In the six-day period from Aug. 10 to Aug. 16, the Transportation Safety Administration seized 30 firearms at airports nationwide, including a loaded .22-caliber handgun in Newport News.Naturally the pro-gun crowd, which strives to excuse anything and everything to do with gun misbehavior, will argue that compared to the number of passsngers, this is nothing. But I disagree. This is something, and it's something that's difficult to understand.
And it wasn't the only one found this year at Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport or at Norfolk International Airport.
In response to a Daily Press inquiry, the Department of Homeland Security, which includes the TSA, provided data that shows eight handguns were seized at Hampton Roads' two commercial airports since January.
I'm assuming that given the level of intelligence and perspicacity of most TSA agents, this is not the complete extent of the problem. But the real question for me is "why?" Why are people bringing guns to the airport in the high or possible likelihood that they'll be caught doing so?
Forgetfulness seems to be the favorite explanation. I can't think of a better one, can you?
Does that kind of forgetfulness when it comes to the location of your gun sound like responsible behavior? No. Obviously not, which means that in addition to all the idiots who let their kids find their guns, and all the ones who accidentally shoot their friends and themselves, and all the ones who drop their guns from time to time, you've got another group who frequently have no idea where their gun is.
All these people are so-called legitimate gun owners. Many of them continue to be considered that even after their incident. This is wrong. And this proves that the notion, very popular among gun owners, that the problem is the criminals and not them, is bogus.
What's you opinion? Please leave a comment.