Politically correct airport screening puts us at risk [Are The Pilots Armed Yet?]

TownHall ^ | Aug. 18, 2006 | Mike Gallagher

[SW6906]

Only slightly related to this topic, you should read this: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1663652/posts

[CobaltBlue]

I am not "French" -- most of my ancestors were here before 1776 -- the earliest 1620 -- most from England, but also Chippewa, French and German, and one Croatian (he showed up 1870, the latecomer), the vast majority Christian, but also one Jew. In other words, Heinz 57, aka mutt, aka American.

I have to admit that I don't like being lectured on "Americanism" by people who just got off the boat, relatively speaking.

[CobaltBlue]

Too funny. You should attend the annual Hepler Family Reunion in Pitmann Pennsylvania, the annual gathering to honor Hepler Revolutionary War soldiers Jacob, Christopher, Caspar, and George (my ancestor).

There are Hepler descendents who still speak German at home.

And the odds are we've been Americans longer than you.

[SW6906]

Relax, Francis, the French joke was just that - a joke. The French like to surrender, often before the fight has begun. Your ancestry is impressive, but irrelevant to this discussion. I was only referring to the apparent defeatist attitude displayed in your comment:

If younger men are singled out, they'll use older men.

If men are singled out, they'll use women.

If Egyptians and Saudis are singled out, they'll use converted Brits and Americans with names like Johnny.

You seem to be itching for a fight this morning. Try to relax, it'll make your day go better. ;o)

[only1percent]

Well said. Another (successful) terrorist attack by aircraft passengers and I suspect that El Al profiling will become the law of the land.

[Gritty]

[blau993]

As I said, "Let's not ignore the rest of the universe, and let's not be closed to new possibilities."

Frankly, you sound an awful lot like the hysterics on the left. No solution to you is perfect, and if there is no perfect solution, you will agree to no solution. Pardon me if I decline your offer to participate in a death pact.

[CobaltBlue]

You're looking for easy answers, but there are no easy answers. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that's the painful truth.

The most intelligent solution I've seen yet is to emulate the profiling used by El Al airlines, where passengers are profiled based on behavior, rather than superficialities.

[moneyrunner]

Have you checked on the names of those who caused 9/11? Those who bombed the London transit? Those who were just arrested in England for planning to blow up airliners? What do you make of that?

[blau993]

If you think El Al doesn't profile on a lot more than that, you don't know much about their program.

I agree their program is a good one, but it involves a considerable amount of personal contact by trained and intelligent questioners. That means it will never work within the present construct of TSA. I also doubt it would be feasible in large, crowded US airports, but, if it was to be done right, I'd love to see it given a try.

[ChessExpert]

The context is airports and air travel. We currently forbid threat profiling that includes the known characteristics of almost all known terrorists. This is simply foolish. As a result we are at greater risk, and incur greater costs and inconvenience.

My advice would be to no longer forbid threat profiling at airports. How should this be done? I would leave that up to the responsible parties. This could include airport management, law enforcement, etc. Should the process be totally transparent? No. That would merely facilitate "gaming the system" by the terrorists. Will some people be "offended" and announce loudly that they are "offended." Sure, and I could care less.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

I have an even better idea... Nuke Mecca and be done with the Islamic religion... nothing complex at all about it...