Dominate. Intimidate. Control.

[Quartus]

Relax. Your government has it all under control. Or is that "has YOU all under control"?

From Reason Magazine:

When 9/11 exposed the holes in American airport and airline security, the Bush administration and Congress responded with the usual Washington panacea: a new federal agency. Congress quickly deluged the new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) with billions of dollars to hire an army of over 50,000 federal agents to screen airport passengers and baggage.

But before the agency was even a year old, it was clear that it had "become a monster," to quote the chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee, John Mica (R-Fla.). Arrogant, abusive, incompetent, and expensive, the TSA is, in the words of the House Appropriations Committee, "seemingly unable to make crisp decisions...unable to work cooperatively with the nation’s airports; and unable to take advantage of the multitude of security-improving and labor-saving technologies available."

The attacks of September 11, 2001, changed many things, but they did not make the federal government more competent or effective, and they did not make it more willing to respect the dignity or liberty of its citizens. For proof, one need only examine the TSA’s sorry record.

Read on. It gets worse.

Jumpy Screeners

In June 2002 news leaked out that TSA airport screeners missed 24 percent of the weapons and imitation bombs planted in the government’s undercover security tests. At some major airports, screeners failed to detect potentially dangerous objects in half the tests. The results were worse than they first appeared, because the testers were ordered not to "artfully conceal" the deadly contraband and instead pack their luggage "consistent with how a typical passenger in air transportation might pack a bag." Although the tests seemed designed to see if screeners could catch terrorists with single-digit IQs, they still failed to find the weapons much of the time.

That does not mean TSA screeners don’t find anything. Notable triumphs have included seizing a tiny pair of wire cutters from a Special Forces veteran who had been shot in the jaw in Afghanistan and needed the cutters to snip his jaw open if he started to choke; evacuating terminals in Los Angeles upon discovering that travelers were carrying such dangerous devices as a belt buckle or a tub of jam; and shutting down several concourses in St. Louis after a federal security screener spotted what appeared to be a "cutting tool" in a carry-on bag. After detecting the suspicious object, the St. Louis screener followed proper procedure: He fetched his supervisor to take a look at the frozen image on the video screen at the checkpoint. A few minutes later, the supervisor concluded that the bag was indeed suspicious and needed to be manually searched. But the passenger had long since retrieved it and headed to his or her flight. Hundreds of passengers were evacuated and up to 60 flights were delayed; despite many searches, the suspicious item was never found.

In January 2003 the TSA revealed a new regulation allowing it to suspend pilot licenses based on unproven suspicions that the pilot might pose a security risk. Those who lose their livelihoods as a result of such edicts will not necessarily be permitted to see the evidence against them. The TSA did not seek comments from the public before announcing its new rule, which fails even to define "security risk." Phil Boyer, president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, protested that the TSA was being "the cop, prosecutor, judge, jury and appeals court....Clearly, this is a violation of basic constitutional rights." But agency spokesman Brian Turmail dismissed the concerns: "The bottom line is: If you’re not a terrorist, you don’t need to worry about this."

In the wake of 9/11, the federal mentality toward air travelers is best summarized by the motto posted at the headquarters of the TSA air marshal training center: "Dominate. Intimidate. Control."

I used to say that it was the liberals who were going to make America into a police state. Since 9/11 I've realized that we have a much more dangerous enemy - the blind Law and Order types.

"My country right or wrong!"

"If you aren't guilty you don't have to worry!"

"We have to sacrifice some freedoms to defeat the terrorists!"


THESE are the people who are betraying our Founding Fathers. THESE are the people who will enslave us.

 

[Moparmike]

Clearly, this is a violation of basic constitutional rights." But agency spokesman Brian Turmail dismissed the concerns: "The bottom line is: If you’re not a terrorist, you don’t need to worry about this."

So the terrorists are the only ones with Constitutional Rights? Makes being declared a terrorist sound better every day...

 

[Stickjockey]

1. 9/11 hijackers were in the country on expired visas. Who's SNAFU? FEDGOV. (INS)

2. Terrorists hijack aircraft using box cutters, items not on the list of prohibited items. Security let them through because of this. Who did their job? The private security people.

In light of these two items, can someone please explain why the best course of action was to let the ones who created the problem take over the area of responsibility previously occupied by the people who did their jobs correctly?

 

[Bill Hook]

The only folks with single digit IQs seem to work for TSA. Any skillful terrorist can accomplish his objective; TSA is strictly feel-good and ends up harrassing the innocent.

 

[Balog]

The only problem with my plan to move to Alaska is that I would either have to drive through Canada or fly with these clowns. Not an attractive option. [/sigh] Is it time to feed the hogs yet?

 

[Tag]

The only problem with my plan to move to Alaska is that I would either have to drive through Canada or fly with these clowns.

Take the ferry out of Seattle.

 

[Sam Adams]

Quartus

I used to say that it was the liberals who were going to make America into a police state. Since 9/11 I've realized that we have a much more dangerous enemy - the blind Law and Order types.

Here's a nitpick: It isn't the "Law and Order" types, its the "Order (at any price)" types. Law implies limits on actions, including those of the government. Those who crave Order above all else are all too willing to either turn a blind eye to infringements of basic rights or, alternatively, to actively gut those rights as an instrument of policy.

But, of course, we are really talking about the same folks. I used to be one of them, about 25 or more years ago, and I despise the mindset of people who have it - or at least those who are a bit older and ought to know better. About 25 years ago is when I started driving, and had my first experiences with the dictates of the it-is-only-for-your-own-good types at the federal level, regarding the absurd 55 mph national speed limit. Later on, as reinforcement, I (a PRNJ resident at the time) had to deal with the assinine state and federal laws regarding guns. That beat any remaining vestiges of my prior, ignorant, stance regarding government out of me.