Washington Time's James Bovard: Why Everyone Scorns the TSA
Nov 19, 2013, 11:30 am
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Washington Time's James Bovard: Why Everyone Scorns the TSA
Here is the link to a very informative & link-filled piece by James Bovard:
Washington Times:
BOVARD: Why everyone scorns the TSA
November, 5, 2013
A short quote:
and
Washington Times:
BOVARD: Why everyone scorns the TSA
November, 5, 2013
A short quote:
[Paul Ciancia’s] brutal rampage, though, should not obscure the fact that the TSA has perennially pushed many Americans to the breaking point.
In 2010, TSA speeded up deployment of its whole-body scanners in the wake of pervasive U.S. government security failures that permitted a young Nigerian to board a Detroit-bound plane in Amsterdam with 80 grams of powdered explosive in his underwear. The agency claimed that the new scanners were necessary to protect against powdered explosives, but the Government Accountability Office warned that it “remains unclear” if the new scanners could detect such threats.
As the TSA began touting its new “see-all” scanners, many Americans objected to having a “birthday suit” photo placed in their federal dossier. Many travelers also feared the perils of getting regularly radiated by Uncle Sam, and such fears were fed by the TSA’s refusal to disclose key safety data on how the scanners worked. An investigation by the Public Broadcast Service’s “Newshour” and ProPublica revealed that the scanners could cause up to 100 cancer cases per year among travelers. Citing health and privacy concerns, the European Union banned all body scanners that rely on radiating travelers.
In 2010, TSA speeded up deployment of its whole-body scanners in the wake of pervasive U.S. government security failures that permitted a young Nigerian to board a Detroit-bound plane in Amsterdam with 80 grams of powdered explosive in his underwear. The agency claimed that the new scanners were necessary to protect against powdered explosives, but the Government Accountability Office warned that it “remains unclear” if the new scanners could detect such threats.
As the TSA began touting its new “see-all” scanners, many Americans objected to having a “birthday suit” photo placed in their federal dossier. Many travelers also feared the perils of getting regularly radiated by Uncle Sam, and such fears were fed by the TSA’s refusal to disclose key safety data on how the scanners worked. An investigation by the Public Broadcast Service’s “Newshour” and ProPublica revealed that the scanners could cause up to 100 cancer cases per year among travelers. Citing health and privacy concerns, the European Union banned all body scanners that rely on radiating travelers.
People who are enraged at the TSA should recognize that some agents also oppose the needlessly oppressive practices that shred travelers’ privacy and dignity. We can condemn the shooting of TSA agents without exonerating agency policies that trample Americans’ constitutional rights. The Department of Homeland Security admitted in 2011 congressional testimony that “the large majority of travelers pose no security risks.” By treating most Americans like suicide-bombers-in-waiting, the TSA often makes traveling hellish without making it safer.
Nov 19, 2013, 11:39 am
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People who are enraged at the TSA should recognize that some agents also oppose the needlessly oppressive practices that shred travelers’ privacy and dignity.
Nov 19, 2013, 1:45 pm
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Nov 19, 2013, 1:51 pm
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"People who are enraged at the TSA should recognize that some agents also oppose the needlessly oppressive practices that shred travelers’ privacy and dignity."
So they're doing what they secretly believe is wrong?
Why don't they quit and get a job at Burger King?
So they're doing what they secretly believe is wrong?
Why don't they quit and get a job at Burger King?
Nov 19, 2013, 2:21 pm
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Good lord, yet another "professional journalist" who simply doesn't get it - while TSA's search methodology is, IMHO, a blatant violaiton of the 4th and 5th Amendments, their staffing and budget are bloated beyond all reason and sanity, their hiring practices are straight out of Star Trek: Generations ("You and you, you've just become nurses!"), and their training is significantly inferior to that of your average street gang or meth distribution ring... NONE of that is why Paul Ciancia went on a murderous rampage at LAX.
Paul Ciancia went on a murderous rampage at LAX because he's mentally unbalanced. That's all, nothing else. Was Adam Lanza's murderous rampage caused by the implementation of the Core Curriculum? Nope, he was insane. Was Aaron Alexis' murderous rampage caused by failure of the VA to properly care for thousands of wounded or traumatized vets? Nope, he was insane.
One should never confuse a behavior's trigger with the behavior's underlying cause. When a room is filled with explosive vapors, any spark or flame can trigger an explosion, but the spark or flame is not the cause of the explosion - the vapors are. Likewise, when someone suffers from a mental illness that predisposes them to violence (either against others or against themselves), almost anything can trigger that violence, but the trigger is not the cause - the mental illness is the cause.
Each of these people chose a particular target for their violence, but their choice of targets should never be confused with the root cause of the violence, which was mental illness.
