Sharp Objects may be Allowed on Planes

The decorations, the music, so many other signs tell me we’re moving into the December holiday season, but, for some reason, it really seems that we instead are heading backward … to Sept. 10.

Airport security screeners are reportedly going to let passengers bring sharp objects on board airplanes again. Today’s Washington Post says the Transportation Security Administration plans to announce security changes Friday.

Sources quoted by the paper say the new rules will allow things like scissors in carry-on bags. The reasoning is that such items are no longer regarded as the greatest threat to airline security. Homeland Security Department officials are said to be more concerned about preventing suicide bomb attacks at airports. Officials want screeners to focus more on finding things that can explode rather than things that are sharp.

The Post reports the newly relaxed rules would allow scissors under four inches long tools [sic] shorter than seven inches.

TSA spokeswoman says the new initiatives will be positive for both security and customer service.

Hmmm … about those “tools shorter than seven inches,” would those include boxcutters? Scissors are fine, as terrorists will be asked to run with them.

Look, I don’t care about customer service anywhere near the amount I care about customers not being turned into corpses and innocent people on the ground dying, possibly again by the thousands. It does not matter that sharp devices are no longer considered the greatest threat. If they are any threat at all, there is no reason for a change that may cost lives.