Sunday, November 21, 2010

Airport Screening: Two Voices

One of the stupider commentaries I've read on the new airport screening procedures naturally comes from the Sacramento Bee- no surprise there- which reminds us, "Much screening is more about peace of mind than actual safety."

A more sensible view in my mind comes from- no surprise here- Steve Greenhut, formerly of the Orange County Register: "If the X-rated scanners don't cause the public to start pushing the pendulum back in a more sensible direction, then I'm not sure there's anything that will save what freedoms are left in this nation.".

Let's hope so, but I'm not holding my breath. And I don't support fliers opting for pat downs instead of scans. I say don't fly, period. Take a bus, train or your car to wherever you might need to go until this nutty stuff is stopped.

Necessity is the plea made for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants. It is the creed of slaves.- William Pitt

12 Comments:

At 9:37 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Wait, libertarians want the personal freedom to not install a sprinkler system in their homes and perish by their own choice, but they also want the personal freedom to endanger not just themselves, but the lives of every single person sitting with them on an airplane?

Is libertarianism just about selfishness? It's all about me, except when it's not, but really except when it is?

 
At 9:39 AM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

See? I knew it.

 
At 10:28 AM, Blogger mresquan said...

I'd expect train stations will follow suit with more intrusive screening.I say don't fly period as well,and have taken that position more ardently even prior to this crap,as I simply am wary of airplane safety in general,and find them to be incredibly uncomfortable to sit in,and a complete rip off on just about anything you may want to purchase.I find road trips to be much more fun and more relaxing.

 
At 11:44 AM, Blogger Rose said...

This has reached the point of insanity.

 
At 11:59 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Rose said...

This has reached the point of insanity."

Sorry Rose, We The People reached that point a while back. On one hand we want our Freedom, on the other, we pay people like Glenn Beck millions to keep fear, paranoia and hatred alive.
The government is doing what it THINKS will make the most people 'feel' safe. Most of those people that make these laws, however, remain exempt from them. R's AND D's!

 
At 12:25 PM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

This has reached the point of insanity.

I'm wondering what they'll come up with after the next airplane gets blown up or has some sort of inflight incident?

 
At 12:31 PM, Blogger Fred Mangels said...

esquan wrote, I'd expect train stations will follow suit with more intrusive screening.

It wouldn't surprise me if they start going after buses, as well.

I've been wondering if there isn't an opportunity here for some investor types?

I could me mistaken, but I believe these screenings only apply to commercial flights available to the general public. I don't think they apply to charter flights.

What if someone could start a "charter flight club" to various locations. First you start a "LA to NY Charter Club", for example. You could probably get thousands of people to join. Then they collectively pay for tickets to rent a charter plane, which the club might own.

They could board the plane however the club decides and have their own charter club schedule. You could probably put that together for any number of destinations.

 
At 3:29 PM, Blogger Belle said...

I would never let someone feel me all over. I don't mind the x-ray, but if I were a frequent flier I wouldn't use it. I guess it could cause cancer with a lot of use.

 
At 3:55 PM, Blogger mresquan said...

"This has reached the point of insanity."

It reached the point of insanity when the Department of Homeland Security was created,which came as a result of the 9/11 attacks which members of the Bush administration who knew of the desire for the pending attacks prepared for its aftermath instead of preventing the attacks.The Obama administration is just continuing a paradigm which started a year or two prior to the 9/11 attacks.

 
At 7:59 PM, Blogger mresquan said...

And I would like to think that people who are outraged over this invasion of privacy,are equally outraged about the recent law signed by Arizona's governor which allows authorities to search any vehicle with someone in it who looks hispanic.But what scares me most about that is,is that those who support that new law seem to argue that Obama's administration hasn't done ENOUGH invading of one's rights,so it was necessary for Jan Brewer to sign the papers.

 
At 10:25 AM, Blogger Pogo said...

mresquan: "...are equally outraged about the recent law signed by Arizona's governor which allows authorities to search any vehicle with someone in it who looks hispanic."

The whole text of the Arizona law can be read here. Please direct us to the authorization in the law that justifies your outrageous assertion.

The truth is very simple: most "latinos" tend to vote for "progressive" candidates and ballot initiatives. Ergo, leftists/"progressives" wish to add to their voting base by any means necessary.

 
At 9:42 PM, Anonymous Good traveler said...

It won't be that long off that our travel is completely hedged up. If you haven't taken the time then please read the book "The Great Controversy" by E.G. White. You can request a copy by calling 1-800-THE-TRUTH ; the book contains much needed insight into what is happening in our country and the world.

 

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