Carla Howell Tours Gun Stores to Remember 9-11 Victims Says Well-Armed Society Is A Safer Society

Carla Howell speaks to a crowd of supporters.

By Ed Oliver
September 13, 2002

Libertarian candidate for Governor Carla Howell toured Massachusetts gun stores yesterday paying tribute to victims of 9-11 by calling for the arming of airline pilots and the repeal of anti-gun laws.

"On this anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, we must re-dedicate ourselves to our right of self-defense. We must allow airline pilots to arm themselves to protect their passengers and other innocent Americans from terrorist attacks," said Howell in a speech at a gun shop in Ayer.

In her speech, Howell called for:

The immediately repeal of all laws and regulations against armed airline pilots.

"Almost 3000 innocent Americans could be alive and with us today if there had been no ban on armed airline pilots."

The immediate and full restoration of our right to keep and bear arms, and the immediate repeal of anti-gun Chapter 180 and every other anti-gun law on the books in Massachusetts.

"Like Israeli civilians, American civilians must be armed and ready to respond in the event of any terrorist threat. We must refuse to be victims."

MassNews asked Carla Howell if anyone has ever tried allowing armed passengers on board airliners, rather than just arming the pilots?

"Yes, in America," said Howell. "Thirty years ago you could walk on a plane with a firearm. It was legal and our planes were safe. People were safe. When people have the right to defend themselves, that is the best way to protect a plane-when pilots, and crew and passengers all have that option."

MassNews asked about Israeli airline policy. Howell said she is not sure if they allow armed passengers, but she said they have armed air marshals and haven't had a highjacking in 33 years.

A gun shop customer from Princeton who asked that his name be withheld told MassNews, "The difference between the brave and the grave is whether you have the means to protect yourself. They want to take it away from us so that we'll be dependent on big government. I don't want to be dependent on big government. They showed us what they could do a year ago today. They showed us they couldn't protect people. If they had let lawful citizens who had their licenses to carry on that plane, they wouldn't have had those planes crash into the trade center."

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