The
new face of terrorism
Sarah
Thigpen
I
hate to fly. Even before Sept. 11, the idea
of getting on a plane made me extremely
nervous. The people that fly them earn less
than minimum wage. The airlines that own
them are close to broke. And I always get
seated next to the child whose mother allows
them to "express themselves" (throwing
fits in public, screaming, etc.)
But
now it seems I have another reason to fear
the friendly skies and go running for a
train or bus. Terrorism has taken a new
face: the 20-year-old college student.
Nathaniel
Heatwole, 20, succeeded in shutting down
every commercial airline in the United States
for two hours. About five weeks ago Heatwole
went through normal security procedures
at airports in Baltimore and Raleigh-Durham,
N.C., and was able to carry box cutters,
bleach and clay onto the planes. These devices
are the same articles that were used to
take over the aircraft's used against the
World Trade Center two years ago. Once aboard,
he hid the bags in a compartment in the
rear lavatories of two planes. Last Thursday
the articles were discovered by airline
maintenance.
The
next day airlines began frantic searches
of their aircraft's just as I was landing
in Phoenix, Ariz. As I left the bar, relaxed
from the rum and Coke I had drank to calm
my nerves, I was instantly sobered by airport
security asking me to please leave the boarding
area to be rechecked through security.
An
insurance salesman from Iowa that I had
met in the bar walked alongside as we wondered
what was happening. Then I heard the magic
words: "box cutters" and "aircraft."
My
heart sank. In front of me a woman began
sobbing upon hearing the news. When I asked
her if she was okay, she shook her head.
"I'm from New York," was all she
could get out.
Eventually
I got through security again, two hours
later, and managed to make my connecting
flight to El Paso, Texas. Heatwole was apprehended
by the FBI and is now being held without
bail. In an e-mail to the police, Heatwole
explained that he was fully aware of the
ramifications of his actions, but felt the
need to prove the lack of security in the
airports.
I'm
all for being allowed to speak your opinion,
but I can't be the only person that considers
this move a really bad idea. You cost the
already struggling airlines thousands in
delays and overtime fees; you inconvenienced
thousands of people and petrified thousands
more. Point taken.
But
while I despise Heatwole's actions, I understand
the questions that he is posing to the airlines.
Just how safe am I if a 20-year-old college
student can figure out a way around your
security? Why do I have my shoes inspected,
when the real threat is a post-teen rebel
with a carry on?
The
answer is simple. Airlines will never be
100 percent safe. There will always be a
threat. We don't need a reminder. Next time,
send a letter.
As
Heatwole sat in federal custody on Sunday,
I flew back into the same airport, only
to be bumped off my flight. The next one
was 14 hours later.
I
hate to fly.
Sarah
Thigpen is a public relations major at Cal
State Long Beach.
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