensure that he was over US territory, he had to wait until final approach to reasonably ensure that he was. Hence the "reasoning" behind the new "remain seated" regulation is spurious and specious at best. Future bombers will just take the first available opportunity to act.

So while this Nigerian's feeble little attempt failed in the first goal, he succeeded admirably in the second, which is to further affect our economic distress through increased security inconvenience. I will do my part to help him, because I can't afford to fly anywhere anyway.

It isn't going to end until one signs away one's tort rights as a condition of flight. Each traveller will be rendered unconscious prior to boarding, only to be revived upon arrival. Only the good airlines will monitor vital signs.

»