How Soon We Forget

I saw this commercial on TV the other day for the Edge of Glory knife sharpener. To prove how effectively it sharpens blades, the pitchman even runs a credit card through the sharpener then effectively slices through a tomato, which everybody knows is notoriously difficult to cut without a sharp blade.

Immediately I had a flashback to the 9/11 attacks on the East Coast. After the terrorist strikes, one of the security concerns at the time was how easily household objects can be weaponized. After all, who knew that a simple box cutter could be used to hijack a plane and lead to the murder of over 3000 people? Now of course box cutters are no longer allowed on airplanes. That's also why we have to take off our shoes before boarding, limit ourselves to three ounces of fluids that can be brought on board, and be subjected to invasive body screenings.

At that time I recall analysts discussing how a credit card can be cut in a way that turns it into a knife blade. It would be a dull blade, but if you cut it at the correct angle, it could have a very sharp point. Now with the Edge of Glory knife sharpener, that credit card can indeed be turned into a weapon. Should credit cards now also be banned from being brought on board the plane? How soon our society forgets the lessons we all learned the hard way about keeping terrorists at bay.