Monday, November 22, 2010

Travel Lightly or Lighten Up

UPDATE, 11/25/'10:  The much ballyhooed protests predicted in the media for Wednesday, November 24th at airports around the nation failed to materialize.  While air travel was up 11% from last year on the same day before Thanksgiving, the actual numbers of protesters of the TSA policy were minute, tiny, nearly non-existent at less than 1%.  The response to that disastisfaction should be proportional, not over-responsive; and it should be constructive, not reactive or appeasing.

A few figures noting scanner opt-outs possibly in protest (although not specifically), in no particular order, listing available data:
Boston: 300 out of 56,000
Los Angeles: 113 out of 50,000
Detroit: 57 out of 25,000
Atlanta: 39, out of 47,000 air travelers
Charlotte: 1, out of 18,000
Cincinnati: 15
St. Louis:  7
New Orleans: 6
Memphis: 5
Dallas/Fort Worth: 1
 

So much for the negligible protest of the scanners and pat down.  All those predicting that there was a huge push back, a potent objection among the traveling public to this security measure? You were wrong.  All those predicting this was an attempt by the TSA to 'condition us to a new police state'? You're stupid....and WRONG, as only the right wing fringe fanatics can be wrong when they promote Moral Panic.

The most intelligent comments I've seen on the TSA to date, in contrast to the right's hysteria is that the TSA measures may or may not be effective in actually stopping terrorist attempts.  But more effective than actually catching terrorists making the attempt, is the premise that our 'security theater' IS causing those individuals bent on carrying out terrorism against us to resort to less reliable tools and methods (an observation made in one media interview with security technology expert and author, Bruce Schneier, author "Beyond Fear").

Personally, I'm pressed to understand how anything WE can do would be more of a deterrent than the actions of the undi-bomber injuring his private parts in the explosion in his pants which severely burned his genitalia, an excruciating and disabling injury.  All the promises of anticipated bliss, either with actual or metaphorical virgins in the heavenly hereafter doesn't have the impact of damaging your pleasuring generative bits in the here and now.  If I have a criticism of the TSA it is that it is reactive to the attempt 11 months ago by the 'fruit of the boom' bomber, and a few years ago by the 'shoe bomber'.  I hope we are allocating at least some of our security resources to looking at alternate attempts in the present and future.

But in the meantime, I'm going to pop some popcorn, and sit back and watch the entertainment - the speedo guy, and the bikini girl, and the generally silly hysteria on the right.  Fiction sources couldn't make up anything as goofy as that to amuse us, which apparently includes the right politicos, and right-wing 'nooz' media and 'moral panic paranoiacs' in the guise of factual commenters.

Here is a thought to take with you if you're flying any time soon.  If you do see someone who appears to be in Muslim attire (assuming you can tell that from Sikh or other ethnic clothing), consider that they are vastly outnumbered by the rest of us in western clothing, with western habits.  Consider that they are almost certainly more afraid of us, in that context, than we are of them.  And step outside the right wing moral panic, assert your intellect over dumb emotion, and for god sake 'grow a pair' (regardless of your actual gender).  Make a kind gesture towards them, respecting possible cultural differences.  Close, if only in a small personal way, the gap that terrorists would like to grow between 'us' and 'them' and that the right wing-nuts would like to foster through islamophobia.

Simple human kindness is an underestimated quality.  This may in fact be the single most effective act you can take to 'undo' terrorism, fear and hatred, in contrast to billions of dollars spent on anti-terrorist personnel and equipment.  You will certainly feel better, and god willing, so will that other person who had initially caused you unease.

It is what I would do. - DG


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There is much ballyhoo about TSA pat-downs and the advanced screening currently being implemented across airports in the United States.

I have two words, "Lighten Up."

First, while the screening machine does give you a small dose of radiation, it's about the same as 3 minutes in an airplane at 30,000 feet. If you don't want the radiation, you have MUCH bigger worries than the machine, in fact, you'd best not fly.

Second, if you don't want to be "patted down", don't fly. Flying isn't a right, like driving, it's a priveledge, and the TSA has the authority of the Commerce Clause behind it which gives it the authority to regulate interstante commerce. It can limit travel, it can put you on no-fly lists, and it can prevent you from carrying bombs or guns onto planes. Getting patted down now is little different from being "wanded" if you set off the metal detectors and then, if necessary, patted down, 10 years ago.

If we are concerned about eroding liberty, then we should ahve been concerned 10 years ago, or 30, when we started effectively searching people with metal detectors. Our European trading partners don't bat an eye at this. This isn't a violation of your Constitutional protection against random search because you consent to the search by asking to travel on a commercial airliner at a federally and governmentally (state) funded facility, but IF you think it is, then don't travel by air or hire a private jet.

If you don't want to do that, then I suggest you get over yourself and lighten up.

8 comments:

  1. I don't know - I haven't had the dubious pleasure of experiencing this enhanced screening, but I'm hearing so many different accounts of it (from "just more than a wanding" to "practically a cavity search") it makes me think the TSA agents are taking implementation into their own hands, and while I don't doubt they're well-intentioned, there's little that will drive me batty as fast as the officiousness with which TSA agents impose their arbitrary little rules and practices.

    They love to yell at you as if every idiot knows shoes go on the belt and NOT in a bin when the admonition at the airport you were in two hours ago was that ALL shoes must go in a bin. Same kind of thing with laptops, purses, etc.

