Airport drama

[Riverwind (imported)]

The poster who said the TSA was reactive got it right. One guy years ago had a bomb in his shoe, so ever since, everyone has to take their shoes off before boarding. Now someone had a bomb in his underwear, so everyone has to be scanned or patted down. When we agreed to remove our shoes, we set the stage for what's happening now. I wonder what will happen if someone puts a bomb in his rectum.

Doesn't this mean the terrorists win? If I were Bin Laden, I could wish for no better result than sending one goof on a suicide mission, only to have millions of Americans inconvenienced and humiliated for ever after. Each American so treated is reminded of the terrorists and knows that he's subject to their power just as much as the government's. Each American so treated is told to be scared. In a sense, this is a bigger win for the terrorists than 9/11.

No country is a greater terrorist target than Israel, yet Israel almost never has terrorist incidents on its planes. I can't remember when that happened. Why is this? Israel doesn't use scanners or pat people down. Israel uses what we call "profiling." They have very sophisticated descriptions of how potential terrorists act. They flag people who match the profile for aggressive surveillance, with no apologies for self-defense. The elephant in the room is that we could do this (Israel could teach us how), but we won't, because we fear accusations of bias or political incorrectness. So we pat down little children, people with prosthetics, etc., or subject the public to dangerous radiation, rather than run the risk of offending some group with a lobbying arm. This adds little to our security, while handing a victory to the terrorists, who get to terrorize Americans every day. All these contortions are NOT for the sake of security. They're for liberal politics.

I totally agree with you right up to that last line, that's were I think you got it backwards. but none the same, the rest is right on.

Solution, Stop flying. It does a couple good things, it cleans the air and puts the jackasses running the airlines out of business. I for one am a human who tons in at about 230 and the seats in planes are made for children or tiny adults. I am not a sardine, when the airlines figure that out let me know.

River

[shomemore (imported)]

Sounds like someone is overreacting just a bit.

First, flying in one of those large commercial planes exposes you to radiation all by itself, no scanners needed. At the altitude that they fly, there is little to proctect you from radiation generated by the sun. If you don't like the radiation, by all means take a car, bus, train, or boat.

Second, I haven't heard any medical professionals objecting to or expressing concern over the level of radiation put out by the new scanners. So how did Bobover3 reach the conclusion that the radiation it produces is "dangerous"? Probably listening to one of those TV personalities who specialize in pushing out disinformation to scare the crap out of masses. Probably the same one who scared that poor bladder cancer survivor so bad he opted out of the scan rather than be subjected to the radiation. Unfortunately, during the pat down that followed his urine collection bag was dislodged and he was left covered in his own urine. But at least he wasn't exposed to any "dangerous" radiation.

Third, I really don't mind that someone operating the machine might be able to see my "junk'. My junk is kinda ordinary. As far as I am concerned, having to show my junk is a small price to pay for greatly enhanced security. The guy with the bomb in his underwear got thru security after all. And I am constantly amazed at the number of people who tape drug packages and small animals to themselves before boarding airplanes.

Maybe they can send Ben Ladin a picture of my ass with a note to kiss it. I am not about to change my flying habits to suit him.

[moi621 (imported)]

<edit>

Israel almost never has terrorist incidents on its planes. I can't remember when that happened. Why is this? Israel doesn't use scanners or pat people down. Israel uses what we call "profiling." They have very sophisticated descriptions of how potential terrorists act. They flag people who match the profile for aggressive surveillance, with no apologies for self-defense. The elephant in the room is that we could do this (Israel could teach us how), but we won't, because we fear accusations of bias or political incorrectness.

So we pat down little children, people with prosthetics, etc.,

Well we know people with prosthetics are naturally depressed and may want to go out with a bang. Always blamed for mal adaptive syndrome when normies can get a few Valium or codeine a month with no problem. I mean like ten, not large amounts.

Israeli profiling.

In the seventies / eighties my Mexy friend went to Israel.

He was always selected for extra security. Once dissembling his back pack in his view behind a lady interrogator. They even took the tubes of the frame apart to make sure they were hollow.

He said when he got it back, it was perfect, down to little mannerisms of packing his back pack.

And then there was the time he was escorted off the bus. Everyone whispering, "they got him". Then disbelieving glances as he got back on the bus.

The Israeli security people hadn't profiled Mexican - Americans at that time. He took it in stride. One cool dude, he is.

