Originally Posted by Bart

No one forces you to do anything. You have to weigh your determination to keep your shoes on against your determination to make your flight. If you choose to not cooperate with security, then you don't get to make your flight. But instead of being hauled off to jail, you're merely escorted off the checkpoint. Keep in mind, though, that I'm speaking strictly from a security perspective. From a law enforcement perspective, in some jurisdictions, refusal to cooperate with airport security officers in resolving an alarm may be enough to trigger a law enforcement search and/or detention for questioning.