People keep asking why I still haven't blogged about the new, highly invasive airport "security" procedures recently introduced by the US Transportation Security Administration. The Internet is abuzz with horrifying stories of people feeling humiliated and traumatized by these ridiculous procedures.
I kept away from this story for a while because, as hard as I try, I haven't been able to figure it out. Is President Obama trying not to get elected in 2012? What is he doing here?? As soon as he came to power, a huge propaganda campaign was unleashed that presented him as an advocate of an extremely strong and intrusive government that wants to rob people of their livelihoods, dignity, and everything under the sun. In the recent midterm elections, Obama lost his Congress to this propaganda. So what does he go and do right after this huge loss? He allows TSA, a governmental body, to invade people's privacy and demolish their dignity in one of the most egregious ways imaginable through these useless and idiotic measures. I thought of myself as the unlikeliest person to adopt the "Government is evil" stance but after I read some of the stories of people who recently experienced these scans and pat downs, I do feel like sharing in this opinion.
Immediately, articles like the following started coming out:
President Obama stands by the TSA's increasingly controversial security measures that Boing Boing described as the "You choose: star in a porno shoot or let me squeeze your genitals policy," in which passengers are either scanned and seen nude, or they're groped and made to feel awkward. Obama admitted, however, that since he doesn't fly commercial, he's actually never experienced this inconvenience firsthand.
Obama here is presented as a condescending, elitist prick, who is completely out of touch with the experiences of regular, hard-working people whose rights he tramples on so unthinkingly. Is it me, or is it really self-evident that this is pretty much the worst thing he can be doing right now for his chances in 2012?
On a personal level, I know that with the way I look, every TSA jerk will be more than happy to paw me around at the airport. And I will get aggressive, which will not end well for anybody involved. And when that happens, it will not be Bush, or the Republicans, or Sarah Palin that I will be blaming. It will be President Obama and the inept bunch of Democratic losers whose inane policies will now most certainly cost them the presidency in 2012. Something tells me that after this I will not be too heart-broken to see them go.
P.S. Just turned on the CNN and saw that only today two airplanes in the US had to undergo emergency landings due to faulty engines. Wouldn't it be more conducive to ensuring passenger safety to make sure that airplanes are in good condition?
P.P.S. In the same CNN newscast, A TSA offical said that these measures are necessary because terrorists out there are trying to kill (and I quote verbatim) "not only Americans but innocent people all over the world." Huh?
P.S. Just turned on the CNN and saw that only today two airplanes in the US had to undergo emergency landings due to faulty engines. Wouldn't it be more conducive to ensuring passenger safety to make sure that airplanes are in good condition?
P.P.S. In the same CNN newscast, A TSA offical said that these measures are necessary because terrorists out there are trying to kill (and I quote verbatim) "not only Americans but innocent people all over the world." Huh?
15 comments:
Neither Obama nor most Congressional Democrats have done much of anything to turn back the Bush Administration's gross erosions of civil liberties.
I think the Democrats think they can do whatever they want, and we'll still vote for them because the Republicans will always be worse.
I hate the two-party system.
What do you mean huh? So only Americans fly on American airlines now?
Clarissa, I fly intercontinental into and out of the U.S. two or three times a year. I haven't run into full body scanning or enhanced pat-downs yet, but I'm sure I will. I won't like it. In fact, I'll hate it.
However, I'll endure it, albeit with gritted teeth, because I prefer to be more safe than less safe. There may be better ways to do this, but I haven't seen any practical alternatives proposed among all the criticism.
One thing to think about -- what's happening now may be in response to a legitimate increase in the threat that we don't know about because of the sensitivity of the intelligence involved. If these procedures are changed to be less intrusive, say after the holidays, then that might be one indicator that there was a reason behind the madness.
I suppose this is what you get when so many people are determined to be amnesiac. The details (such as TSA going ahead and buying these scanners anyways with stimulus money after the House vetoed it, and the scanner company being owned by Chertoff, a former Homeland Security head appointed by Bush) cease to matter when Congress & the President don't do anything about it, other than enabling and expanding this crap. At the end of the day, I either have to go through a scanner which could raise my risk of cancer (I have relatives who died of cancer) or get groped.
"However, I'll endure it, albeit with gritted teeth, because I prefer to be more safe than less safe."
-Tom, more safe from what? Being groped? Exposure to damaging X-rays? Public humiliation?
Or some imaginary threat from some possible terrorists (who in no way will be stopped by these measures)>
"What do you mean huh? So only Americans fly on American airlines now?"
-"Huh" referred to the way the sentence was formulated, which suggested that Americans were not among "innocent people." Which, in turn, suggests that all Americans are guilty. Which sounds quite strange.
"What do you mean huh? So only Americans fly on American airlines now?"
-"Huh" referred to the way the sentence was formulated, which suggested that Americans were not among "innocent people." Which, in turn, suggests that all Americans are guilty. Which sounds quite strange.
Tom,
How many other countries are employing virtual strip search scans and sexually grouping passengers?
I heard someone a few months ago describe the TSA activities as "security theater" which were supposed to make people feel as though something was being done to make them safer without having any real effect. I am convinced by this argument, unfortunately.
I don't think that's working, though, David. People are getting understandably upset, and this is just the beginning. By the start of the election campaign next year, all everybody will remember is that Obama = big, bad, intrusive government.
"I think the Democrats think they can do whatever they want, and we'll still vote for them because the Republicans will always be worse."
- So true. And so sad, too.
I am disposed to be skeptical since as Israeli citizen I would guess we're in more danger than Americans. Yet no disturbing checks at the airports yet, scanners for metals are enough. Don't believe it's since Israel is somehow safer or since our government doesn't take our safety seriously.
Exactly. I've just seen a woman on television who was forced to remove her prosthetic breast in public by the TSA people. I don't understand how traumatizing this brave cancer survivor is suppsed to make me feel more safe.
Clarissa, I meant safe from being blown out of the sky, obviously. And how do you know the threat is imaginary? Do you know something that the rest of us aren't privy to?
Sekhmet, how many other countries, aside from Israel, are under the sustained threat from terrorists that the U.S. is? At this very moment, Europeans say they are searching for two suicide bombers, and they've taken some serious preventive measures. But overall, we're by far the favored target.
I suspect that the threat is exaggerated, Tom Carter, although of course it exists. But far more people are killed in the U. S. by handguns wielded by friends and family members than by terrorists. Even more are killed in traffic accidents. Still more are killed by dangerous prescription drugs which are approved for use by an FDA which is financially in the pocket of the drug companies. I would argue that all these are much bigger threats than terrorism.
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