What in the world has happened to our freedoms in this Nation? Apparently, we are being stripped of our right to no illegal search and seizures. This TSA screening process is completely anathema to everything our country stands for. For the first time in our history, we are being FORCED to submit to invasive security measures in order to board an airplane. This is simply not necessary as we already have metal detectors and xray screening of our luggage in place to prevent any in air attacks.
I realize that the "Christmas Day Bomber" Abdulmutallab managed to evade the security protocols that were in place and attempted to light an explosive device while in the air, but he was foiled before the explosives could ignite thanks to some very patriotic passengers. However, there is one important part of the scheme that is being left out - he was a radical Muslim bent on jihad. Just another radicalized Muslim determined to be a martyr in the cause of jihad on the Great Satan.
This is the part that is consistently being downplayed by those at the TSA and Homeland Security is that all those who are trying to blow up planes or Times Square or murder soldiers have one thing in common - they are all Muslim. After 9/11 the liberals talked incessantly about the dangers of profiling and the erosion of personal liberty. Now, we get to see the result of assuming everyone is a risk and not using our brains to determine threats. If everyone is patted down rather aggressively like they are doing at all US airports, then that assumes that all people that are flying are a national security risk, even those that are fighting to preserve our liberties.
Imagine the Army soldier just flying home after a year fighting in Afghanistan. He is so excited that he is finally going to see his wife and brand new baby boy and is honored to have served his country in her time of need. He arrives at the airport prepared to catch a flight home to Iowa and is very excited. But first he has to go through security. This means that he will either have to submit to x-rated full body scans or a pat down by one of the TSA officials. This airport is smaller than most, so there are no scanners. A pat down is his only option. Now, he gets to be treated like the terrorists that he was fighting against in Afghanistan - he is seen as a risk and is subjected to a man with blue gloves on "feeling his junk". How does it makes him feel to be in his own country and have to be subjected to an invasive search for weapons or explosives before he can board a plane to go home? He is the farthest from a terrorist that this Nation has, yet he is treated like a suspect all the same.
Is this the freedom that he fought to protect? Is every citizen going to be treated as a possible terrorist now? If we were to profile, not racially, but using intelligence gathered from our intelligence agencies, we would not be subjecting everyone to this security procedure. The Israelis and the Brits have been using intelligence profiling for years and have successfully managed to keep terrorists off their planes. Simply checking passports for country of origin and countries visited could keep thousands of people, perhaps millions, out of long security lines across the country everyday. There is simply no need to full body scan or pat down every single passenger at the airport on the off chance that one of them might be planning an in air terrorist attack.
The body scans wouldn't be so bad if they didn't save the images on a computer and hadn't already been leaked on the Internet. Clearly the TSA cannot ensure the safety of these body images and they should not be tasked with performing them if they can't keep them off the web. Also, there have been reports of very young children being patted down, rape victims trying to opt out and not being allowed to select a different type of security check. I even read about a case with a bladder cancer survivor that wears an ostomy bag. He told the TSA screeners of his problem and they ignored his caution not to break the seal between his bag and his body and then he was covered with urine. They didn't even apologize for their mistake! Do we really need to pat down children? This could be construed as molestation in any other situation. I am livid about the processes that the TSA and the Obama administration has instituted and am determined NOT to fly until they are changed.
How would Obama feel if he got a pat down in his crotch every time he boarded Air Force One? What about watching his wife, Michelle, get patted down? Or even worse, his daughters Sasha and Malia? The true test of any law is to apply it across the board and see if it works. If the Congressmen and women and their families were subjected to these pat downs, I truly believe they would be squawking even louder. This is simply ridiculous and should be changed immediately. Maybe someone should pat down Janet Napolitano and touch her in places that she wouldn't want to be touched. If someone touched me or my child like that - I would be ready to take off his head. How is it any better because the so called Transportation Security Administration official does it?
2 comments:
how would looking at country of origin or countries visited not be profiling?! making a stereotype about somebody based on their nationality is still an -ism no matter which way you look at it.
and no, not all people who have done acts of terror in the united states have been of the Islam religion. You're just failing to see the rest of them.
Fema definition of terror: "Terrorism is the use of force or violence against persons or property in violation of the criminal laws of the United States for purposes of intimidation, coercion, or ransom."
So....the attempted bombing of Landstowne high school could be seen as an act of terror. He actually was facing those charges. I actually have met this kid before and I can tell you that he is not a Muslim and he was clearly trying to intimidate.
Heres another one by the department of defense in case you dont care for FEMA: "The calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological."
So what about the Oklahoma City Bombing?
Those folks aren't Muslim....So while I do agree that to a certain extent that the body scanners are invasive and will be annoying, the only fair way to do it would be to scan everybody instead of profiling based on country of origin, religion, skin color, name, etc. Perhaps children could get the scan instead of a pat down, until they are 18. But, if one does not like the scans, then they can just choose not to fly like you have.
While it is true that acts of terrorism that have been attempted or otherwise recently in our country were done by muslim and non muslim alike, I believe that Gal is talking about airport screening only. As it pertains to airport security, profiling has been shown to work in the smaller countries of Israel and the UK. Whether it would work in the largest air travel market in the world, I don't know. I believe that most people in this day and age understand what terror and terrorism are and I fail to see what defining them for the purpose of this post does other than try to minimize Gals overall point. She makes a valid point and I share her frustration. Certainly there are better ways to ensure our security than severe pat downs of young children or the elderly, come on really? As to the severity of the pat downs and the several stories of abuses making the rounds on the internet, I say that the TSA should send out all of their executives, have them go through security at a different airport than to which they are affiliated and see how security is handled. If they are doing a good job report it, emulate it, if they are doing a bad job fix it, fire them, train them, show them what needs to happen. And above all, show this to the American people so that we know that you are trying to keep us safe and at the same time are trying to constantly get better at what you do and how you do it.
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