All those khaki-clad, helmed-or-bereted, stern and military-looking National Guardsmen who’ve been there in airports, keeping us safe from terrorists?
Some of them were carrying, under orders, unloaded weapons.
In New York and Pennsylvania, Guardsmen were not allowed to carry loaded weapons. Instead, they had clips ready to load into their unloaded weapons. BFD.
Those states that decided their soldiers should carry loaded weapons said doing so was intrinsic to the success of the mission, to be able to defend themselves and the public.
States that decided otherwise said the guardsmen were there mainly to buttress local law enforcement, and they noted they could order the weapons loaded at any time.
Officially, the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs would not comment on whether the state’s National Guard troops carried loaded or unloaded weapons. “We are not going to confirm specific rules of engagement because our soldiers could be back in the airports,” spokesman John Maietta said.
I.e., for at least Pennsylvania and New York, it was more important to look safe than to be safe.
The newspaper breaking the story, the Philadelphia Inquirer, contacted the states with the nation’s busiest airports. Pennsylvania and New York had folks come forward saying that the guns were unloaded. Most of the states (including Colorado) indicated that they had — gasp! — authorized loaded weapons. A number of states had No Comment, which seems a bit odd.
The problem is, of course, now that the information has (inevitably) leaked out, it makes it all the more likely that someone will guess (rightly or wrongly) that Guardsmen (or other security types) are unarmed, or are just for show, and will Do Something that will possibly lead to People Getting Hurt.
Stupid, stupid, stupid.
And why this? According to the Guardsmen who spilled the beans, they were told that the Powers that Be didn’t “want any John Waynes.” In other words, the Guardsmen couldn’t be trusted not to start opening up with their weapons into the crowds.
Boy, doesn’t that make you feel safe?
(Via Blather)
I still remember that Park Ragner in Sequoia National Forrest (the one who worked for the State) who was tasked with enforcing the same laws that US employeed PArk Ranger enforce, but not allowed to have a gun. He wondered what he was supposed to do when he met up with a poacher or other law breaker – throw his keys at the Guy?
“Hello, I’m not prepared for this job, but I’m sure you’ll put down your weapons and go peacefully.”
If you’re going to be sending folks up against other armed folks as part of their job, you’d better arm them. That’s probably a good place to start from.
UPDATE: Evidently the same is true for Guardsmen assigned to protect nuclear power plants in Pennsylvania. Yeesh.