TSA got you down?

[terrylowe]

assenger screening. Both bombers were subdued by passengers and crew, and would not have been picked up by the new scanning methods.

From October, 2001 to August 2010 there were 82,734,955 domestic commercial passenger flights in the US. Of these we've seen 0 reported aborted or succesful terrorist attempts.

So the question becomes, have you sacrificed your rights to stop anything?

Once again....how to quantify how many PREVENTED incidents? If the TSA or some other heightened security measure were NOT there, would we have seen more terrorist acts?

Being forced to wear a seatbelt by law is cumbersome and cuts into my liberties. I mean, how DARE the government violate my rights by making me wear a seatbelt in my own car? I cannot name one person whose life was saved with certainty because they had their seatbelt on. Because of these arguments, does that mean that it's OK to quit wearing one?

 

[ianr33]

If the media would present this in a different matter I suspect that many folks currently up in arms would simply accept that it is just one more hassle involved with flying and take it pretty much in stride. As we should. The more we accept that it is necessary, and if they save only ONE life but it is yours or one of your loved ones you will suddenly feel it WAS necessary, and cooperate the faster the lines will move and the less hassle it will be.

Baaaaa !

I think diving should be banned. That would absolutely save some lives.

 

[Insta-Gator]

...Being forced to wear a seatbelt by law is cumbersome and cuts into my liberties. I mean, how DARE the government violate my rights by making me wear a seatbelt in my own car? I cannot name one person whose life was saved with certainty because they had their seatbelt on. Because of these arguments, does that mean that it's OK to quit wearing one?

No one has to wear a seat belt or take any other safety precautions if they are not on public property (roads.) If you want to drive with your eyes closed and not wear a seat belt on your own property, have at it. The fact of the matter is that there are certain realities to living with a bunch of other people that must be accommodated in order to avoid chaos. I don't much like it either, but there it is. And we (as a species) have pretty much already inhabited or destroyed all the earthly frontiers.

 

[Peacie]

...

I investigated allegations of child abuse and neglect for over 25 years. Touching someone in private areas can be sexual abuse/harassment or not depending on the motivation and gratification or lack thereof involved for the person doing the touching. I really really dont think that there are a lot of TSA folks just salivating at the thought of touching you people. So the real problem here isnt the touching but how you feel about the touching...

How much of your exposure to child abuse dealt with the sexual abuse aspect (beyond what may or may not be considered harassment)? Have you considered how traumatic it might be for a sexual assualt victim (child or adult) to have to relive a similar experience simply because we are no longer innocent until proven guilty?

 

[wendell]

TSA has to do their job, but we don't understand the way these people think so we don't dream up the ideas to get this stuff to where it does the kind of damage they planed to acheive. Most of us can not relate to the extremes that some will go to.We value life to much to belive that these can happen. TSA will be forever playing catch-up.

 

[mjh]

I am sure someone has said it all ready but flying is NOT a Constitutional right!

 

[kombiguy]

I am sure someone has said it all ready but flying is NOT a Constitutional right!

We don't know that yet. It's quite possible that given the right case, the SCOTUS could decide it is. But that is beside the point. The point is, that once you proceed past a certain point, the government declares that they will search you, or fine you. You can't leave the secured area without doing one or the other. Kind of a Hobson's choice, nu?

 

[outlawaggie]

First, let me state that I don not think that what the TSA is doing really does much for security. The body scanners don't see everything and I think we should be profiling people like there no tomorrow. Israel has it right but that isn't politically correct.

With that said I don't even understand those of you on this board that would actually cancel a trip over it. First, the scanners...so they get a quasi-nude picture of you. One, all facial recognition is pretty much lost and two who cares.

If for whatever reason you still opt out of the scanner then you get felt up. Big deal. Let's face it I seriously doubt that feeling you up was what the TSA guy (or girl) was really after.

I should add that I find it funny that the people and groups complaining the loudest are the same one that force the political correctness that drives most of it.

just my 2 cents...

 

[iztok]

I am sure someone has said it all ready but flying is NOT a Constitutional right!

Might or might not be. However reasonable expectation of privacy and personal integrity is.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I am sure someone has said it all ready but flying is NOT a Constitutional right!

So you believe that ... like the TSA guy said ... we give up our rights as US citizens when we purchase an airline ticket?

You're willing to go along with that?

Really?

How about when you purchase a bus ticket? Or tickets to see your favorite sports team? How about when you drive to work in the morning? Driving isn't a Constitutional right either ... so should a cop be able to just randomly pull you over, force you to strip naked, or grope your private parts ... just because?

Would giving up your essentlal liberties ... your dignity as a human being ... somehow make you feel safer?

Not me ... not ever ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)