Originally Posted by
LuvAirFrance
I'm a little confused about something. I read the TSA site tonight to see about scanning. It talked about the two types of scanners and the plans for rolling out machines. At one time it said (I think in bold type) that "TSA does not profile". And I was thinking how the job could be downsized by doing some profiling. Now, I also realize that TSA could end up in the courts if it did it (might be worth a try anyway). But then I stopped and wondered. Why should that be a problem if some overseas government did it? They can't be hauled into court just because they don't conform to American government policies in this regard. Profiling makes so much sense, that I can see why American security doesn't do it. But that same reason makes me wonder why security that isn't American doesn't do it?
Anyone able to cut through the fog with an explanation?
Profiling works if one is looking for a specific person or type of person, but unfortunately terrorists come in all forms. Male, female, old, young, tall, thin, Muslim, Indian, white, black, European, Asian, and any other type of person you can think of. The only type I think you are not going to find are fat people, but then again as soon as some terrorist group figures this out they will recruit some larger people for their cause. Profiling is just not going to work, not for this. I have read some of the books advocating for profiling in the search for airport terrorists, and to a point they do make sense. Only until one starts noting the holes in their ideas.
As it is well known, in the United States it is against the law for the government to single out a group based on quite a number of factors. Race, ethnic background, age, etc. When the government does this, and sometimes an over zealous government flunky gets an itch and reaches beyond their level of authority or fails to consult the right folks, the ACLU gets a new case.
I am a staunch supporter of our Constitutionally recognized/guaranteed rights, and know more about them than most people do. And I see that profiling has its uses, but not here. Not by the TSA. Not searching for terrorists on the checkpoints.