I neglected to post TSA's response to the column:
Rockland County Times:
TSA’s Response to Diane Dimond’s Oct. 4 Op-Ed Piece, by Lisa Farbstein
Posted October 18th, 2012
In her pathetic yet effective letter, Ms. Farbstein demonstrates that she does not know the definition of the word "Fact". Farbstein's letter generated some press coverage, including this CBS-Connecticut piece which demonstrates how effective the pathetic letter was:
CBS-Connecticut:
TSA Responds To Security Criticism By Telling People To Remember 9/11 Attacks
October 24, 2012 10:08 AM
It concludes with:
But for all of the complaints, most U.S. travelers have a positive opinion of the TSA.
According to a Gallup poll released in August, 54 percent of Americans think TSA is doing either an excellent or a good job of handling airport screening. Among Americans who have flown at least once in the past year, 57 percent have an excellent or good opinion of the agency, reported Forbes.
TSA employs 62,000 people and the annual $8.1 billion budget seems high to many critics who say the same work was done under for far less by private firms before Sept. 11, while under federal guidelines.