Since a number of posters seem to be interested in my 2014 protest against the TSA at the Phoenix Sky Harbor airport, I will post a few responses and links here. (I tend to think of it as old news).

Firstly, let's clear up some facts. This was a deliberate political protest against the TSA constantly harassing innocent travelers in which I carried an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle directly in front of the TSA security line which is indicated on the floor. The rifle was carefully and appropriately handled at all times and was never pointed at anyone. Indeed, the case for that allegation was so weak that no charges were ever even brought. Furthermore, my arrest record was subsequently cleared by court in what is known as "declaration of innocence", which is rather rare in Arizona.

My reasons for doing so are more fully explained in my op-ed piece on the subject at https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2014/11/22/open-carry-sky-harbor-airport/19344603/

Several interesting aspects of what happened at the airport. It took the police about 20-30 mins to find a person walking around with an openly carried AR-15. Most people didn't even notice. Prior to arresting me, the police were looking for some cause for arrest and literally said "go ask those women over there if they would be willing to be a victim".

It was certainly a controversial thing to do, as protests often are, and frankly generated more publicity than I anticipated.

Since this forum tends to focus a bit more on politics I will make a few comments though tend to confine my interests here to aviation related politics. (I suppose the TSA qualifies.)

I am an ultra-libertarian and regard basically everything being done by the TSA as an intrusion on citizens rights. I am also a strong advocate for our second amendment rights. Sadly of course I think our civil liberties have been even further eroded since 2014.

As to a few of the posts here. To post a link to the arrest without noting the subsequent clearing of the arrest record is arguably libelous. To ignore the substantial coverage of the political aspects, such as our nearly immediate press conference and my op-ed, appears to be misleading at best and mostly an attempt at a personal attack.

Low rates of occurrence.  It’s not a new thing and it would be weird to not see it.

Yet another chicken little story manipulating the emotional.

Sadly it has become a political issue and objectivity has been lost.

Governments attempting to mandate various interventions and treatments has raised the normal level of uncertainty in scientific knowledge into a matter of considerable importance to everyday people. And frankly, experience during this pandemic has taught me that the vast majority of citizens lack the training to be able to understand things like conditional probability, Bayes theorem, or even to get fractions versus percentages correct.

Aside from that, the typical and well documented human cognitive distortions regarding low probability events are at play.

In normal life, none of this should be a big issue because the average person relies on their chosen experts to help them interpret these more esoteric subjects. But once the government starts coercing people with mandates, it now becomes everyone’s problem.

Agreed, given the limited danger presented by COVID-19 to the majority of the population as well as the limited efficacy of the vaccines and uncertain side effect profiles, attempting to coerce people into taking them is completely immoral and unjustified by any rational assessment of the cost benefit ratio.

How about eliminating mask wearing rules?

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/airline-news/2021/09/23/flight-attendants-curb-unruly-passengers-air-rage-incidents/5820224001/

We will have a fly-in brunch at Susie's Skyway Restaurant in Prescott AZ (KPRC). Arrivals starting around 10 AM. Transient parking is at Legends Aviation on the SW side of the field. A shuttle to Susie's is available. Fuel is available both there at the FBO from the truck and for a reduced price from the self-serve pumps on the NW side of the runways. Nearby Cottonwood (P52) usually has some of the best fuel prices.

I don’t really consider such people liberals anymore. There is nothing classically liberal about such behavior.

 “Take five minutes to watch this magnificent talk --Listen carefully to what Captain Jerry Yellin, the pilot of the last mission of WWII, says and how he says it on his visit to Iwo Jima.

You’ll enjoy every second of it.

How many of the few surviving WWII veterans kept themselves and their uniform in such good condition for over 70 years and can still proudly wear it?

Notice his superb and articulatedelivery, no teleprompter, no script -- just a 91-year-old fighter pilot representing the greatest generation at home and abroad who won WWII.

He has some surprises and a great take on the philosophy of life.

Enjoy !”

https://www.dvidshub.net/video/395572/jerry-yellin-world-war-ii-veteran-interview