Enhanced Screening (no, not the hobby...TSA)

[I B Hankering]

Originally Posted by pjorourke

I imagine OBL and his gang are laughing their ass off at what we are doing to ourselves.

I bet he is. In that regard, he—and those like him—have already won. But what is the alternative? Profiling? That makes sense, and I am sure Eric Holder, the ACLU and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) will all unanimously agree that this is the best alternative to the universal screening process now in place. This is where PC has taken us.

No one actually believes a five-year-old boy or girl is capable of conspiring to blow up a plane. Yet, who doesn’t believe that the terrorist collective wouldn’t use a five-year-old boy or girl as a mule, or an infant’s diaper, to smuggle explosives onto a plane? Yes, they have already demonstrated that they are that despicable. As a consequence, children are searched.

At least the pilots won their battle. I mean, what sense does it make to subject the pilots to the scanners or those searches? Why would a pilot use explosives or a box cutter to bring down a plane when he could more easily just fly it into the ground? smh

I think we are in this for the long haul. Even if bin Laden and all of his ilk were captured or killed today, tomorrow, new brethren of Sayyid Qutb’s Islamist anti-colonialism will rise up and take their place. I accept women as my social and intellectual equals, I also believe in capitalism and, like Abraham Lincoln, I believe that “America is the last best hope of earth.” Because I believe in these things, followers of Sayyid Qutb’s teachings will always see me—and people like me—as their enemy. That is a reality I must live with. That means, whether I like it or not—and as long as the TSA cannot profile, I must take off my shoes and walk through a scanner. If it means I must also be groped by a TSA agent, so be it. I experienced a lot worse while serving in the Army. (Besides, who on this board doesn’t like to get groped occasionally – lol.) Furthermore, it’s not that different from the government telling me to stop for red lights, wear a safety belt when I’m in an automobile, wear a helmet when I ride a motorcycle or not drink before I drive. I see the wisdom in all of these requirements, but that does nothing to diminish how intrusive the government has become.

William Blackstone once stated (Blackstone's ratio) that, “It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer.” Until the TSA can profile, we are doomed to accept that, “It is better that ten innocents suffer so that one suspect can be searched.” That’s where PC and the ACLU has taken us.

[Guest083011]

Originally Posted by discreetgent

SR Only's motto: Looking for Sugar Babies wherever I go.

Words to live by! I just want to make everyone on eccie proud.

[I B Hankering]

Another option

[atlcomedy]

Originally Posted by pjorourke

So your point is we need smarter, more skilled and higher paid government dweebs carrying out stupid and useless searches?

lol of course not...just remember the guy touching your member was asking if you wanted fries and a coke with that last month....

Since you called these searches "stupid & useless" PJ, I'll ask what you propose as an alternate solution? I don't think our current airport security is very effective either but I don't support no security either.

[pjorourke]

Originally Posted by atlcomedy

Since you called these searches "stupid & useless" PJ, I'll ask what you propose as an alternate solution? I don't think our current airport security is very effective either but I don't support no security either.

Well a much better start would be a registered traveler program that didn't even go through scanners except on a random basis. If all frequent fliers signed up, that would kill probably 80% of the lines. I could also accept going back to the less moronic pre-911 procedures. In either case, it should be combined with stepped up electronic screening of calls/internet communication ala for what Bush was pilloried. (Before everyone gets their panties in a wad, the laws authorizing this should specify that they couldn't use any of the information gleaned for anything but national security matters -- everything else would by definition be an illegal search.) Electronic scanning of communication actually catches terrorist. I repeat -- TSA NEVER HAS!!!!

[Guest083011]

But don't you think the terrorist *might* figure out how to get a FF number? I'm not saying our current vetting works but the "Secured Traveler" has it's problems. El Al has folks who do the screening and profiling needed to keep their aircraft safe(r).

[discreetgent]

In Tel Aviv, Israel does it for all airlines, not just El Al.

[discreetgent]

Originally Posted by discreetgent

SR Only's motto: Looking for Sugar Babies wherever I go.

Originally Posted by SR Only

Words to live by! I just want to make everyone on eccie proud.

