More TSA security theatre...

[Sheila]

Arm chair quarterbacking- are any of you critics qualified yourselves to know what you are talking about in terms of the monumental task of trying to qualify and track so many potential threatening people worldwide? Wow- have at it!

I think the law of large numbers kicks in at some point- somebody is going to slip through the cracks. It is pretty obvious more people lately have been unsuccessful than successful at terrorism against the US- something we are doing must be working.

Speaking from a someone that has a spouse that travels weekly here is what I can add. This person, was turned in by his own father that had concerns about his motives and opportunity's. He was banned by the Brit's and was placed on a watch list and not allowed to fly.

When you travel for leisure, a little inconvenience isn't a bad thing. When you travel to keep people in jobs and benefits, and you are spending 10x the amount of time away from the office due to "security"... it sucks.

 

[Jdarg]

Speaking from a someone that has a spouse that travels weekly here is what I can add. This person, was turned in by his own father that had concerns about his motives and opportunity's. He was banned by the Brit's and was placed on a watch list and not allowed to fly.

When you travel for leisure, a little inconvenience isn't a bad thing. When you travel to keep people in jobs and benefits, and you are spending 10x the amount of time away from the office due to "security"... it sucks.

I can certainly understand the frustration - but I still look at the mind boggling number of people that have flown since 911, the huge number of potential bad guys that have to be tracked, monitored, and put on lists, and the fact that there have been just a handful of incidents despite the millions traveling.

It is not a perfect system to be sure, and there is tons of room for improvement. I also think it might be a bit unrealistic to think we can know enough about every bad person in the world and expect every single one to be "processed correctly" onto a watch list, computer program, etc. I think the system is still not perfect simply because of the size and scope of the project- there are lot of people in the world.

 

[Bob]

I guess it depends on your definition of success.

One might say that the fact that 0% of the flights that I and my family flew on were disrupted by a terrorist attack and that 0 Americans were killed from commercial planes flown into buildings or the ground or blown up by terrorists means the year was a success.

Not that there isn't room for major improvement, but 0% works for me.

at what cost to your country and your rights?

 

[scooterbug44]

The Patriot Act stripped me of many major and basic rights.

The TSA makes me take off my shoes for 60 seconds and empty my water bottle.

 

[futurebeachbum]

Arm chair quarterbacking- are any of you critics qualified yourselves to know what you are talking about in terms of the monumental task of trying to qualify and track so many potential threatening people worldwide? Wow- have at it!

I think the law of large numbers kicks in at some point- somebody is going to slip through the cracks. It is pretty obvious more people lately have been unsuccessful than successful at terrorism against the US- something we are doing must be working.

Maybe so, but it doesn't explain, excuse or justify blatant stupidity.

If you've allowed someone to slip something past your security, restricting them to their seat for the last hour of the flight does what? (At least they eventually realized how asinine that rule was and gave up on it.)

This incident pretty clearly demonstrates that no plane is going to be hijacked. The other passengers tackled the guy. That would have happened whether he had a bomb, a gun or knitting needles.

The TSA needs to focus their efforts on detecting explosives (and maybe CBW stuff.) There's nothing else a terrorist can bring aboard that's going to accomplish much.

They also need to focus their efforts on the people who are going to commit these crimes. Putting servicemen, grandmothers, etc... thru extra screening while letting obvious suspects (like this Nigerian) waltz right thru is indefensible.

Finally, they need to seriously educate the TSA agents on who they ultimately work for and what they (should) represent. Most of them behave a lot like private security guards who were never quite good enough to be real cops. You, as the traveler, have basically zero rights when you deal with TSA. The constitution ceases to exist, even though you are a citizen, traveling within the borders of the country.

 

[sunspotbaby]

Ya'll don't slam me, but i read an article of Ann Coulters yesterday. I know, I know, I really don't like her much, but she does tell it like it is. This time, I agree with her.

Since Muslims took down Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, every attack on a commercial airliner has been committed by foreign-born Muslim men with the same hair color, eye color and skin color. Half of them have been named Mohammed.

An alien from the planet "Not Politically Correct" would have surveyed the situation after 9/11 and said: "You are at war with an enemy without uniforms, without morals, without a country and without a leader -- but the one advantage you have is they all look alike. ... What? ... What did I say?"

Welcome to AnnCoulter.com

 

[Alicia Leonard]

Ya'll don't slam me, but i read an article of Ann Coulters yesterday. I know, I know, I really don't like her much, but she does tell it like it is. This time, I agree with her.

Since Muslims took down Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988, every attack on a commercial airliner has been committed by foreign-born Muslim men with the same hair color, eye color and skin color. Half of them have been named Mohammed.

An alien from the planet "Not Politically Correct" would have surveyed the situation after 9/11 and said: "You are at war with an enemy without uniforms, without morals, without a country and without a leader -- but the one advantage you have is they all look alike. ... What? ... What did I say?"

Welcome to AnnCoulter.com

I think profiling works fine until they recruit a blue-eyed blond-guy or gurl and then what do we do? That's the issue for me when profiling. It's doesn't sound unreasonable until you meet the profile.

 

[scooterbug44]

Put a picture of the latest guy next to a photo of any one of the 9/11 guys. Best way to demonstrate the stupidity of that statement.

Muslims come in all colors, with all colors of hair and eyes. There are black haired Muslims with green eyes and blonde haired Muslims with blue eyes and Muslims who could be Lucy Lui's stunt double. Between trade, wars, and the fact that they are the 2nd largest (and fastest growing) religious group on the planet, they aren't exactly a homogenous group.

In fact, I find it hard to believe that her statement that they all have had brown hair (2nd most common, black is #1) and brown eyes (more than half the planet) is correct - I know for certain they did not share the same skin color - unless that color is "not white like me".

 

[sunspotbaby]

Sorry, but with flights entering the USA, security should call a spade, a spade. and if any of the following apply, please don't allow to board.

"YOU MAY BE A TALIBAN IF..."

1. You refine heroin for a living, but you have a moral objection to liquor.

2. You own a $3,000 machine gun and $5,000 rocket launcher, but you can't afford shoes.

3. You have more wives than teeth.

4. You wipe your butt with your bare hand, but consider bacon "unclean."

5. You think vests come in two styles: bullet-proof and suicide.

6. You can't think of anyone you haven't declared Jihad against.

7. You consider television dangerous, but routinely carry explosives in your clothing.

8. You were amazed to discover that cell phones have uses other than setting off roadside bombs.

9. You have nothing against women and think every man should own at least four.

10. You've always had a crush on your neighbor's goat.

11. Your cousin is president of the United States


Jeff Foxworthy-----

 

[Jdarg]

Geez, #11 is a disgusting and sad comment.