Airport Security

[roadrunner]

We are doing all of this so we can be politicaly correct.

WE NEED TO PROFILE.....

[RoadToad]

All of this is coming from the political pressure in Washington to be "tough on terrorism," and the "War on Terror." Which BTW I think is kind of a strange phrase.. I mean, how can we be at war with an emotion? Anyway, I think there's a lot of pressure on both the government, and the airlines, to do everything humanly possible, invasive or not, to prevent anything from happening on a plane, and if, God forbid, something does happen, anybody who is perceived as having skipped something is going to get crucified. So that pressure is trickling on down to the airport employees, and some of them are going beyond "erring on the side of caution," they're getting downright militant about it. But I'm all for reasonable measures, and I think the scans and pat-downs in general are reasonable measures. And to me there's no civil rights issue at all. If a private company, an airline, wants you to submit to a body scan, pat down, whatever, in order to engage their services, seems to me they should have the right to do that, or you can take the bus, or drive, or walk, or ride a horse. The Constitution only applies because it's a government entity implementing the security. But even so, the rights granted in the Constitution aren't completely unlimited. They can be limited when there is a "compelling reason" to do so, such as national security, or the "general good." For instance, your First Amendment right to free speech doesn't mean you can reveal classified information, or threaten people. So, even though I believe in respecting everybody's religious beliefs, if those religious beliefs mean you can't be searched before you board a plane, then I say, "Fine, we'll respect your beliefs, and we won't search you. You are free to find some alternate form of transportation. Now please leave the airport immediately." It's a national security thing.

The one thing that does worry me is the reports of the radiation the scanners emit. If it's going to be a health risk, they need to find a different scanning method. Which I suppose they're probably working on already. Actually, I'm not that worried about any of this, just glad that I rarely fly any more and don't have to deal with it!

[roadrunner]

All of this is coming from the political pressure in Washington to be "tough on terrorism," and the "War on Terror." Which BTW I think is kind of a strange phrase.. I mean, how can we be at war with an emotion? Anyway, I think there's a lot of pressure on both the government, and the airlines, to do everything humanly possible, invasive or not, to prevent anything from happening on a plane, and if, God forbid, something does happen, anybody who is perceived as having skipped something is going to get crucified. So that pressure is trickling on down to the airport employees, and some of them are going beyond "erring on the side of caution," they're getting downright militant about it. But I'm all for reasonable measures, and I think the scans and pat-downs in general are reasonable measures. And to me there's no civil rights issue at all. If a private company, an airline, wants you to submit to a body scan, pat down, whatever, in order to engage their services, seems to me they should have the right to do that, or you can take the bus, or drive, or walk, or ride a horse. The Constitution only applies because it's a government entity implementing the security. But even so, the rights granted in the Constitution aren't completely unlimited. They can be limited when there is a "compelling reason" to do so, such as national security, or the "general good." For instance, your First Amendment right to free speech doesn't mean you can reveal classified information, or threaten people. So, even though I believe in respecting everybody's religious beliefs, if those religious beliefs mean you can't be searched before you board a plane, then I say, "Fine, we'll respect your beliefs, and we won't search you. You are free to find some alternate form of transportation. Now please leave the airport immediately." It's a national security thing.

The one thing that does worry me is the reports of the radiation the scanners emit. If it's going to be a health risk, they need to find a different scanning method. Which I suppose they're probably working on already. Actually, I'm not that worried about any of this, just glad that I rarely fly any more and don't have to deal with it!

We are not at war with the emotion we are war with the act of terror. Any government, group or organization which promotes, trains, funds, or commits terrorist activity we are at war with them.

I do think we need security but we need to profile whom we search. Not the grandmothers or the pilots who do not need a bomb they can fly the thing into the ground when taking off or landing not the family going to Disney etc. We need a national I D card for the folks who are flying on a frequent basis they would have to go through an FBI check to receive such a card their name would be on a list and would identify them when they purchased a ticket.

The Israelis profile by looking at and interviewing the person. They can detect if he is nervous traveling with a group of people that are nervous don’t give same answers that fit with the group etc. Have one way ticket, where they came from etc. They are very skilled and this alone makes anyone trying to commit an act of terror very nervous. If they have cause for concern then they search that person.

There are better ways to insure our safety than what we are doing.

[RoadToad]

We are not at war with the emotion we are war with the act of terror. Any government, group or organization which promotes, trains, funds, or commits terrorist activity we are at war with them.

Yeah, I get it, but really you can't go to war with "the act of terror" any more than you can an emotion. Terrorism is a method of waging war, and as long as their is war, there will be terrorists. And like you said, it's them we are at war with. So why can't we call it the "War on the Terrorists?" Or get even more specific and say the war on the Taliban, and the war on Al-Quaeda, which in a way are two separate undertakings? Sorry if I'm just talking semantics here; maybe I should just keep this stuff to myself.

