-Caveat Lector- Aboard Flight 564... > > Peter Hannaford > As it was at most U.S. airports, last Saturday was >the first >near-normal day at Denver International since the terrorist >attacks. On >United's Flight 564 the door had just been locked and the >plane was about >to >pull out of >the gate when the captain came on the >public address system. > > "I want to thank you brave folks for coming out >today. We don't have >any new instructions from the federal government, so >from now on we're on >our >own." > > The passengers listened in total >silence. > > He explained that airport security measures had pretty much >solved the > problem of firearms being carried aboard, but not weapons of >the type > the terrorists apparently used, plastic knives or those >fashioned from >wood > or ceramics. > > "Sometimes a potential hijacker >will announce that he has a bomb. There > are no bombs on this aircraft >and if someone were to get up and make that > claim, don't believe him. > > > "If someone were to stand up, brandish something such as a plastic >knife > and say 'This is a hijacking' or words to that effect here is what >you > should do: Every one of you should stand up and immediately throw >things >at > that person - pillows, books, magazines, eyeglasses, shoes >-anything that > will throw him off balance and distract his attention. If >he has a > confederate or two, do the same with them. Most important: get >a blanket >over > him (or her), then wrestle him to floor and keep him >there. We'll land >the >plane > at the nearest airport and the authorities >will take it from there." > > "Remember, there will be one of him and >maybe a few confederates, but > there are 200 of you. You can overwhelm >them. > "The Declaration of Independence says 'We, the people' and that's >just > what it is when we're up in the air: we, the people, vs. would-be > > terrorists. I don't think we are going to have any such problem today or > > tomorrow or for a while, but some time down the road, it is going to > >happen > again and I want you to know what to do. > > "Now, since we're >a family for the new few hours, I'll ask you to turn > to the person next >to you, introduce yourself, tell them a little about > yourself and ask >them to do the same." > > The end of this remarkable speech brought >sustained clapping from the > passengers. He had put the matter in >perspective. If only the > passengers on those ill-fated flights last >Tuesday had been given the >same >talk, > I thought, they might be alive >today. One group on United Flight 93, > which crashed in a Pennsylvania >field, apparently rushed the hijackers in >an > attempt to wrest control >from them. While they perished, they succeeded > in preventing the >terrorists from attacking their intended goal, possibly >the > White House >or the Capitol. > > Procedures for dealing with hijackers were conceived >in a time when the > hijackers were usually seeking the release of jailed >comrades or a > large amount of money. Mass murder was not their goal. >That short talk >last > Saturday by the pilot of Flight 564 should set a >new standard of > realism. > > Every passenger should learn the simple - >but potentially life-saving - > procedure he outlined. He showed his >passengers that a hijacking does > not have to result in hopelessness and >terror, but victory over the > perpetrators. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/";>ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
