Posted on 09/07/2002 8:36:08 AM PDT by forest
The frequent flyers of Capitol Hill seemed to have made a very large mess of the security program at airports. Only overpaid politicians can think this stuff up -- and keep a straight face while admitting it. The liberty of every traveler is abused, but is security any better? Not hardly.
According to the USA Today a few weeks ago: "Checkpoint screeners at 32 of the nation's largest airports failed to detect fake weapons -- guns, dynamite or bombs -- in almost a quarter of undercover tests by the Transportation Security Administration last month."
In another article, USA Today reported: "Even at airports where the TSA has already appointed federal security directors -- essentially the police chiefs of airport security -- problems persist. Among the test results from the 32 airports that USA Today reviewed, 10 have federal security directors. Screeners at those airports failed to detect potentially dangerous items 23% of the time -- a rate consistent with screeners at airports without security directors."
What we find by interviewing commercial airline pilots is even worse. For instance:
Guns and knives are still getting on aircraft. One man admitted (after the fact) that he had two little 22 pistols on a flight. The reason pilots know was because he was asking how to get them sent back home. Rightly so, he feared taking them on his return flight.
At the Cincinnati airport, a commercial airline pilot was out on the tarmac looking at something when he spotted a very drunk man wandering around. No one knows exactly how he got out there. But, there he was, wandering between the commercial aircraft -- the aircraft parked at a busy terminal full of passengers.
A commercial airline pilot flew into Dullas. He had some sort of business with security. It took 15 minutes before he could find someone in security who spoke English. Apparently, Hispanics and Orientals run security there and few speak English well enough to hold a conversation. His logical question was: "How can they even talk with each other in the workplace?"
According to at least three commercial airline pilots, security is different at most airports throughout the country and they really do not know what to expect day to day. All sorts of very strange things happen. The list of "stupid security tricks" is getting quite long and at least two professional flyboy wags are considering compiling what could be a very humorous book on the topic.
Now we learn that these security companies are padding their bills. After all, government is paying now; so there isn't much accountability.
Airport screeners seem to be amusing themselves by doing more complete searches on just about anyone except those from the groups with established terrorists. Eighty year old grandparents get targeted for special searches. Even little children. And, of course these airhead screeners target flight attendants and even pilots -- because they know the aircraft crews are not allowed to complain, lest they lose their jobs.
Last month, AP reported that some female travelers have complained that security screening at Raleigh-Durham International Airport has amounted to deliberate groping and sexual harassment.
Airport Screeners even ordered a mother to drink her own bottled breast milk to prove it was not poison or a bomb in the bottles.
Before boarding a recent flight out of the Traverse City, Michigan airport, a professor of philosophy from the University of Alabama grumbled mildly about the violation of his person and property when his family was subjected to a "random" search for no apparent reason. The bright lights in the screening department there threatened him with arrest, detention, and being permanently banned from air travel within the United States. Apparently, it is now against the law to say anything whatsoever to these jerks.
Last week there was a report that two armed marshals, with guns drawn, detained a man because he was acting a little strange and seemed to be looking through other people's luggage while on a flight. The Transportation Security Administration said that one of the marshals held his gun on all other passengers in the cabin because some passengers ignored their orders to stay seated.
Apparently that's all it takes nowadays: One person acts a little strange and air marshals threaten everyone on board at gunpoint. "If people would have stayed in their seats and heeded those warnings, that would not have happened," said TSA spokesman Robert Johnson in Washington. "It's our opinion that it was done by the book."
There's the problem in a nutshell. First, no one broke any laws or was a danger to the aircraft or the flight crew. Second, even if there was a perceived element of danger, police do not get to threaten or arrest everyone in sight.
Besides, the Captain of the ship is supposed to be the one in charge. But, for some silly reason the administration refuses to arm pilots. Which means, the Bush administration is now to the left of Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) on arming airline pilots. Even that very liberal, gun grabbing Democrat co-sponsored a bill by conservative Bob Smith (R-NH) that lets qualified pilots carry firearms to stop airborne terrorists. "I think this is the first time I have ever stood with Sen. Smith on an issue that has involved guns," Boxer said at a news conference. "I believe that pilots who are carefully trained and want to carry a gun in the cockpit should be allowed to do so."
The House voted 310 to 113 on July 10 to let pilots voluntarily fly while armed. The Senate did not bother to approve the issue this time around until last Thursday. When the Democrats finally let the matter come up for a vote, it won 87-6.