Shouldn't a booking be a prerequisite to making everone on eccie proud?

[Guest083011]

Originally Posted by discreetgent

Shouldn't a booking be a prerequisite to making everone on eccie proud?

I just was looking for a booking as I was getting patted down going through security with the wife near by (on the head of a pin!!!)

[woodyboyd]

Originally Posted by atlcomedy

I don't see what the big deal is. I've been in airports with the new screeners a couple of times this month without incident to myself or anyone near me in line.

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

http://www.streetwisepundit.com/judg...-amendment.php

I have had the scrotal patdowns three times now. What bugged me about the last one is that it was "random". Doing a random search is the TSA saying FU to the Constitution.

To quote John Tyner, "I repeated that I felt what they were doing was a sexual assault, and that if they were anyone but the government, the act would be illegal."

A doctor friend of mine is being investigated by the Texas Medical Board for inappropriate touching, but if the TSA does it is okay??

Instead of treating everyone like criminals, an algorithm should be created using what is known about past terrorists whereby the TSA could spend the majority of its time searching and interviewing the people most likely to be terrorists. That way the clause in the Constitution about probable cause would not be so violated. We already know a lot of who these people are: muslims between 18 and 35 who fly one way and use cash.

And instead of these bs scanners that make that scumbag Chertoff rich, people (yes people) should be trained to spot such people and taught how to interrogate them. The Isrealis found that simply asking questions work best of all: why are you flying here? who bought your ticket? why are you flying one way? The TSA needs to spend more time asking questions like this and less time groping genitals.

[woodyboyd]

And now for those who need a good laugh,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZM4Bpt3xZU

[Dingus]

IBH - a program like that would be wonderful, but can you imagine the delays for clean-up?

On a realistic note, the current TSA program will not survive. I've not been subjected to these searches yet, but I'm aware the current administration is very poll sensitive and will adjust the current procedures.

If we'd (Americans) adopt the Israeli profiling procedures, 95% of America would be better off.

[TexTushHog]

Originally Posted by woodyboyd

We already know a lot of who these people are: muslims between 18 and 35 who fly one way and use cash.

And instead of these bs scanners that make that scumbag Chertoff rich, people (yes people) should be trained to spot such people and taught how to interrogate them. The Isrealis found that simply asking questions work best of all: why are you flying here? who bought your ticket? why are you flying one way? The TSA needs to spend more time asking questions like this and less time groping genitals.

And you think that the other side isn't smart enough to adapt. Buy their guys round trip tickets? Get credit cards? Recruit older bombers?

And I don't have a great deal of problem with the sort of forensic profiling that Israel does. But let's say that you're going to take ten minutes with every 737 of 150 people. That's 1500 minutes or twenty-five hours. So you're going to have to have the equivalent of three full time additional security personnel hired for every commercial flight. Apparently there are between 30 and 37,000 commercial flights in the U.S. per day. That's about 105,000 new Federal or airline employees. And since these guys are going to be profiling, asking follow up questions, thinking, etc., they have to be smarter than your average burger flipper. Let's say $50k per person salary and $20k in benefits. $70k x 105,000 people = $$7.35B. No small amount of money. Frankly, I can't see Republicans appropriating that amount. And that's with no training, no supervisors, etc.

[discreetgent]

Israel has around 90-100 flights leaving each day from its one major airport; a definite advantage in screening the way they do. They also have the advantage of being able to hire individuals who have served time in the army, some of them in the security and anti-terrorist forces.

[cucharabill]

I can only echo what so many here have already stated. WE NEED PROFILING, and to Hell with anyone who's afraid profiling will offend some towel-head from the Middle East.

On a lighter note.....

I heard on two different radio talk shows today that there's an article in the UK Daily that some TSA screeners are disgusted by some of the people they have to pat down. Primarily very fat and obese people, and those who have "personal hygene issues".

Up to now, I had not even thought of that side of it, but try to imagine how gross that would be to have to do a "pat-down' of someone who hadn't bathed in about a week, or who was wearing clothes that hadn't been laundered in about a month. And now you're going to get "down there" with their "stink". Think about that the next time you see some pat-down video on TV.

Ewwwww.......GROSS!!