Moi favors hiring Israeli security for our airports. Seriously. They have an outstanding record.

Moi

Not Mexican American

[Losethem (imported)]

Anyone remember the movie True Lies where cusin Arnie walks through a full body scanner and all it showed was bones and metal objects thats the type of scanner we need at the airports...

Yes, I remember the movie, but the one you're thinking of is Total Recall.

[Losethem (imported)]

I WONDER:

do those protesters at the airports also stage demonstrations at hospitals? i go for a test and am subjected to many more indignities than i've ever experienced at an airport. i've had to strip down totally, put on a flimsy gown that stays open in the back to all following me down the hall to see the mole on my ass. had to get on all fours on an exam table with the gown flopping down to expose everything i own. a technician stuck an enema nozzel up my rear for 15 mins while nurses and other technicians moved in and out of the area. finally was put into a machine for x-rays or mri.

do we protest there? NO! we know it is all necessary for our protection/well-being. we think of those around us as "professionals" who aren't ogling our nudity.

I SEE NO NEED TO DIFFERENTIATE HERE!

The airport technicians are trained "professionals" who do a job to protect my well-being. move on thru the damn scanner, and let's get on the plan and go!

allen

The difference is that you're doing this in a medical setting by people highly trained and paid more than burger flippers at McDonald's.

That, and you have the option of opting out of the medical care. You don't have the option to opt out of this if you wish to exercise your right to move freely about the country in a timely manner.

To me, it is a clear-cut 4th amendment issue. It is an unreasonable search and seizure, with little to no oversight. They do it for no reason other than they can. Well, someone needs to bring class action against the TSA, you shouldn't have to be subject to a strip search or be sexually molested. We don't have to do this to get on a bus, a train, or a subway. Air travel is basically the same thing - money exchanged for transportation.

--LT

[Losethem (imported)]

Maybe they should put all these people who don't want to be searched on their own plane. They can take a chance with their own lives but don't you dare make that decision for me. I value my life and will deal with a body scanner to keep on living.

The great irony is that your "highly secured" plane will be the one that gets blown up. This stuff is all nothing more than security theater and a huge violation of the constitution.

That guy in San Diego was right, if the metal detector was good enough for 90% of the people going through, why wasn't it good enough for him?

We need to start performing airline security the way the Israelis do. They don't get this intrusive with passengers, and they have not lost a plane in decades, and they CONSTANTLY have people going after them.

[Riverwind (imported)]

The great irony is that your "highly secured" plane will be the one that gets blown up. This stuff is all nothing more than security theater and a huge violation of the constitution.

That guy in San Diego was right, if the metal detector was good enough for 90% of the people going through, why wasn't it good enough for him?

We need to start performing airline security the way the Israelis do. They don't get this intrusive with passengers, and they have not lost a plane in decades, and they CONSTANTLY have people going after them.

I think there might be another reason that the Israelis do not get attacked, they hit back.

River

[butterflyjack (imported)]

I heard the other day that the Canadian's bought the latest in surveillance equipment, on advise of the Israeli security system...It is virtually x-ray free, and very effective...I'm sure they also checked out Israel's systems in toto..

Why didn't we do that? If I'm involved with saving lives, I'm going for the best..Israel is the best...We still can...dragonfly

[Paolo]

What is the key word here?

"Our government assures us these scanners are safe."

This is much like saying, "Hi! I'm from the government, I'm here to help you!"

If our government told me the sky was blue, the first thing I'd do is calibrate my color balance on the camera, photograph it, and read the resulting print (with normal color levels) on a densitometer to verify this statement.

[wannabe (imported)]

yeah very suspicious how these other countries have very little problems like the Israelis, yet the US does, oh and who wants to bring in RFID big time... the US..... all very convenient about "underpants bombers" etc isn't it..... but enough about that.

I'm very saddened (especially from a caring and intelligent community like the EA) to see the comments of "oh well ill just catch the train" or "well i don't mind people seeing my stuff because theres nothing wrong with me".... all very naive and all very selfish because, what when its introduced to train stations, and what about people that have had cancer treatments, why would they want their shit shown up, and then people who have been raped, why would they want to be felt up....

remember one of the most important statements every made:

"those who sacrifice liberty, for security, will receive neither"

i don't think it can be said clearer than that. Don't be so foolish.