He was taken to a building adjacent to the terminal and locked in a room. For two hours he sat there with his hands cuffed behind his back — leaving red welts in his wrists — while federal officers were summoned. He was sick with fear, worry and humiliation. After a long interview, an FBI agent determined there was no criminal intent, but under the zero-tolerance policy charges had to be pressed.

Jones returned home. For two days he barely left his room, too shamed to face the world. During his court appearance, a judge blistered him for his mistake and then levied the maximum penalty — 90 days in jail and a $1,850 fine. The jail time was suspended and the fine was reduced to court costs ($250) and he was placed on probation.

Looking back, he wonders how much of a deterrent the law is.

He hadn't intended to bring the gun to the airport in the first place. "No one in his right mind would do that," he says. "The only people who really are affected by this are the absent-minded, idiots like me, not terrorists."

A few weeks later, Jones returned to the airport. After passing through the security check, he had to sit down in a restaurant and wait for his hands to stop trembling.

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Doug Robinson's column runs on Tuesdays. E-mail drob@desnews.com.