Steyn's rhetoric sometimes goes over the top, as well:
On a morning [9/11] when big government failed, the only good news came from private individuals. The first three planes were effectively an airborne European Union, where the rights of the citizens had been appropriated by the FAA's flying nanny state. Up there where the air is rarified, all your liberties have been regulated away: there's no smoking, there's 100 percent gun control, you're obliged by law to do everything the cabin crew tell you... passengers surrendered more and more rights for the illusion of security, and, as a result, thousands died. On the fourth plane, Todd Beamer and others reclaimed these rights and demonstrated that they could exercise them more efficiently than government.
Interesting analogy, but is Steyn really suggesting that there shouldn't be "100 percent gun control" on commercial flights? And it's hard to see how a strong military response to Islamic terror be carried out other than by a government (although, had American military units been given more autonomy as to how they carried out the war in Iraq - instead of bowing to the will of a central authority that looks more incompetent by the day - maybe the situation wouldn't be quite so grim).
Whatever questions I may have about Steyn's thesis, I'm once again left in awe at Steyn's ability as a writer. No one else could make "the end of the world as we know it" this entertaining. America Alone is essential reading - and, thanks to Amazon, you can get it even if your local bookstore neglected to order enough copies.
Article comments
1 - Natalie Bennett
This article has been selected for syndication to Advance.net, which is affiliated with newspapers around the United States. Nice work!
2 - RJ Elliott
"Interesting analogy, but is Steyn really suggesting that there shouldn't be "100 percent gun control" on commercial flights?"
Yes. Pilots should have guns. And then there are the Air Marshalls...
3 - C Sarnowski
I got here more or less by accident: but I'll throw in 2 cents.
"flight control" (at least in the US) means people shouldn't be able to fly a plane where they want, when they want, with no training and no notification to FAA of where they are and when.
"car control": not a phrase in use, but not a difficult concept, right? e.g. driver's license, car registration.
Why is "gun control" so often conflated with "no guns, ever, under any circumstances?" I'm sure one can dig up supporters for this extreme position, but most gun control supporters are nowhere near that. As opposed to what I take as typical NRA line: everyone armed, no records, no limits, concealed or not. Anything less is "100% gun control."
4 - F. Santivanez
The book is enlightening. Europe is on its final throes, so it seems.
Mr. Steyn has written an excellent book.