[yatros from flatwater]

I suspect that the intent of these measures is to goad the public into accepting some form of "internal passport".

Ihren papieren, bitte.

[ClintonBeGone]

Ron Paul aka "The Congressional Clown"

[T.Smith]

Excellent article.

[yldstrk]

Random is stupid and senseless. Let's use a little profiling here. If they look like they could be Muslim or Arab, search them. Simple.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Airlines should be using every last ounce of their lobbying and public relations power to stop TSA from harassing, delaying, humiliating, and otherwise mistreating their paying passengers.

They might have, if they hadn't decided to ask for such a large government bailout after 9/11. They know which side their bread is buttered on, and won't protest too much.

[lilylangtree]

I'll be traveling during the Christmas & New Years holidays. I'm going to wear two girdles with metal links, my tennis shoes with metal eyes, underwear with metal and lots of jewelry. I shall be beeping continously with a smile on my face.

[rawhide]

TSA needs to be privatized.
By the way, I do remember that there may be a way for the airports to opt out of using TSA and go with private contractors. Does anyone know anything about this?

[r9etb]

If you traveled by air last week for the Thanksgiving holiday, you undoubtedly witnessed Transportation Security Administration agents conducting aggressive searches of some passengers.

It's true. I saw three TSA guys attacking a little old lady with backhoes and rototillers. They ran her little dog through the X-ray machines so many times that they gave the mutt back to her on a bun -- and no mustard!

[Getsmart64]

I'm all for it...think of the consequences if someone gets thru....my wife is a 5'9" blonde with Germanic features...she is always picked out for special screening...makes me think they know something we don't...esp' with some "white bread" Americans going over to the Islamofacists....

[tracer]

I'm taking flying lessons and likely will go in with three or four others on a twin engine four-seater for longer hauls.

I've bought a Lincoln "tank" for comfort on trips 500 miles and under.

And I will be able to write both off of my taxes.

I hope that the airline industry will get around to bribing the right "lawmakers" to end this nonsense. The Israelis don't pull this crap and have never had a hijacking -- except a close call in LAX and never in their own beleagured country.

BTW, Government agencies are sued and enjoined and officials therein are sanctioned and fired every day. Where are the lawywhores now that they're needed?

Screw the nazized TSA bastards and the flying sewer system that passes for the US airline industry and system.<.... .....

[netmilsmom]

Oh come on!
If some chick wants to feel my breasts before I get on a plane, fine. As long as she and her male counterparts do it to Mr. & Mrs. Arab behind me as well. My kids are getting on that plane. Do it, make them safe.
My hubby flew the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. He said it was not bad at all. I think people are looking to be hostile.

[TChris]

The answer to this is to cut the PC crap about racial profiling and let the facts of the matter dominate. 99.99% of world terrorist activity is perpetrated by young, Arab males. Does this make every young, Arab male guilty? Of course not. But it's sheer lunacy to keep groping 83 year old grandmothers when everyone knows where our next threat is most likely to come from!

If the vast majority of terrorist attacks were perpetrated by white guys in their 30's, I'd fully expect to be treated with suspicion as a result. No, this profiling would not be fair to the millions of innocent Arabs in the world, but the blame for this unfairness lies squarely on the shoulders of the terrorists; no where else.

I'm more concerned with the unnecessary searches conducted on obviously innocent passengers and the resulting economic havoc this wreaks on the airline industry than I am about the perceived unfairness of realistic racial profiling. The state of the TSA has to make terrorists giggle around the globe, to know that their activities are having such a terrific negative economic impact on America

[brewcrew]

Some female travelers quite understandably have burst into tears upon being groped,

I wonder what they do when they go to the doctor?

[steplock]

There is no such thing as unaccountable. If enough people had the courage of their convictions, we could shut down these boors that are claiming to be conducting searches in the name of "national security".

If you get groped, slap the idiot across the face. If you witness a woman slapping an idiot after she was groped, step in and back her up --- don't hang your head in deserved shame.

First you try peaceful resistance - if that gets nowhere, well, our founding fathers showed us the way and gave us the SECOND AMENDMENT to clear the path towards freedom.



The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.

-- Tom Jefferson

[Gorzaloon]

Airlines should be using every last ounce of their lobbying and public relations power to stop TSA from harassing, delaying, humiliating, and otherwise mistreating their paying passengers.

I doubt they will have to. When people stop flying, there will be no one for the "McDonalds employees in Band Uniforms" to inspect. Even a bureaucracy, when confronted with Free Market forces, will fold up.

In my career I have been subject to a lot of Security restrictions. I do not mind them, and encourage them...if they are done professionally and for the right reasons. I always found people from DISCO, the FBI, etc. to be earnest and good people- but THESE?

Employers are realizing the 80's are over. Is much of this travel NEEDED? Let's those of us who have flown for business a lot in the past be honest- Are the Frequent Flier Miles really worth it?

And to be personally honest, of all the meetings and seminars I have flown to over the past decades, few could not have been done with Netmeeting, most were an utter waste of time that came to nothing, and in the long term, produced no lasting results.

Sure, nothing can give a manager more of a cheap thrill than to send a little toad employee off on short notice on a fool's errand- I suspect from my experience more "business" travel originates that way than anyone would admit. For a couple of decades I worked for a Fortune 500, saw a lot, and came away not caring if I ever got onto another commercial plane again...and this has put me over the top.

I Won't Go.

Before someone suggests that I hated flying and was looking for an excuse, I spent quite a few thousand of my own money to be a Private Pilot. It's not the same thing!

[horizondb]

These measures were put into place after security test found flaws in the system. It amazes me that 3 months ago when these flaws were announced, the out cry of "Bush fails to secure nation" was heard from the left. Now measures are put into place and the same loud mouths hankie stomping cry baby DUmmies are saying how humiliating it is for our security to be insured. The notion of the "internal passport" is a DUmmie based scare tactic just like the draft. Ignore this BOZO DUmmie

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I have not flown in two years, and never intend to as long as I live.

The airlines can take their "everybody is a potential terrorist (except Muslims)" and shove it.

[OldFriend]

We flew four times since the new 'rules'. Everyone in security was courteous and helpful.

Newark Liberty, Cincinnati which is really Kentucky, and Denver International.

No problems at all.

Even passengers with attitude were met with courtesy.

[Kerfuffle]

I feel MUCH safer knowing that the TSA is looking out for me by hiring morons, giving them carte blanche to grope (albeit with PC rules), and offering them immunity from lawsuits.

[Centurion2000]

They are pretty stupid, but going out of the country I was put through more security than coming in. And my fiance and I were carrying close to 300 lbs of luggage.

Waved right through customs with no issues. Bags were never scanned again after Moscow.

[Deaf Smith]

There is a reason they don't have CCTV at the check points...can't prove sexual harassment or theft.