[Catfish Bob]

LOL!!
Come on Bob you have to admit the country has a pretty good reason to be paranoid. So maybe as a country we want too much protection at times and it goes to far (by some opinions) so we back off and go with less preventative measures and then it's not enough.

I would still rather have pat downs, dogs sniffing, electronic sniffers, profiling (), shoe checks and general security measures than nothing at all. It's your choice to fly so if you do you gotta play by the rules. JMO

I agree that some security has to exist. But also Dr.Evil, ya know where my mindset is coming from, (inside job). An just the fact that all it takes is for a bus or football stadium to blow up and they'll be wanting to put these scanners everywhere.

Don you hit the nail on the head. I think comparing this to the Holocaust is like comparing apples to Trains.

no no, ya misunderstood me. Basically asking this---since most Americans are completely brainwashed by govt propaganda on the *** tube, and through most mass media.
Does that mean future generations of foreign nations (or maybe even here) will see us the same as we see German Citizens during the time of the Holocaust? Brainwashing on a massive scale by deception of the truth.
Just me ranting after Tim called me a tin foil hat. lol

[DJD]

I agree that some security has to exist. But also Dr.Evil, ya know where my mindset is coming from, (inside job). An just the fact that all it takes is for a bus or football stadium to blow up and they'll be wanting to put these scanners everywhere.

Muwahaaa muwahaaa

I'm not into an inside job idea. When the bombing took place in Oklahoma did the gubment do anything special to protect the citizens? I'm asking because I don't remember? Didn't they limit purchases or make you sign for certain chemicals? I really can't remember but my point is they didn't go crazy...IMO. I think it's because your odds of being in the wrong place at the wrong time are very low.

Now, being on an airplane where you are at the mercy of others wrong doing, any odds of getting on the wrong plane or past a certain point in the airport and getting hurt or killed by radicals needs to be reduced as much as possible. Plus airlines need to protect their passengers from folks who wish to make a name for themselves by mass murder. Plus as we saw radicals/terrorists bombings on airlines can impact our economy. For the record I'm 100% on board with racial profiling and suspicious activity profiling.

Another thought....look how many schools have scanners, lockdowns, drug dogs, onsite law enforcement, Closed Circuit Cameras, security, Access Control and other means of preventive measures. Heck Churches are going to security, CCTV and access control and they have a hard time with it because they want to welcome everyone but they have to protect the visitors and members. Daycare has security measures for the same reasons. Hospitals do as well and again for the same reasons.

The list goes on and on but my point is these are measures that have been taken to protect innocent folks from radical idiots, theives and thugs. Nothing is perfect but for one I appreciate it....plus it's part of what I do for a living.

[Catfish Bob]

I guess my last post didn't work

Basically just saying I give up! You guys win again

But I'm telling ya this is the beginning of the beast system. Their ultimate goal is to have this type of security everywhere to control the masses.
1984 was about 20 years off.

An don't forget Muslim women are exempt from being body scanned and cannot be patted down lower than the neck. This security system is for us not them.

Follow the money trail for the manufacturing of these body scanners. Might open your mind a bit to what I'm saying.

Peace

[MrSplitshot]

An don't forget Muslim women are exempt from being body scanned and cannot be patted down lower than the neck. This security system is for us not them.

I didn't think you could decline the body scan or pat down on religious grounds? (Or any grounds, for that matter.)

Follow the money trail for the manufacturing of these body scanners. Might open your mind a bit to what I'm saying.

Hey, I don't doubt you for a minute on the money trail. We can argue the need or lack of need for the scanners all day long, but we won't argue about the money. I'm sure it's a back door buddy deal like any other, and some are getting filthy rich. Rapiscan and L3 Communications...the two suppliers. One is ran by former Homeland Security Chief, Michael Chertoff. The other is owned by Lehman Brothers, proud record holder for the largest bankruptcy in U.S. History back in 2008.

Along comes the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act....2009....stimulus package.

$200K for a scanner installed x 385 currently deployed in the US....$77 Million....and that's just getting started. Fighting terrorists is quite a lucrative business for some.

There's not a conspiracy theorist on the planet that wouldn't get physically stimulated over that one. LOL

[Mean Morone]

Why would a terrorist let himself get his junk man handled when they can just walk across our bourder and do whatever terrorist activity they want.

[DJD]

Why would a terrorist let himself get his junk man handled when they can just walk across our bourder and do whatever terrorist activity they want.

LOL that's true! Maybe it's a macho thing? No virgins for you if you sneak in like a Mexican.

[kygorski]

This is stupid!! what about screening cargo? The passenger ail lines carry more cargo trhan fedX or UPS, and very little of it is screened.Of course if they did start to examine cargo. there would be more screaming anout a police state.

[MrSplitshot]

This is stupid!! what about screening cargo? The passenger ail lines carry more cargo trhan fedX or UPS, and very little of it is screened.Of course if they did start to examine cargo. there would be more screaming anout a police state.

There was a big hole with cargo, but I think they are getting better on that...

http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20100803_3045.php