Who is the Terrorist? (The horror that air travel in the U.S. is becoming)

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette ^ | July 1, 2003 | Mike Masterson

[Labyrinthos]

If you know of a single instance of 60-year-old females hijacking planes let us know

If the TSA starts giving one legged 60 year old ladies a free pass, then you can bet that the terrorists will recruit one legged 60 year old ladies to commit acts of terror. And BTW, can you think of a single instance prior to 09.11 when terrorists crashed fully loaded passenger jets into tall buildings? The rules have changed since 09.11 and the result is that little old ladies may have to suffer a little inconvience.

[Labyrinthos]

Profiling would change alot of this. All you have to do is look for arab islamic muslims. We all know this.

Until John Smith, a blonde-haired, blue-eyed lad of English heritage, decides to blow up a jet after converting to Islam during his junior year at Berkley.

[Zevonismymuse]

we have to keep in mind that it's not a perfect system and we do have to work outside the profile as well as inside.

I think this is a case of locking the barn after the horse escapes. I have flown as little as possible since 9/11 because it is a terrible, demeaning experience and I am a very compliant customer.

Just think if someone on one of the highjacked flights 9/11 had a can of hairspray and a cigarette lighter we might still be seeing the twin towers on the NY skyline.

[Labyrinthos]

Wait till they start taking the diapers off babies to check their bottoms...

I think they should. Remember, we are talking about a group of people who have no respect for human life, who will gladly accept $1000 to celebrate the death of a a teenage son in the name of Jihad.

[quidnunc]

HardStarboard wrote: This guy flunked 21st Century Travel 101.

He didn't do anything maliciously and didn't deserve to be treated like a suspect.

The fact is inescapable that U.S. airport security is so aggravating because it kowtows to political correctnes.

The people who are supposed to know about travel trends say that increasingly people are driving on trips of less than 1000 miles rather than going through the aggravation of flying.

American Airlines has just laid off 3100 flight attendents.

Unless the TSA reigns in its employees' petty trannies people will be increasingly reluctant to fly and some U.S. airlines are going belly-up.

[colorado tanker]

When TSA recently had a round of layoffs, long lines appeared here again. The rumor is that the TSA'ers are staging a work rules slowdown.

The airlines were so happy to dump security on the feds. Wonder if they still think that was a good call.

[MineralMan]

"He didn't do anything maliciously and didn't deserve to be treated like a suspect.

"

He left a bag unattended and got to get rescreened. He did make it onto his flight, though. He was stupid.

[Zevonismymuse]

In the FNC report the whole line of people were shoe and sock-less all tramping on the same floor. YUK.

I just went through this for the first time last week at LAX. I felt so grossed out in my bare feet at an International Airport. It was more sickening than using a public phone. Then I had to put my germy SARS carrying feet back into my formerly pristine shoes.

I understand what those of you defending these new policies are saying, but it really seems like re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

[Dilbert56]

Yes. If we start checking only male Arabs in their 30's the terrorist will change tactics. Of course, if they've already decided Arab males in their 30's are the most reliable agent, the change would hurt their effectiveness. Some of this stuff is nonsense. The hijackers were too cheap to buy round trip tickets so now everyone on a one-way ticket gets extra scrutiny. Don't they think the terrorists would figure that out and blow the extra $150 on a round trip?

I'll pass along one compliment to TSA. When our regional airport switched over to TSA, the screeners found a swiss army knife that had been in my computer bag for years. I had traveled over a hundred times with it and no one noticed. TSA caught it the first time.

[Chemist_Geek]

several gentlemen of the Mohammedan persuasion,

And, of course, you could determine that at a glance...

[quidnunc]

MineralMan wrote: He left a bag unattended and got to get rescreened. He did make it onto his flight, though. He was stupid.

If that was all that happened then there would be no problem.

But the TSA guy filched his ticket to 'teach him a lesson' and thereby caused a lot of unnecessary stress and confusion.

How would you like it if you left your car running and unattended and when you returned found a cop had secreted your driver's license and registration in order to make you sweat?

The author of the article did not deserve some of the crap that the TSA guys shoveled his way.

[quidnunc]

MineralMan wrote: He left a bag unattended and got to get rescreened. He did make it onto his flight, though. He was stupid.

If that was all that happened then there would be no problem.

But the TSA guy filched his ticket to 'teach him a lesson' and thereby caused a lot of unnecessary stress and confusion.

How would you like it if you left your car running and unattended and when you returned found a cop had secreted your driver's license and registration in order to make you sweat?

The author of the article did not deserve some of the crap that the TSA guys shoveled his way.

[discostu]

There's more than one set of horses. I've never been fond of flying, my post 9-11 experience almost not all at from the pre 9-11.

It's not a matter of having a can of hairspray and a lighter, it's a matter of using it. Prior to 9-11 there was no reason to fightback, hijackers just took prisoners and negotiated for stupid stuff. 99% of hijack victims would survive. Anyway as any criminal can tell you, once you make somebody bleed everybody else starts complying, that's how fear works.

[Chemist_Geek]

Pacific Southwest Airlines, Flight 1771

[Zevonismymuse]

Anyway as any criminal can tell you, once you make somebody bleed everybody else starts complying, that's how fear works.

I guess somebody forgot to tell the passengers that went down with the plane in Pennsylvania. Most people puss-out, but not everybody.

[Chemist_Geek]

One is schizophrenic and is constantly ranting about the evil government agents that are everywhere around her.

What's her FR screen name?

[discostu]

No, somebody DID tell them. Because the hijackers forced them to call relatives and because that plane was in the air so long they found out that they were going to die either way. The most dangerous animal in the world is the cornered animal. Once someone has nothing to lose the rules change.

[MineralMan]

"But the TSA guy filched his ticket to 'teach him a lesson' and thereby caused a lot of unnecessary stress and confusion"

And why do you suppose they took the ticket? They do that so they know whose bag it is. That makes sense, right? Then they page you. I've seen it happen in airports when stupid people leave their bags sitting around.

He got on his plane. He's an idiot.

[tuna_battle_slight_return]

"As we walk, this portly agent who never smiles reaches in to snatch the ticket jacket from my now notorious bag. He opens the cover. It is empty. "So just where is your ticket, Mr. Masterson?" he scowls accusingly. By now, I’m feeling like the uniformed Gestapo with their German shepherd have set Mr. Peacefully Traveling American up like a domino. I am definitely being made to look like a terrorist or some other kind of criminal. "My ticket was in there when I came through the gate twice before," I say, my heart now somewhere near my tonsils. "I don’t know where it is. This is crazy. It has to be somewhere in my bag."

The author of this article is essentially pissed that no one finds him relevant. Next!

[Alouette]

of course, you could determine that at a glance...

They were wearing the distinctive garb of Mohammedan clergy and chattering in Arabic. I doubt they were Amish or Buddhists.