It gets worse, though: The Associated Press reported in an Aug. 12 story that, previously, only President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld may give an order to shoot down a civilian aircraft. Two Air Force generals, Maj. Gen. Larry K. Arnold at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., and Lt. Gen. Norton A. Schwartz at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, were also given the authority after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Sure. Don't allow the pilots "captaining" the ship the ability to be able shoot an active terrorist. Instead, have the military kill all aboard if there is a suspected terrorist. . . . . That's comforting.
Last week, the administration leaked that it may permit arming a token 2% of commercial pilots. Again, that's silly! Anyone who can be trusted to fly an aircraft full of people can also be trusted to carry a concealed weapon while in uniform. Any pilot who wishes to carry concealed should. Let the uniform be the permit. When out of uniform, on layover, pilots can leave their sidearm in the hotel safe.
It appears that something went a little haywire with this airport security thing. Based on the published accounts, it looks like Keystone Cops with a bad attitude are running the show. And, it's getting worse, not better.
I can verify Tampa recently was the pits. I traveled from North FL to Tampa with my 5 week old son for emergency treatment and admission to All Childrens. We were checked in Tallahasse the "extra" search. But at least they were reasonable. 3 days later leaving Tampa we were totally searched, bags and all 20 mins. apart. (security checkpoint as well as the gate check.) They demanded I look at my bags vs. keeping my eye on my baby.....I was so frustrated and humiliated, not including the burden of traveling with a just hospitalized newborn. By the time I got back to the gateway, the other passengers were disgusted with what they had witnessed and their support had me in tears for the next 10 mins. The "security" and airplane personnel could have cared a less. Yes I got the female frisk because my jean snap and zipper elicited a "beep" from the wand.
Pathetic............we will drive from now on. And to think we paid for this!!!
Yeah, but he's such a nice fella and what about that cool Texan drool, er, drawl....
Well, our FBI, CIA, and other acronym agencies certainly didn't earn their pay in the years leading up to that fateful day, if that's what you mean.
Also, I'm sute you noticed that it was private citizens, doing what was right without any government sanction, that mitigated the disaster. Tod Beamer and friends who saved the White House or Capitol building, and the airline employees who identified the hijackers via cell phone from their seat numbers.
What has the federal government done in the meantime, except obstruct true airline safety, while feathering their own nest?
Why . . . ?
Was that just sarcasm, or are you actually serious?
The answer is simple: For the same reason you cannot legally walk the streets in your state carrying a concealed weapon.
That is, you cannot unless you are either a cop or an elected official. Your public officials do not trust the people of your state. In fact, you do not even have the right to keep and bear arms mentioned in your state constitution.
Another point is that many pilots like to go out to eat and have a couple drinks while on a long layover. I do not know of any state that encourages any but law enforcement to carry concealed in a drinking establishment. Therefore, pilots will need a secure place to put the sidearm while meandering around the nightlife of a city like a civilian. The hotel safe is ideal for that.
Too bad. I went over a few months ago and it was a bit of an eye-opener to see the difference in quality between the screeners in Frankfurt and screeners in America,
First off, in Frankfurt they spoke good English. :-)
But beyond that it was hard to quantify.
Everybody put their shoes through the x-ray (as if x-rays detect explosives...)
Everybody got wanded. (Politely, and quickly.)
At least some were subjected to a quick questioning ("Did you buy anything after the first checkpoint?", but he could have been looking for something else).
The careful inspection of ticket, passport, face, and another question -- followed by a "Thank you, Mr. Eala, you may proceed to the lounge."
Maybe it wasn't much better; in some ways it was more searching and less invasive (despite knowing a little of how some of these checks are used to screen), and definitely more efficient at keeping the lines moving past the two serial checkpoints and all the aforementioned checks.
As soon as I got back to the States, there was some joker who kept stopping the line and leaving his post every time something dissatisfied him. (And of course his English was poor, so nobody ever understood what he wanted...) I nearly missed what should have been an easy connection.
Last week one screener asked to see my orders, then was going to let me thru without further searching. "Can't do that" her boss said, "It's against company policy".
So feel free to know that USAF officers on orders get searched just as often as grandmothers, my 4 year old (2 onths ago), and (only at random), Saudi nationals traveling with expired Visas. Wouldn't want to profile, you know...
Jim>p/>
I'd have less of a problem if we all were "searched", and quite frankly there's nothing illegal about profiling per se. If 10 rapes occurred in two months and all the victims/witnesses reported that the assailant was a 20 year-old, toothless, bald, hairy-chested Eskimo midget, why would anyone with a shred of intellect stop/search members of the NBA instead?
Personally, I'd rather all us passengers be allowed to carry (or have an airline for those of us that prefer too). We once could and nothing every happened.
Try to get Kalifornia to insert this into your State Constitution.
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