This column by David Brin is a must read. It echoes and expands on many of the themes on which I've been ranting since 911. What happened on September 11 was not a failure of airline security, though it was a failure of many of the institutions in which we have now (inexplicably, at least to me) placed our trust. What it was truly a failure of is the notion that we aren't responsible for ourselves, and must let the "professionals" take care of us. Flight 93 dramatically proved that notion wrong.

We're all in the army now. This is the message that we have to promulgate, through the fog of the media, many of whom, unfortunately, still live in the old paradigm.

Since physical adjustment of congress mammals is frowned on, they don't accept mail (snail and E), and they are fairly shy. What would you suggest? After all they are the stupid bastards that write the laws and therefore are the buttons that must be pushed.

They have effectively destroyed the airline industry and I presume that they are looking for a new target. I wonder what it will be.

With current poor schedules and stupid security rules most people West of the Right Coast will do better driving up to 1000 miles than flying.

I don't relish a fire fight in the cabin, but I suspect that the only damage to the aircraft from small arms fire would be the flying flesh and blood. That would be very rare if everyone could be armed. The crime rate in concealed carry states appears to be dropping. There have been few or no reported instances of licensed individuals starting trouble and many just the opposite. So there's the answer pass out Browning 9's at the gate to any one who wants one (collect a deposit of course).

Over many years, our society has slowly slipped from one that saluted the individual ("go west, young man") to one that promoted the group, and group values. As a member of the group, race, gender, the individual was taught to be passive, and let the government, the special interest lobby, or the class action suit take care of the situation. Only by being part of the group could you get what was owed.

But that approach died on Sept11, with thousands of individual souls. The lawyers, the congress, the Jesse Jacksons' cannot protect anyone from this type of attack.

It is almost ironic that as America unites in this war, the individual suddenly becomes the key factor in this struggle.

And there is no waiting for the politicians or media to catch up; it's now up to each one of us to move on, stand up and be counted.

No need of Browings or HK's on any plane. Three or Five Americans proved that in the sky above Pennsylvania. They heard their call and paid the Ferryman's Fee and once again proved there is no such thing as a deadly weapon - only deadly people. No American plane will ever be taken again unless it be taken over the body of every American man, woman and child on that flight. We may be called Home but we will not go quietly into the night!