Bart, I am surprised by your post. I agree with almost all of it. I do include the TSA as part of the problem.

The erosion of a free society in the direction of police state, and incorporating Spiff's raising the notion of the banality of the slide in that direction, includes more than intrusion for nanny state things like seat belt laws. It also includes the witting or unwitting institution of rules, procedures and laws that are arbitrary, ambiguous, intrusive and which require compliance but which have no demonstrated civil or social purpose.

The TSA's current operations fit very well into the this territory. While it is necessary to have some screening at the airport, the inclusion of demeaning and witless procedures that one must go through in order to live a normal life in this day and country takes us there.

Add to that that too many screeners are not well trained or of high enough level of maturity/intelligence, and we end up with a Kafkaesque comedic/drama way too often.

People get to be inured to be treated as if they very likely might be criminals, they get inured to a level of treatment that a fee society should not tolerate.

To say that we all have the right not to fly is simply not a good argument. Too many of us must fly ... it is not optional. To suggest otherwise is a cop out.

Finally, though I wonder why, if you think that an adult has the choice not to wear a seat belt, why is it not equally reasonable to assume that we all know something of the risks (minuscule) of a fellow passenger blowing us up, and it being demanded that we take that risk as adults?