TSA budget calls for at least 12,000 VIPR operations in 2011
 

Link

50% increase = 12,000 operations next year.

Where were the other 4300 operations (outside mass transit and railroads) conducted in the last 12 months?

Super Bowl? ABQ Balloon Fest? Any other place or event they had no business being at?

When they show up to keep us safe at Dunkin Donuts, I'm leaving the country permanently!

This is one area were you can fight back. In the cases like the Super Bowl, it is a private entity inviting DHS to the event(fascism at its finest). Businesses should be made aware that this is NOT acceptable. I will no longer attend any NFL event for this very reason and have them sent them an email informing them of such the last time they solicited me for tickets. I'm sure my lone email makes no difference, but if they receive several million of them and notice ticket sales drying up then maybe they'll get the message. Corporations care only of one thing, money. Take that away from them and you will get their attention. While I have to fly as part of my job, nothing requires me to give the NFL one cent.

This article clearly can't be right. After all, TSA supporters often say that if you don't like the security, you can take the bus or train. But the VIPR operators (Does that make them snakes?) are going after people on trains, according to the Washington Times. Why would a journalist make up something like that?

Mike

So what is your option is you are forced to "play along"?

Can you tell them to get lost and go about your business or is it a "do you want to ride the rails today" thing?

Saying 12k operations next year sounds too close to the use of body-counts during the Vietnam conflict. At a certain point, the number itself is a tool to an ends that no one believes any longer. An "operation" could be a single search, at that point.

Maybe it is time for an organization to organize flashmob HAWK organisations to haunt the VIPRs.

Since you bring up RVN, would you say TSA is running a "police action"? :confused:

If they start bothering people at Union Station in DC again - especially the MARC and VRE commuters - count me in.

Perhaps it would be worthwhile to spend a bit of time to develop my thoughts of RSN - the Responsible Security Network - further. I had originally considered setting up a web site where people could sign up to voluntarily receive tweets and texts about activities that were being organized to demonstrate against invasive security "on the fly".

One good example of such a use would be sending tweets and texts out to people in a given geographical area about a flash mob at a Metro station or Union Station to show up in protest to an overzealous TSA or WMATA activity.

Being a proud Brunswick Line commuter (as I know you are), I think we can both say that any attempt by the TSA to harass Brunswick Line commuters, especially the trains going all the way to Martinsburg, is not going to end well.

I don't understand why TSA would be at an NFL game.

What does that have to do with "transportation"? :confused:

Football players run with their feet. Fans walk to their seats.

They transport themselves.

So they must be protected by the Transportation Security Administration.

:mad:

Interesting idea! @:-)

I thought of a small scale demonstration that could be done wherever people are traveling together with similar feelings about security theater. Prior to reaching the checkpoint or while standing in long lines or if happening to witness a vyper operation, take turns questioning each other, repeatedly check each others' ID's & BPs, pat each other down, inspect each others carry-ons and kippy bags, etal... and re-assure any witnesses that it's all for the common good. Offer to do the same for any strangers wishing to feel "safer". Ask any TSO's nearby if they might have some spare swabs to swipe over each other or just use q-tips and inspect them carefully. Be sure to wear blue gloves. Pass through the nonsense at the checkpoint in whichever way works best for you and repeat these routines on the other side until boarding. ^

IMHO a flashmob would be ineffective. A lynch mob, on the other hand, just might do the trick! ;)