let me get this straight are you upset that he isnt being charged as a terrorist?
you do know he is not a terrorist right?
As usual, the point is missed so this one shall fall to the lowest depths of the PR trench, 16,665 feet of freezing seawater.
The person is an idiot. He deserves to be made an example out of. NOT with the Patriot Act, he is no terrorist. If anything, he lied and got caught so that is the real crime.
Shining a small laser on a plane is nothing more than a disturbance as is gunning a motorcycle to 500 decibels, a whistle exhaust tip or getting caught pissing on your neighbor's porch.
At the distance involved, there is no risk of eye damage the the startling in the cockpit would be brief and minor at worst. The aircraft was not on direct approach.
Let's face it. DPSS lasers have dropped tremendously in cost over the past few years. This past Christmas, they could be had for well under $100. Great stocking stuffers. When the sun sets the first thing people do is go outside and see how far it will do. After dotting treetops and buildings far away, a noise is heard overhead. A plane! Oh yeah let's see if it reaches that! Wow did you see that? Let's do it again. Nothing appears to be happening (to the plane) so they do it again and again. The crew can see the beam and immediately the feeling that they're being "tracked" comes to mind and they report it.
This happened over a dozen times across the country in a single night. The press acts like it's an organised plot to bring down airliners. The unknowingly and foolhardly public buys into it and a new fear is among us. Yeah real f'n nice one! Some of us actually use these as TOOLS to make a living. Now it's more paperwork.
Rant completed.
sharkeeper 
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