Exit question: Are stupid people drawn to government service, or does government service make people stupid?

We’ll have to form a commission and get back to you on that.

Shall we explain these things to Audrey Hudson? We could try to be more polite to her than I have been here; our taunts can usefully be reserved for the publicly licensed thieves whose names we seek from her.

http://www3.washingtontimes.com/contact-us/

This guys honest mistake could have destroyed the entire plane.

But it didn’t. They seized the materials, and could have sent him a letter informing him of a regulation of which he had no previous knowledge. Instead, without warning, wham — pay $28,000.

Whatever happened to the principle of “no harm, no foul”?

This guys honest mistake could have destroyed the entire plane.

Would that be the motor oil, or the WD-40?

The ValuJet crash a few years back was caused by improperly putting a HAZMAT shipment (oxygen generators) on a passenger aircraft that they’re forbidden on. These items are used in aircraft to generate oxygen for the mask system in an emergency, and are carried on all passenger aircraft in the first place.

RustMouse on October 30, 2007 at 9:10 PM

That tragedy is no doubt the reason they are hammering this guy so hard. To make an example of him. But there is no comparison between the volatility of oxygen generators and a few quarts of petroleum based liquids.

Beside the fact that these substances never got on the aircraft. In order to be judicious its not enough to consider what may have happened you also have to consider what actually did happen. Which in this case was nothing, and with no indication of any intent to do harm.

The facts here remind me of the brainless zero tolerance policies in schools that would punish a child for drawing a picture of something that appeared to be a gun. Mindless. People that support and tolerate this kind of automatic punishment by burocrats so they can look tough, invite tyranny. A review of the facts and intent are always in order to have a just outcome.

Methinks there is more to this story.

The ValuJet crash a few years back was caused by improperly putting a HAZMAT shipment (oxygen generators) on a passenger aircraft that they’re forbidden on. These items are used in aircraft to generate oxygen for the mask system in an emergency, and are carried on all passenger aircraft in the first place.

Since the cabin is pressurized (and some of the cargo space is as well) a can of WD-40 releasing into the air poses a much greater hazard than it would if the same thing happened in your garage – the oxygen concentration is different, and you can’t simply open a window to vent the toxic fumes out.

The fine was levied properly, and if justice is to be served, he should be able to appeal it and get it reduced because of the hardship it would cause to him and his mission.

It’s unfair, but he can’t really claim ignorance, since things like aerosol bottles are listed specifically as well as flammables on the warning poster at the security checkpoints and baggage counters.

KSgop on October 30, 2007 at 7:12 PM

I don’t understand people like you. There is no justice in punishing people for an honest mistake. It does not promote a good sociality or promote respect for the laws. Especially to punish someone so harshly when there was no victim, no one harmed.

I’m sure if this was brought to trial no jury would enforce such a harsh penalty against him. Justice is blind but its not suppose to be stupid.

I don’t think the fine was high enough. You cannot ship combustible materials like that on an aircraft. It has nothing to do with “adding” anything to what might happen in a crash, but it has *everything* to do with that moron being the cause of the crash. Utterly irresponsible of him.

KSgop on October 30, 2007 at 7:12 PM

I’m not a lawyer, but doesn’t the law have to consider intent? The guy obviously thought he was within the law (had the container clearly marked), and he gave up the stuff at check-in when he was told he couldn’t take it with him.

Back when TSA still had the butane lighter ban (just lifted last August), I had them taken from me a the checkpoint with a polite reminder that I couldn’t take it on the plane. I’d just toss it in the trash with an “Oops, my bad.” and nothing else was ever said.

I have a lot of sympathy for the missionary and his work, but rules are rules, and penalties need to reflect the seriousness of the violation.

I’m going to look into donating a bit of $ to help Rev. Childers pay the fine.

Oh — almost forgot: this . . .

This is ridiculous, the aircraft itself is carrying tons of jet fuel. Their regulations didn’t seem to help anything on 9/11. When a jet crashes that surely isn’t going to add much fuel to the inevitable fire.
Maxx on October 30, 2007 at 5:26 PM

. . . is just about the most brainless thing I’ve read today. Only Murtha tops it.

Exit question: Are stupid people drawn to government service, or does government service make people stupid?

flipflop on October 30, 2007 at 5:26 PM

I ask that all the time, but in regard to politics. I’ve never gotten an answer, and I don’t know either, but there sure are a lot of idiots running the country.

The law is the law.

Doesn’t mean it can’t be wrong.

Maybe instead of health care we need free lawyers to guide us through every detail of our daily lives so we don’t run afoul of the law.

I could understand the government giving him a warming or even a fine for a couple of hundred dollars, as a stiff reminder to not let it happen again. But this is just so far over the top!

I sure hope a pro-bono lawyer steps forward to help Mr. Childers, whatever happened to common sense, whatever happened to justice. The government is out of it’s collective mind.

…beyond question immoral…

Uh, what? I’m assuming that was sarcasm.

Anyway…this is right up there with strip-searching 80-year-old grannies and wheel-chair bound nuns. My guess is that the fine won’t stick, thanks at least in part to blogs like this one.

Exit question: Are stupid people drawn to government service, or does government service make people stupid?