Originally Posted by
law dawg
I do my own research including actually doing the job. It's not theory in my case, it's practice. With all the strengths and limitations that implies.
And with that I bring a different opinion to the fray.
There's a larger context in which to consider one's fray-jumping. It can't have escaped anyone's notice that the TS/S forum has become a refuge on FT for those holding minority views about the TSA and its parent branch of the Executive; the nature of government in general; and issues of security related to travel in particular. Appeals to (FLEO) authority are likely to be taken with a far dimmer view here then elsewhere on Flyertalk.
Other times I believe with all my heart and mind that I'm right.
Belief and knowledge are not the same thing. Leaps of faith are not my specialty, but if you care to offer a reasoned argument I'll do my best to respond.
There is quite a bit of GroupThink that goes on here at times, where anyone not in step is marginalized and mocked. It's better now than before but it still happens. I like to be a contrary voice.
Contrary opinion doesn't exempt one from the charge of GroupThink, for starters, nor does it qualify as superior reasoning. If the tenor of marginalization and mocking is bothersome here, then the Report Bad Post function is your best bet. But as an LEO I can't imagine that you haven't heard worse in the line the duty.
Go read de Becker's "The Gift of Fear" for a good summary on this issue.
Give a good reason to and I might.
What is weird to me is the instant dismissal. There's not been even a second of hesitation for many here. No, "let's look at this more closely." No, "what's really going on here?" What there has been is a lot of "What a joke."
Perhaps upon closer examination of the posting history in this forum, you'll revise your assessment. However, that sort of examination requires the commitment of time and a willingness to remain objective while slogging through a lot of material. Not everyone feels it worth the effort.
OF course, since we're talking about "prior conclusions" maybe we can broach the issue that the conclusion of FlyerTalk is that TSA is full of idiots so anything they put out it automatically suspect. Does that perhaps cloud the issue a bit?
I think it's a bit dramatic to say that very the small percentage of all FTers who post on TS/S are respresentative of FT overall, don't you? Of the 100-125k registered members, how many actually post here?
Because I know for a fact I have a better handle on the thought processes of the people here on this board than you or anyone else does ...
... sigh ...
Yet the people here automatically know better? If that's so then I think I'd have the right to ask - how do you know? What expertise/knowledge do you bring to the table to counter this opinion that trumps their's?
Automatically? Interesting assumption.
Anyway, of course you have right to ask epistemological questions. (Was there some suggestion otherwise?) As for me, I've quite satisfied my curiosity about the credentials, knowledge and experience of quite a number of frequent contributors on this forum. Whether others are persuaded is another matter.