Arapahoe County man not afraid of stuff …

An amazing report over the weekend from the Littleton (CO) Courier, says that a local man is not afraid of stuff.

Jason Blantonhawk, a Littleton native, reports taking out his garbage at night, having his windshields washed at busy intersections by African Americans, getting on airplanes and walking through crowded Hispanic areas of nearby Denver without fear. Further, he reports hiking the previous summer in Rocky Mountain National Park, and not being afraid of either mountain lions or bears.

When asked about getting on airplanes, Blantonhawk said “They’re pretty safe. Pilots are well-trained, the equipment has been flying thousands of hours, and nothing bad has happened.” He was asked about the possibility of terrorists on airplanes, and amazingly said “Pretty rare, really. When you think of all the people who are going to die this year from smoking cigarettes or not being able to get health care, terrorists on airplanes is really way, way down the list.” He later added “When I fly I read books and listen to my IPod, and when we land, I get my bag and go where I have to go.”

Local authorities, asked about Blantonhawk, referred reporters to the local department of health, where a psychiatrist had been assigned the case. Citing confidentiality, Dr. James Gelfan only said “I’ve heard of this happening outside the United States, and I’ve read some New England Journal stuff about a guy up in Seattle, but I’ve not personally encountered any American who are not afraid of a lot of stuff. This is really unusual.”

Blantonhawk’s background is unusual too. He was a student at Columbine High School in Littleton in 2009 when Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed or injured 36 students and teachers. Asked about this, Blantonhawk said “You know, that really affected me. I lost friends that day, and I knew Dylan. I realized at that time that events are pretty much random, and what happens happens. Since that time, I’ve pretty much accepted that I can only control a few things. So I relax.”

“But what about 9/11! What about terrorists? Aren’t you scared about that?”, a reporter asked? “No, not at all,” he replied. “That was a crazy day, for sure, and I’m glad I wasn’t on those airplanes. But I don’t much think about it. I see people on airplanes with turbans and I figure they are from the Middle East somewhere, and I think that’s pretty cool that we’re not scared of them.” He later added “You know, every day there about 25,000 flights in the U.S., and like 1.5 million people who fly. The odds of something bad happening, even on 9/11, were really, really slim.”

Blantonhawk’s case first came before authorities when at Denver International Airport he publicly questioned the need for airport security. He was said to have complained about having to give up a bottle of shampoo, and was heard to mutter when he took off his shoes to be xrayed “This is bull****.” He was arrested that day, and later, when testifying before the local FISA court, said “All of this airline security is just to make us afraid. There’s no reason to have to go through all of that.”

Blantonhawk was fined, and ordered to attend sensitivity sessions with Dr. Gelfan. He is currently under house arrest.

Blantonhawk’s neighbors say that they never would have guessed him to be a thought-crimer. “He seems normal in every way”, said one. “He mows his lawn, comes home with groceries, and smiles at people when he meets them. Who would have guessed? Right here in our neighborhood, right under our noses.”