Welcome to 1984

[LibDemAlways]

I returned yesterday from a week in Hawaii and was emptying my 12 year old daughter's suitcase of an assortment of still damp beachwear when I came across a slip of paper informing me that the case had been opened at the airport on Kauai and hand inspected by TSA. Now a planeload of American tourists returning from vacation on a small island poses no threat to anybody. Yet the TSA has been given the authority to riffle through dirty undies and soiled tee-shirts at random simply because...well...the government says they can. The same daughter also had her carry-on swabbed for explosives after it had gone through the x-ray machine and revealed nothing more interesting than flip-flops and the latest Teen People magazine. I realize these people are only doing their job, but my God, we're paying to have strangers fingering our personal possessions for no good reason. I'm all for smart security. But this is just plain dumb. The loss of personal privacy at the hands of Big Brother has become the real threat, and Americans, still traumatized by 911, have all too easily and readily given up the freedom they supposedly cherish. What will be next? Strip searches of random passengers while the rest look on? Nothing is out of bounds with the BFEE in charge.

[SouthernDem2004]

1. I would have to disagree that it is for no good reason.

Events have shown otherwise. Plane bombs and hijackings do occur.

Also, it is random screening. They check bags at random.

[tx_dem41]

5. I agree, SD.

I travel all the time, and I haven't had a bad experience with TSA. They are usually quite polite and professional, IMO.

[LibDemAlways]

6. They open bags after swabbing them

for explosives and after seeing who they belong to. You must personally present your bag to the screener. A twelve year old child returning from a Hawaiian vacation has never, to my knowledge, committed an act of terrorism.

[tx_dem41]

10. A 12 yo child is a perfect target for someone putting something in ..

her bag without her knowing it.

[SouthernDem2004]

11. There is always a first time. There have been female suicide bombers.

Why not put the bomb in your childs luggage... They are less likely to search it, right?

Sorry, but airport screening is a necessary annoyance.

[LibDemAlways]

12. As I said, the bag is opened only

after it's already been swabbed for explosives - something I have no problem with. Unless sunscreen residue qualifies as an "explosive" there's no good reason to open the bag once it's passed the "no explosives" swab.

[SouthernDem2004]

27. The swab is far from 100% effective. Random screening is needed also./nt

[shance]

24. Boy, we sure have a lot of supposed DUers here eager to be searched!

Im sorry this happened to you and your family. I would have found it intimidating as well and what concerns me is I am hearing this from other Dems who are traveling.

I think an important step for anyone who has this happen, is to call their local ACLU chapter to inform them of your recent experience and ask them, if this is standard procedure or have they found an unusual amount of activists/progressives having their luggage searched and themselves searched more than is standard procedure.

Being that TSA and Homeland has been instigated largely through this administration and given that they have violated privacy laws by creating a 'no-fly' list, this is something that Americans who oppose the Administrations policies need to be aware of.

[SouthernDem2004]

28. So you can not be a DUer and support airport screening? lol /nt

[tx_dem41]

29. Not sure about "eager to be searched"....but we have a whole bunch...

...who seem to want to have profiling instituted. That shocks me on a progressive forum.

[MercutioATC]

2. I think Nicole Richie would agree with you.

"Lionel Richie's daughter Nicole had to show her breasts to airport security staff after her nipple ring triggered off metal detectors."



http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1026865.html?menu=



For chrissakes, it's NICOLE RICHIE! She's considered a threat now?

[gmoney]

13. I think she WANTED to show them (n/t)

[MercutioATC]

14. I'd agree, but there were no paparazzi involved...

(to be fair, Nicole has calmed her act down a bit...I haven't read anything wild about here in a while)

[LibDemAlways]

15. Diana Ross has been "felt up" at the

airport as well. Last year metal in my ankle from an old injury set off the metal detector in Seattle and sent me, a fifty-plus housewife off to the feel-up zone too. I'm sorry, but it's gotten ridiculous.

[acmejack]

3. Been to a Courthouse lately?

Intrusive searches are the rule anymore.

[tx_dem41]

8. As I recall, this happened after a rash of courthouse shootings..

With the drama on display at family court especially, I think I would want the extra security if I worked there.

[acmejack]

17. Actually I was thinking farther back

Williamson county always had serious security, Travis has had it for sometime, certainly before the recent problems.

[CrispyQ]

4. Ben said it best . . .

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. –Benjamin Franklin, 1759


What do they do with suit cases that are locked?

[OrlandoGator]

7. Locked cases have the locks cut off.

It is clearly stated at all TSA checkpoints.

[SouthernDem2004]

9. Somehow I do not think Ben would be talking about this particular

type of incident.

[tx_dem41]

16. For a liberal/progressive forum, there sure are a lot of people..

in favor of profiling on this thread.

[LibDemAlways]

19. I started the thread and am not at all in favor

of "profiling." I am all for "smart" security. Swabbing every bag for explosives is fine by me. But "random" searches of already x-rayed, swabbed bags makes no sense and strikes me as intimidation.

[tx_dem41]

21. Two quotes from you:

"A twelve year old child returning from a Hawaiian vacation has never, to my knowledge, committed an act of terrorism."

"Now a planeload of American tourists returning from vacation on a small island poses no threat to anybody."

Those sound like pleas for profiling to me.

[bennywhale]

18. I concur with your worry. The control

of the population is only half done to combat any threat.

Tyrannical and authoritarian measures have always come in throughout hiustory under the guise of "security"

The problem is once these liberties are gone, due to the nature of this open ended "war" they will never return.

The causes should be fought instead of a plaster on th symptons

[sweetheart]

20. Its because of the drugs war

Your daughter was probably smuggling 2 keys of hawaiian sativa, and
they busted her, have thrown her in prison, and have replaced her
with a robotic imitation.

Check to see of the back of your daughter's head comes off, and if it
does, check the logo on the integrated circuts in there.

:-)

[Must_B_Free]

22. Was anything stolen out of the luggage?

Wonder where the liability would be in that scenario.

Where is your daughter's diamond ring - i thought it was in that bag before you found the slip of paper...

[LibDemAlways]

23. Nothing stolen. They do claim to put it all back.

Nevertheless, I think these "random" searches should be conducted in front of the owner of the suitcase, not in secret as is currently the case. Before long we'll be ordered to keep our houses unlocked when we leave so the government can come in and check out our stuff at will. That's where we seem to be heading.

[pitohui]

25. every bag is supposed to be checked

all my checked bags get the tsa love note

we're supposed to have 100 percent of pax bags inspected now

would be more weird if the bag wasn't inspected

plastic explosives don't show on xray

how do you lose privacy by someone giong through your dirty swimsuits, they already suspect you of swimming if you went to hawaii

[LibDemAlways]

26. One checked bag was inspected, the other not.

I was told to leave the suitcase unlocked "in case of" a "random" inspection. Whatever. But don't I have a right to be present while the government is going through my already x-rayed, explosives-tested stuff? This fingering the underwear in secret business I think crosses the line between legitimate security concern and invasion of personal privacy.

[southernleftylady]

30. uhm... I'm a flight attendant and i would like every bag checked..

right now they don't check all checked luggage and that scares the crap out of me...
the whole airline security is just for show
i want all bags checked

[Mutley]

31. I would feel better if all bags were checked.

At least then you can be sure that tsa isn't selecting "certain people" for their "random searches". And the bags should be checked in front of the owners.

I think there is a fine line between actually trying to keep people safe and using security as a way to take away the people's rights. A line that both sides have to be careful of crossing.