What Insights Might be Gleaned from an Airline Hijacking to 9/11 events..and behind the scenes of other personal calamities?
Saw a show about deadly plane crashes..David Burke a disgruntled and clearly unstable airport worker was fired by his boss in 1987. When he did not get to return to his job after his appeal, he went to his locker and got a gun he had borrowed..a pistol that could shoot six rounds.
(In doing a little research now I learned he held up his estranged girlfriend and her 6 year old for many hours on a forced car ride only days prior..How come That wasn't being addressed?!
The poor woman and child...maybe she could have alerted the airlines..as she worked there too. But often a work place would turn a deaf ear on such concerns... Business as usual. He was being fired over a small larceny matter but was also suspected of peddling illegal product for a while. It doesn't help anti-profile initiatives that he was a man of color and that was shown during the television program.)
At that time in flying from LA to San Francisco on a routine 'commuter flight' that his boss took,he entered the plane without any need for getting clearance since he had not turned his credentials in yet.
Nowadays the protocol is turning credentials over immediately upon being fired (maybe before?) and having checks for all flight crews..and much safer bulletproof doors to the cockpit.
The way these folks pieced together the bizarre turn of events was truly astounding..though likely if they had realized of the 40 passengers that one had been fired by another that could have been a big clue.
They only revealed that after showing the devastation of the plane which was plunged directly from its path into the ground. Nothing was left of the plane. At that point I thought of 9-11... if that plane disappeared upon impact why wouldn't one flying into a concrete and steel building?
From what I've learned, it would do just that (especially a regular commercial airplane.) The very strange finds to help them literally piece the crime together included finding a note the disturbed Burke wrote on a an air sickness bag to his former boss..that he'd show no mercy as he had not been shown.
Burke then summarily went to the bathroom likely loaded his pistol and then returned in a minute and shot his former boss. That actually was an act of mercy in that Burke then killed both the pilot, the co-pilot and the flight attendant who was trying to alert the pilots.
There is a tape of them asking 'what's the problem' (after they'd heard the shots). Burke stepped in and before shooting them said, "I'm the problem!" Then he sent the plane into a nose dive..and I think shot himself using the last bullet.
The others on the plane were put through a horrific minute or two before perishing.As horrible as all of that is to have heard it seems another kind of warning for our times..when people who are unstable or willing to carry out their darkest thoughts (which seem logical to them even if they realize they Are the Problem but clearly believe others are making them do or say things which justifies or renders them powerless to do otherwise...)
At What Point Could the Other People on the Plane have acted to Possibly Save their own lives? What if the former boss had understood the 'veiled threat for what it was' and been able to block the bathroom door somehow, recruiting others at a moment's notice that there was a highly dangerous man on the plane?
What if he had figured out a way to trip or otherwise catch the man off guard, again ideally with others ready to pummel him with suitcases and restrain him by covering his face and of course get the gun from him?
These kinds of strategies likely are needed in more schools or places where 'all of the sudden' people find they need to work together to keep one another safe from one or more threats. We simply are not prepared to think 'on our feet and as a team' in such serious situations. With training, most police or soldiers are trained to react to a sudden attack or a threat.
They fight for their safety, often as a matter of life and death. We have seen more examples of how that can go terribly wrong if someone is innocently 'in the wrong place at the wrong time or of the wrong profile...' Still we can try to do better. Maybe 'simpler solutions such as 'oil spray guns' would help in the case of an attacker on a plane..
Why can do much when covered in grease or having to run on marbles or have flour thrown at them. Those are not the easiest things to think of but maybe Worth a Try. More practice at not risking one's life to save another if the 'odds are too great' would also make sense, since putting more people in danger can mean more to rescue, one victim struggling and harming the other or any number of calamities.
Maybe even keeping one person from going to rescue another, as I once heard fire fighters tried to do to keep a mother from getting to her two young children did..but she broke through only to realize she was too late and getting serious burns in the process...
Trying to 'accept the things we cannot change' at a moment's notice and allowing ourselves to 'trust' or allow for the greater life plan to unfold with lessons and insights about our human experience..and yes with a way to explore faith (old or newfound or with others as well) about whether there is a Divine being or plan, what our roles and goals in life really are and how we might continue to live after difficulties beyond our comprehension touch our lives (or land on them like a ton of bricks...)
I have explored a lot of this for over a decade with extra efforts since our teen son Kaelan's passing in June 2009.... there are many insights for many to gain about their own experiences if involved in that turn of events as fellow students, other parents, community and school members and even local area and state members..
What are our policies and guidelines around supervising youth with Clear Responsible Adult supervision (as in picking kids up from school, escorting them home if on bikes via one's car following along or biking along, being clear about Not Going to Dangerous Places..even 'just to look' since other parents and adults should not take that risk..
Kids can fall in (as can adults) or be sporadic, or think the water is calm when it's not along the edge and otherwise. Especially if there's whitewater Think...Danger!! Give yourself a hundred feet or more clearance...the view is just as nice. Learn about River and Water Safety, About Water Rescues, Having Life Vests, Throw Ropes and mostly permission from knowledgeable moms and dads and local rescue people and experienced swimmers and boaters etc and plan appropriate outings...
Some may think this is common sense, but trust me ...it isn't. Same thing for anyone thinking 'going to court can help sort issues out amicably..' No guarantees for that. But again why not have All Parents Go to 'Court' and Follow Automatic Orders for Supervising and Caring for their Minors (yes those under age 18.) Particularly when it comes to Driving or doing any drinking or drugging.. parents are often held liable for the damage their minor does by accident or intentionally.
All minors can honor our son Kaelan by being the one who learns these Basic Guidelines and Follows them Voluntarily...and Doesn't Get In the Car with wild friends, against the approved plans of one's parents or others in their care circle. It seems impossible to say no but guess what, it is possible and can be life-saving!
It can keep the wild ones from meeting an early grave or time in prison (something sadly kids not too far from our own area suffered with two dying and at the reckless young driver going to jail.) It's not a great way to spend one's youth..and yet it's more common than we can seem to get a handle on..the dangerous driving in general. I wrote another piece on www.livfully.org about that and likely it has a lot to do with gender differences IMHO... in my humble opinion..
But back to the bigger question about why we believe what we see on television.. the 9-11 concerns are a gateway to realizing much more may be at play... as in leading us to believe 'all is well' when really that likely is not the case. What can we do to pull together..we've seen plenty of what happens when people are put in conflict and hopefully more folks can take a moment and self-reflect...and find ways to quiet the storms in their own minds and relationships.
Likely isolation can work wonders (as in keeping busy if one does not play well with others..) and have a coach for when it may be reasonable to interact over small things..before going into project and trust mode for more important matters. Maybe there is more help online.. but having the computer and ongoing support is key to reaching that help.
Lots more on the ol' www.livfully.org blog and hopefully plenty you could share too with others to make the world a nicer place while she's still doin' her thing... Check out the latest on ideas from Steven Greer and the Planet X theories just in case. It can take a few months to consider the possibilities and ponder ways to stay calm in the storm, and craft caring practical plans with loved ones and neighbors to help one another come what may...I find it doesn't hurt to pray either. All the best even though this was tough post.. all part of the learning experience over the generations I trust.
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