Originally Posted by
GUWonder
As a result of this TSA approach, young adults and teenagers, the very old, the unemployed/underemployed, the poor, the foreign-born, the foreign-residing (even US citizens) and ethnic/religious minorities are going to have a greater frequency of being harassed by the TSA than their representation amongst the flying public would otherwise indicate.
Large employers, having had major issues with the government and others over unlawful discrimination in hiring and promotion practices, had their feet held to the fire only because the numbers didn't work in its favor with regard to representation of protected classes of persons on the payroll -- and this was when no explicit employer policy or explicit practice could be identified that stipulated an exclusion of protected classes of persons. I'd rather that approach be used to hold the TSA's feet to the fire when it comes to dealing with passengers of those demographic background elements mentioned in my first paragraph above.
Add in the voodoo "security" of "behavior detection", and it becomes even more clear that the Statue of Liberty is being mocked by DHS/TSA on a daily basis.
Instead of obsessing about personalities, I'd rather that the TSA fix its act and focus upon far greater effectiveness in interdicting contraband weapons, explosives and incendiaries. As it is now, the TSA can't even get that right.
This entire situation has me viewing the "PreCheck" and its expansion as yet another sign of the TSA being broken and probably broken beyond repair in my lifetime.
Exactly.
The TSA should just man up and admit that liquids, shoes, waistbands, crotches and puffy hair are just not all that threatening, and get rid of the stupid procedures FOR EVERYONE.
This program is not about filtering out those who are "easily cleared" so that they can focus on the remaining passengers, it's about getting the frequent flyers and/or business travelers to stop complaining. It worked when they exempted pilots and flight attendants - let them keep their shoes on, give them a pass on the NoS, allow them to take liquids through, and (for the most part), flight crew have stopped complaining about the TSA. They don't care if the passengers get manhandled as long as THEY don't have to.
I'm guessing "FF elites and GE holders" are more likely to be business travelers and FFs than toddlers and the elderly poor. If they can get the FFs to shut up, there's no one left to complain except those shifty foreigners, old people and Auntie Mildred who saved for two years to go see her sister in San Diego. And who gives a d@mn about THEM, as long as the FFs get the short line?
ETA: Some of you are optimistic that Trusted Traveler means "no NoS". Some of you are optimistic that "all passengers" will be able to apply for Trusted Traveler. Yet TSA has announced plans to put 1,800 NoS "covering nearly all lanes by 2014." You do the math.