magexpect, i appreciate your comments. it sounds like you would be in favor of some kind of security---just not what we have in place now for various reasons. i still don't think we're being paranoid but i'm not wanting to argue that cause i doubt we'd ever come to a conclusion (one of the reasons i haven't joined other discussions on this topic). it seems like we probably have some basic philosphical differences in our opinions. so be it.

gradgirl, i want to respond to one thing you said, if i may:

"Hedur, you're advocating handing the bad guys exactly what they want - they want us to give up our way of life and feel afraid. I'm not afraid. I was on an airplane on September 11, 2001, that landed in Boston at 8:35am. "

i don't believe this is what the terrorists want. i don't belive that they give a rat's ... about our way of life. i think they want us dead. and they've shown it. i don't think they've left any room for doubt. and i, also, am not afraid. my original flight for 9/12/01 was cancelled (obviously) and i was on the first flight available to me on 9/15/01 at 2am. i didn't even think twice about it. but i do believe the bad guys mean me much more harm than some poorly trained TSA guys who have ego trips.

and my opinions are based on my experiences flying. i have never felt like i was giving up my freedoms while going through security. a little incovenienced, yes, sometimes annoyed, definitely, but my way of life goes far beyond what happens to me at the airport.

i also would love to live in a world where we didn't need any kind of security but, sadly, terrorism (among other things) has ruined that for us.

at least that's my opinion.

(oh and btw gradgirl, i have read about your bad experience with the female screner and i sympathize. as a woman, i know it is truly horrible to feel violated like that. i hope that you prosecute it to the fullest extent.)