    Having to go along with a new set of rules in every airport is just annoying, but when a TSA agent who's propping up his ego with his uniform and shiny badge decides it's within the scope of his job to give my boobs a rubdown, yeah, I object to that.

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  2. 18hour,

    I fly weekly, I've been patted down. Yes, they pat down your groin. No, they don't grope you. In fact, if they did, they'd likely be fired. So while I hear your concerns, I've not seen them as real.

    With respect to TSA folks being a bit "overzealous" in some airports vs. others, I agree that occurs, but it normally occurs only with those enforcing to the letter of the requirement, whereas others with more experience recognize that having me take my watch off, if it doesn't set off the detectors, isn't needed.

    Regardless, if/when we hear of TSA officials groping people with routine, I think that there'd be a reason to start putting a real limit on things, but if it ever happens to you, immediately object, ask to speak to the Managing Officer on Duty, and file your complaint. If the person involved gets more than a couple, they'll be gone. The risk of a lawsuit for such conduct simply is far greater than they'll accept.

    Lastly, I've done a little tiny bit of body searches as training for the National Guard. It's embarrassing for the searcher as much as the searchee. You do as little as you have to do to do your job. Please trust me when I say no one who is going to stay in a job like that without complaint has anything other than the desire to do only as little as necessary and nothing more.

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  3. Thanks the18hourmom for sharing your experiences as well.

    I really do think that whenever possible women should be patted down by women.

    That said though - I am having a hard time believing that the vast majority of our nation's travelers are such stunning examples of human pulchritude that anyone is going to really get much of a thrill out of this - I'm sure that for the majority of TSA agents, they'd prefer not to get more personal.

    The explanation I've heard for variation in TSA procedures was that different airports have different risk levels for problems.

    I have no way of knowing if that is correct, or not. But if the alternative is to put up with this, at least momentarily, in exchange for being safe, then we have to find that balance point of safety versus intrusiveness.

    That might take some balancing, and some overbalances, in the interim. I see it as a shared responsibility we have to keep everyone safe, as best we can.

    This is likely to be more acute before major holidays. Let us hope things settle out abit less intrusively after this week.

    But they may not.

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  4. Thanks the18hourmom for sharing your experiences as well.

    I really do think that whenever possible women should be patted down by women.

    That said though - I am having a hard time believing that the vast majority of our nation's travelers are such stunning examples of human pulchritude that anyone is going to really get much of a thrill out of this - I'm sure that for the majority of TSA agents, they'd prefer not to get more personal.

    The explanation I've heard for variation in TSA procedures was that different airports have different risk levels for problems.

    I have no way of knowing if that is correct, or not. But if the alternative is to put up with this, at least momentarily, in exchange for being safe, then we have to find that balance point of safety versus intrusiveness.

    That might take some balancing, and some overbalances, in the interim. I see it as a shared responsibility we have to keep everyone safe, as best we can.

    This is likely to be more acute before major holidays. Let us hope things settle out abit less intrusively after this week.

    But they may not.

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  5. That is one of the reasons that if I can, I prefer not to fly. I prefer the train or driving. I used to enjoy flying, but the hassle these days isn't worth the shortened time. Unfortunately, I will have to fly over the holiday. I don't mind the body scan. If someone REALLY is going to "get off" looking at a dimly outlined view of my naked body... well, they have worse problems than mine, and I really don't care. Unfortunately, my local airport doesn't have the body scanning technology in all places, which means that I will have to probably undergo the usual metal detectors, etc. It can't be helped.

    I do want to gently note that while the commerce clause does give Congress the right to regulate interstate trade, restricting interstate travel is not permitted under the commerce clause. Although the federal government does not have the right to restrict whether you travel from state to state, they do have the right to deny you certain methods of travel. I doubt, however, if a ban on all forms of public transportation could be constitutionally justified. Its normally a threat vs. liberty assessment.

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  6. Abusive conduct should not EVER be tolerated. If someone needlessly fondles or reaches into undergarments, etc.. they should be canned.

    Having a little (tiny) bit of experience here, frankly, if you don't trust TSA, then I assume you don't trust cops either. If my life depends upon me searching you, and you won't let me pat down parts of your body which are NOTORIOUSLY used to hide weapons (or as in the XMas day bomber, a bomb), then the issue is yours, not mine. Don't fly on commercial planes. Take a train, take a boat, or hire a plane. However, if someone touches you inappropriately, file a complaint, sue them, and it won't happen twice. No one suggests you should have to put up with that. Conversely, I think the incidents of it actually happening will be at best few and far between.

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  7. These latest modifications to air travel searches have resulted in a fair amount of "push back" from the general public. I'm all for that sort of reaction. If the public never pushed back, government would continue to restrict. The push back that we are seeing is reasonable and non-violent. I haven't even heard of anything illegal. I say, let it happen.

    I don't travel by air much but we will be going overseas in July and that's about the only way to do it these days.

    I find it very interesting, however, that domestic flights get so much attention with respect to security while buses and trains are virtually ignored. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure our how the next serious transportation-related terrorist threat will be delivered. These shoe bombs and jocky burns are only distractions.

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  8. I don't know what it is about me and TSA agents - I have no issues with cops, like them a lot actually, airport security just winds me up. There is a lot of discussion on the FlyerTalk forums about people's bad experiences with TSA, but I sort of think those might come from people going in with an attitude (like me, frankly) and an unwillingness to just suck it up and deal once in a while (unlike me, thankfully).

    My conclusion is this: Family holidays via Skype this year!

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