Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Carry on, travelers

The terrorists want to take lives but also to damage the U.S. economy. Inconvenience at the airport is a small price to pay to help stop them.

By TIMES EDITORIALS
Published August 12, 2006

Kingsley Veal, calmly awaiting a flight from London to San Francisco, had a logical solution for confusion over restrictions on carry-on items: "If no one's allowed anything, then you'd know, right?" Veal and those with the same mental toughness have scored a small victory against terrorism by accepting a necessary inconvenience and proceeding with their travel plans.

The uncovered plot by terrorists to bring explosive liquids aboard to assemble in-flight bombs was a tragedy averted, thanks to excellent police work by British authorities. Still, the publicity about a scheme to blow up 10 airplanes is likely to have a negative impact on some travelers' psyches and airlines' bottom lines. It's a shame, coming at a point when it looked as though the industry had turned itself around. Airplanes have been full, and despite high fuel prices the major airlines finally moved from losses to profits this year.

Among the terrorists' goals is not only to take lives but to damage the American economy, and air transportation is a major component. Perhaps we had grown somewhat complacent nearly five years removed from the horror of 9/11. The arrests in England and Pakistan were a wake-up call that those who wish us harm are still probing for weaknesses.

The responsible conclusion isn't to give up but to get tougher. Even if airlines banned all carry-on luggage, which isn't likely, it wouldn't be such a hardship in light of the renewed threat. Of course, security precautions do need to grow more sophisticated, display common sense and prove effective to be tolerated.

Americans can adapt, and must, to the new reality. Our enemies aren't likely to change their tactics in the foreseeable future, despite the fact that those who seek to slaughter innocents in the name of religion would seem to be the antithesis of godly virtue. At least this time we see it coming.

It is time for Americans to pull together once again, just as we did after 9/11, and find ways to cooperate in our common defense. Passenger lines at airports will probably get longer and the inconveniences of travel greater, but that can't deter us from living our lives. The only carry-on item we really need is courage.

[Last modified August 12, 2006, 02:15:34]