I Was Wrong

American Spectator ^ | 11/24/2010 | R. Emmett Tyrrell, Jr

[paul in cape]

WASHINGTON -- "When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?" So said John Maynard Keynes when a dearly held belief of his was confronted by new facts. He changed his mind and was not ashamed. I am an extreme empiricist. Show me the facts, and I shall make up my mind. Show me the new facts, and I shall change my mind.

Last week, goaded by Drudge's hordes, I took my stand against the opponents of the scan and the pat-down. I thought they were hysterics and very funny or provocateurs and obnoxious. Also, they inspired in me a few facetious sallies. That vulgarian, John Tyner, who won himself a place in Bartlett's Familiar Quotations For Slobs by telling the patters-downers, "If you touch my junk, I'll have you arrested," was too much. Junk? Speak for yourself Mr. Tyner. I filed my column, dismissing the protesters and confident that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), though essentially bureaucrats, was saving us from another 9/11. Then all hell broke out.

[paul in cape]

Welcome back.

Article Here

[BenLurkin]

A change in facts should elicit a change in tactics, as necessary, but never a change in philosophy.

[Caesar Soze]

The author’s error is in claiming that the facts have changed. They have not. He has only begun to recognize facts of which he was previously ignorant, or chose to deny. (The so-called “new ... ways to secrete a bomb” have been used by smugglers ever since contraband was invented.) Adjusting one’s opinions to fit the facts is admirable, but attempting to save face by claiming the facts have changed is not.

[HerrBlucher]

How can anyone support taking naked pictures and fondling genitals as part of airline security at any time? That Tyrell initially supported this and scoffed at the protestors is mind boggling. Glad he came around but sheesh, what a goofball.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I’m glad Tyrell woke up. I was suprised by his initial article. It took Glenn Beck awhile to come around on some stuff also.

[UCANSEE2]

How can anyone support taking naked pictures and fondling genitals as part of airline security at any time?

As long as they had some kind of 'reasonable suspicion' based on psychological techniques, profiling, and K-9's, I say do whatever kind of search it takes to ensure bombs don't get on the plane.

This RANDOM SEARCH of non-Muslims only has not produced ONE SINGLE BOMB yet.

Biggest reason: TSA agents don't want to search people who really have a bomb. It might go off. They are scored on number of passengers searched, not on number of bombs found. Ergo....

[Balata]

Perhaps a bigger reason is, it’s not about finding a bomb for them, it’s about CONTROL! Govt. control of the masses, etc.

[mazda77]

You are 100% correct. He finds himself under a literal mountain of opinions counter to his original arguement, especially like those friendly voices of his cause as Rush, et al, and now he sees the light. Nothing has changed other than the coming to light of fondling our kids, the sick and even the emergency traveling infirmed.

So now we hear yesterday from lots of sources to mitigate any delays and to counter the publicized protests, the TSA takes a PR move and shuts down the backscatter machines and opts for the proceedures before the machines and enhanced pat-downs were instituted.

So what is it? They either decided to use simple logic for a change or they purposely put more people in danger by easing security for PR purposes. And we all know the incredible capability of every government agency to use logic, outside of the military. So maybe they ought to consider handing the job over to the military? Nah, then the unions would be out of another constituency!

[Let's Roll]

Exactly, they might go off. If they thought we were really carrying bombs, we and our belongings would have to pass through some kind of bomb proof chamber etc.

The Israelis do that with their process.

http://www.thestar.com/iphone/news/world/article/744199-—israelification-high-security-little-bother

[NVDave]

Exactly.

Reading Tyrell these days, I find him to be an insufferably pompous ass. In this situation, yet again, he took the statist, big-government position while claiming (undoubtedly with a straight face) to be a “conservative.”

I submit RET is an exemplar for the typical GOP insider.

[Hostage]

I love precision thinking! Good, concise and cogent remark!

[stansblugrassgrl]

“Last week, goaded by Drudge’s hordes, I took my stand against the opponents of the scan and the pat-down.”

This guy took a stand against the opponents of the issue (his own words above) rather then looking at the merits of their arguments. No intellectual integrity at all.

[TalBlack]

“I did note a disconcerting current of thoughtfulness among my critics — “

I HATE when that happens.

[Grampa Dave]

Pictured above is an excellent alternative to the TSA Pat Downs and Death by Xray at airports.

Outside every airport terminal, place hundreds of new bomb/IED proof booths. There is even a unit to accommodate people in wheel chairs.

All outgoing passengers must enter one of these booths. If they are carrying an explosive, the booths will detonate the explosives after the terrorists enters the booth and the doors slam shut.

This will eliminate any bs about profiling as everyone with a ticket will have to pass. Islamofascist women can leave their Burkas on with no problem.

After each terrorist is sent to hell, an automatic washdown and wet/dry vacuuming is done to ready the booth for the next passenger. Use TSA agents to insure the booth is clean for the next Jihadists.

Female terrorists can remain in their Burkas until the divine moment, and Islamofascist terrorists will not have to run crying to CAIR and our AG to complain about profiling and racism.

[hinckley buzzard]

I used to read TAS religiously back in the day when it was a large-format newsprint journal in B&W only. A great counter cultural screed. Tyrell was the most witty living conservative at that time.

If this were 1980 he would never have dismissed the government's unwarranted intrusions into personal liberty in the name of a dubious security. My guess is he was reacting to what he considered a boob-bait issue, but found out differently.

[raybbr]

All outgoing passengers must enter one of these booths. If they are carrying an explosive, the booths will detonate the explosives after the terrorists enters the booth and the doors slam shut.

How on earth is THAT supposed to work?

[Grampa Dave]

The same way Israel sets off explosives in suspected luggage.

[bvw]

He was wrong after taking a celebrated public position and he had the moxie to admit it quickly.

Yet in his efforts to counter vulgarity and obnoxious complaints against lawful authority he was initially quite willing and able to take a strong and celebrated public position against those who used vulgar and loud yet accurate, succinct and clear words to describe the reality of intolerable abuses to human dignity forced upon them by an outlaw establishment.

Still more of hike out of the woods to be made here, I think.

[bvw]

Are those things self-cleaning?

[Grampa Dave]

The French have self cleansing porta rest rooms. The same principles could be applied with the TSA people doing final “mop up” after each critical event.