Originally Posted by Wiirachay
Bart,
One thing I think about the issue with screening the people you mentioned above is verifying identity. How can you verify that an airline pilot really is one and not a bomber with a fake badge or an airline pilot who is actually going to fly (vs. one who is just flying in a passenger's seat?) Are caterers, gate agents, and mechanics exempt too? What about TSA?
- Pat
I have to agree. Airport security and immigration doesn't have a great track record now recognizing senators and representatives. There was a black lady congresswoman a few years ago who was detained at O'Hare after her return trip from Africa. They held her with no access to lawyers etc until she passed feces to show she was not smuggling anything in. They had no probable cause except they thought she might be a drug mule because she was black and seemed affluent.
This was another story that dropped out of site after awhile and we never saw the update.
How would we know they were real IDs? How many senators and congressmen could we recognize?
It is a bad idea to exempt anyone from screening. No weapons means no weapons. Government officials are not a higher class of citizen.