Many people have siezed upon Ciancia's rampage as a flag under which to rally: "See?! See what TSA drives people to?! It's all their fault!" But that's as disingenuous as TSA was when they said that the NoS units were "incapable" of storing or transmitting images.
The entire 65,000 person organization and its $8 billion pot-o-gold exists because of one thing - IRRATIONAL FEAR. We cannot fight such fear by displacing it onto something else; we must fight it by using reasoned, rational arguments, and by debunking the many myths, lies, and urban legends that feed the fear. Fear of a repeat of the LAX shooting should never be used as an argument against TSA policies, any more than fear of a repeat of 9/11 should be used as an argument in favor of those policies. Neither argument holds water, because they are both based on irrational fear of the repeat of a 1 in 7-billion event.
I prefer to base my arguments against TSA policies strictly on facts, law, and the basic rights and freedoms to which every human being is entitled from birth.
Paul Ciancia went on a murderous rampage at LAX because he's mentally unbalanced. That's all, nothing else. Was Adam Lanza's murderous rampage caused by the implementation of the Core Curriculum? Nope, he was insane. Was Aaron Alexis' murderous rampage caused by failure of the VA to properly care for thousands of wounded or traumatized vets? Nope, he was insane.
One should never confuse a behavior's trigger with the behavior's underlying cause. When a room is filled with explosive vapors, any spark or flame can trigger an explosion, but the spark or flame is not the cause of the explosion - the vapors are. Likewise, when someone suffers from a mental illness that predisposes them to violence (either against others or against themselves), almost anything can trigger that violence, but the trigger is not the cause - the mental illness is the cause.
Each of these people chose a particular target for their violence, but their choice of targets should never be confused with the root cause of the violence, which was mental illness.
Many people have siezed upon Ciancia's rampage as a flag under which to rally: "See?! See what TSA drives people to?! It's all their fault!" But that's as disingenuous as TSA was when they said that the NoS units were "incapable" of storing or transmitting images.
The entire 65,000 person organization and its $8 billion pot-o-gold exists because of one thing - IRRATIONAL FEAR. We cannot fight such fear by displacing it onto something else; we must fight it by using reasoned, rational arguments, and by debunking the many myths, lies, and urban legends that feed the fear. Fear of a repeat of the LAX shooting should never be used as an argument against TSA policies, any more than fear of a repeat of 9/11 should be used as an argument in favor of those policies. Neither argument holds water, because they are both based on irrational fear of the repeat of a 1 in 7-billion event.
I prefer to base my arguments against TSA policies strictly on facts, law, and the basic rights and freedoms to which every human being is entitled from birth.
Nov 19, 2013, 3:06 pm
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The Department of Homeland Security admitted in 2011 congressional testimony that “the large majority of travelers pose no security risks.” By treating most Americans like suicide-bombers-in-waiting, the TSA often makes traveling hellish without making it safer.
Why call it a "large majority" when the number is darn near 100 percent? Why can't they admit that this farce of security theater is being perpetrated against nearly 100 percent of the flying public?
The Department of Homeland Security admitted in 2011 congressional testimony that “Very close to 100 percent of travelers pose no security risks.” By treating ALL Americans like suicide-bombers-in-waiting, the TSA (snip) makes traveling hellish without making it safer.
Nov 19, 2013, 4:26 pm
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Why call it a "large majority" when the number is darn near 100 percent? Why can't they admit that this farce of security theater is being perpetrated against nearly 100 percent of the flying public?
There, fixed it.
The Department of Homeland Security admitted in 2011 congressional testimony that “Of the ~7 Billion we have harassed, not one can be legitimately identified as a security risk. This proves that we are doing a good job and need more money to do even more of a good job better.”
"Treating every American---except ones that have strong lobbies or political influence---like a criminal has really helped build our empire."
"In terms of harassing passengers, we feel it's important to remind you all that the Constitution doesn't apply in airports."
"Treating every American---except ones that have strong lobbies or political influence---like a criminal has really helped build our empire."
"In terms of harassing passengers, we feel it's important to remind you all that the Constitution doesn't apply in airports."
Nov 19, 2013, 10:37 pm
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I think it's time to end the TSA. END THE TSA NOW!!! You lied, cheat, stupid, and steal. You steal the passengers' money, jewelry, watches, laptop, digital camera. You could go to jail for life. You will never work at airport again. You are liars about bodyscanners. There is no need to install the scanners. Get rid of it! You cannot ask the passengers' wallet. You can't ask him. You have respect with passengers' rights. They had it right to keep the wallet in the pocket. You cannot steal the wallet. You cannot ask him about a wallet. You are very disrespect with the passengers.
Last edited by N830MH; Nov 19, 2013 at 10:42 pm
Nov 20, 2013, 8:01 am
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Excellent post. Likewise, TSA shouldn't rush to arm its employees, etc. in response to the LAX shooting.