Measures cause concern

To the editor:

During my trip of Sept. 24, I was seriously concerned with the lack of security at Lambert Field in St. Louis. Here are the details:

I arrived at the East Terminal at 7:15 a.m. I had an "E ticket" for Southwest Flight 1546 from my travel agency. It was printed on their letterhead and contained my name, flight information and E ticket number. I was asked at the security checkpoint to show my ticket. I complied and was shocked to find they did not require any ID to confirm I was the actual traveler!

Now, let's look at this scenario. What would stop four hostile people who have legitimate reservations to pass through security along with four hostile people who simply printed documents containing a fictitious travel agency and bogus E ticket number? All the information is available on the Internet. The legitimate people would then go to the gate, show their driver's license and get a boarding pass. They then could exchange the passes with the phony document people, then go home. Now, you have four people on a plane who no one knows exist. The plane is then hijacked, crashed and everyone dies. The original people with the actual reservations are home but presumed dead since they were on the manifest. They now have a second identity.

What about a weapon? How about this: I passed through security with my usual key ring in my pocket. It always sets off the metal detector. It has nine keys on it along with a keyless entry remote. It actually has far more metal than the folding knife I carry when I go fishing that has a 4-inch, razor sharp blade. I confirmed this by weighing each item at my office. My keys went right through the detector without even a peep. Surely my knife would have as well, since it contains far less metal and weighs less.

To say I am concerned is an understatement. If this is what you call increased security, we are in a lot of trouble. Could someone tell me how this can happen?TIM QUIGLEY

Cape Girardeau

We need God at this time

To the editor:

The horrific terrorist attack on Washington and New York City identifies just how vulnerable we are as a nation and how fragile life really is. My heart goes out to those people who have lost so much, and thanks and gratitude to all those who are working in the search and rescue effort.

As bad as this is, it could have been so much worse. They, the terrorists, could have hijacked planes at every major airport in this nation -- St. Louis, Kansas City, Atlanta, San Francisco, you name it. They could have taken out Capitol buildings, federal courthouses, military bases, defense systems, etc., if they had been better organized.

To them, suicide missions make them martyrs, national heroes. They do not know our Lord and Savior as we do, and life to them means nothing.

Now, just think for a moment, where this great nation of ours has been heading the last decade or so. No prayer in our schools, no discipline in our homes. We have kids shooting their friends in our schools, distraught workers killing their co-workers. The gay and lesbian communities gain more freedoms, more rights and more acceptance, even though the Bible states they are immoral.

Do you think the good Lord might have thought: "Enough is enough, it is time to wake that nation up and draw them back on a Christian course?"

Maybe not, but I personally believe this is our wake-up call. Is this just the beginning of our problems, or do we have the strength and power to stop them in their tracks? You know, people, we simply cannot do it unless God is on our side.LEE ROY BROWN

Jackson, Mo.