More Guns on Planes - NYTimes.com Confidential. For N.R.A. internal. Now that the Senate has voted down new gun control laws and we have the president on the defensive - never thought I'd say it, but God bless the I.R.S.! - we have a real opportunity to guide Congress along a common-sense path that will further ensure the freedoms of peaceful, law-abiding citizens. Herewith, talking points on the next crucial phase of our work. Please distribute to all concerned elected officials who share our love of liberty and public safety. Objective: We aim to pass laws that will allow passengers to carry guns on commercial airplanes; this will make business class the safest place in America. Talking Points: Experts say, "This is the most progressive means of preventing hijacking in aeronautic history." Air Marshals are good people, but on a modern aircraft anyone can nod off. Our plan mitigates snoozing risks. And consider the budget savings when every flyer becomes a Citizen Air Marshal (CAM). CAMs eliminate the need for uniformed personnel patrolling our nation's terminals. Now trained personnel can be deployed to the domestic and international hot spots, including war zones and schools. Duty-free ammo sold on international flights is good for the American economy. Airport gun marts are another surefire economic success story. Metal detectors are costly; we make them instantly obsolete. The appealing smell of well-oiled metal provides a fragrant antidote to exotic French cheeses in carry-on bags. All that fresh fowl available just out the window offers a local and sustainable improvement for in-flight meal quality and is also far more nutritious than snack-packs. Popping a cap is an excellent fallback means of summoning flight attendants when in-seat situations are urgent and the call button is on the fritz. Travelers trapped in the toilet can now disable locks and free themselves without disturbing anyone. Long flights are the ideal venue for time-consuming and oft-delayed projects like gun cleaning and improving clip-changing speed, where every microsecond counts. Finally, a few suggested P.S.A. "situationals" you can use with video to help you sell the consumer benefits of our new initiative: The ordinary ticket-holder at last has recourse in the face of lengthy delays. All flights to Houston overbooked? One lone bumped citizen can personally divert the 9:20 to Minneapolis. You're charging me baggage fees? Don't think so, bud. What do you mean I can't stow my hunting dogs in the overhead? Listen neighbor, you sure you don't want to trade me for my middle seat? Twenty-third in line for takeoff? Hello, priority! Air pressure hurting your ears? D.I.Y. vent creation, baby. Annoying dude back in row 35 won't shut up about his golf game? Hey Tiger Woods, meet my shooting iron! O.K., fellow citizens. Keep fighting the good fight. It makes no sense to insist on guns being checked in baggage where they are of no use to anybody. If the good guys can't have guns on planes, only the bad guys will have guns on planes. We get this done and then we move on to our goal of co-sponsoring with the N.F.L., helping it improve player safety with our suggestion that the offense and defense be armed during games. And remember, air guns don't kill people, air people do. Nicholas Dawidoff is the author of five books, including the forthcoming "Collision Low Crossers."