When the United States Senate passed the Homeland Security legislation on Tuesday night it included legislation that will make it possible for airline pilots to carry firearms on the flight deck if they choose to do so.

This is a great victory for those who were involved. The legislation does not allow individual airlines to "opt-out" of the program, leaving the decision entirely up to the pilots who qualify for the program. Ironically, after anti-gun extremists tried to suggest that the passengers would be at risk if pilots could carry, law-makers exempted cargo pilots from the program.