Um, you probably wish anything but to follow the logic. But the analogy does not necessarily mean everyone looks like a terrorist. Rather it means there's this stream of humanity in which just ONE might be dangerous. In order to save the lives of all who aren't, it is necessary to find that ONE and pluck him out. And it also seems that there is "collateral damage". Luckily, in airports, that might be missed flights, confiscated bric-a-brac, and such. In Iraq and Afghanistan, it means bloody bodies and funerals. I'm not in favor of easily surrendering any freedom, but I do think people need to remain rational and in possession of some perspective. You aren't being locked up. They aren't bombing your house. They might confiscate a few minutes you'd rather not give up. But to some people, a lot of this might sound like the whimpering of the spoiled. People are DYING to save what freedom you have left. Many of them never volunteered. When America attacked Afghanistan, the reigning power was enemy of America. And that government had never itself attacked any property belonging to us. What they did was fail to expel an irregular army that did attack us.

9 years later, and thousands of deaths of innocent people later, European and American armies are still there, and harmless Afghans are still dying. All foreigners could exit tomorrow. Karzai might regret it a lot, but how many villagers of the country would? The Taliban is in the heroin trade, so the farmers would happily continue growing poppies.

Now put your encounter at the TSA station in that perspective, and what is the relative importance of what is going on? In my day, military service wasn't even voluntary. The guys here don't even have to give up 2 years.

But still the passionate griping goes on. Maybe SHOWING the TSA what reasonable people look like would be a good first step.