The article shows that the author did her homework, and reported the AOPA
side of the story fairly accurately. That's proof that it's working, and
we
have to keep hammering away at it.

By including a couple of paragraphs with differing views isn't doing her
home work. Good example right at the top:

"After 9/11, the Federal Aviation Administration closed all small airports
for almost three months while officials contemplated whether to require bag
searches, metal detectors, and other such security measures."

All small airports closed for three months? Excuse me?

Yes the article does wind up presenting both sides of the story, but in a
typical attention grabbing ways, it fosters the perception of small planes =
terrorist threat.

Quoting one professor who says that Al Qaeda wants small planes frames the
story. Even though several unattributed statements are presenting scoffing
at the threats, the author clearly wants the reader to come away thinking
about a vague threat. Fear is a great motivator.

I could imagine what she'd write about the Old World...

"Dateline Spain, 1492AD. Since the first sailors took the water, it's been
assumed that going traveling too far will result in certain death - either
from sea serpents or simply falling off the edge of Earth. Although
astronomers have said for centuries that the world is a sphere, many critics
disagree - citing countless examples of where ships have traveled out of
sight and never returned. Christopher Columbus is on one such journey, to
find a new trading route to India. While Columbus claims confidence in the
'world-is-round' theory, some critics have noted that no word as to his
whereabouts has been forthcoming...."

Meanwhile - the world has changed, and no, it is no longer cool to park an
aiplane in an open access area with the key readily available. Get
real, and get over it.

I disagree that the world changed, but that's another argument.

When was it ever cool to leave a key in a plane? I don't think the rate of
stolen aircraft has changed one way or another after 9/11. There is a much
greater risk to having your plane or radios stolen (with key available or
not) than there is of it being stolen and used in a terrorist operation.