As a frequent victim of the airport stop, pat and search
I find this disturbing from my traveler’s perch.
To pose for playboy or get to second base?
Only so long as after there’s a memory erase.
I’ve never said it before, but call me a prude and take me to church.
cross posted at www.limericked.wordpress.com
Yeah, the whole TSA thing has gotten a lot of attention and I am not sure how to react to it other than with the following thoughts:
1.) I get the feeling that this ‘security’ is here to stay, and the media has been employed to dangle it in front of everyone at our complete disgust. To discourage us from travelling, I dunno, but I’m baffled otherwise as to why it is being employed. It’s useless: Adam Savage (Mythbuster) got through with 12″ razor blades.
2.) If this is to discourage flight in an effort to save fuel, I wouldn’t be surprised. But people get fewer miles per gallon driving from Ypsi-Arbor to Detroit than taking a jet to whatever location. It’s pretty sick. I guess they might be utilizing the theory small savings add up?
3.) This is a development within the timeframe of the Obama Administration. I am a hair trigger away from asking WTF Obama despite his legislative accomplishments so far. The breaching of privacy was by and large the greatest complaint towards the Bush Administration. Wiretaps have been upheld, and now the airport situation has been made worse.
Lastly, and likely the most disturbing in my opinion
4.) On average the news coverage of this development has been dismally positive, as in: this new thingy is causing few delays at airports and the people are OK with it. The travelers interviewed who get air time pretty much say “It’s something we have to put up with in a post-9/11 society.” To which I say: 9/11 was almost 10 fucking years ago, you think by now the terrorists are smart enough to plan around this. They got us once through airlines, we’ve locked them up and travelers are more vigilant than average security (Shoe bomber). They are likely planning another attack through a different medium.
Any negative reaction to this has been absolutely bizarre, like the lady who decided that since she’s opting out of the full scan, I’ll come to the airport in a bikini. There was also the unfortunate case of the gentleman with a bladder pouch. But they’re rare and apply to almost no one.
“Come one come all into 1984…”