saulblum

A comment on the Facebook page of our local NBC affiliate, about whether the runway breach at PHL could happen at BOS --

https://www.facebook.com/7NEWS

Grope me; scan me; interrogate me.

But don't lose my bags.

Pathetic.

IslandBased

I hate to burst Kellie's bubble (head), but it isn't only baggage handlers who steal stuff. Better keep your eyes on your belongings while they are groping you, Kellie.

Flahusky

Runway breach isn't TSA`s issue, it can happen anywhere at anytime. Most are accidental.
TSA's house at most any airport needs cleaning. The ability for them to prevent anything is null, zip, zero, zilch.

saulblum

TSA's mission: "The Transportation Security Administration protects the Nation�s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce."

A personal car that comes within seconds of the path of a landing jet seems to be a compromise of the nation's transportation system, and is very much the TSA's issue.

JDiver

"Too many Americans"... how many, exactly, of 300 million, would you say, display such an attitude? When we paint with an overly broad brush it all comes out the same color.

Caradoc

One is too many in this case.

WillCAD

I couldn't say exactly how many out of 300 million, but I will say that I have seen similar "anything for security" comments by dozens of people on various boards, blogs, and news story comments over the last 2-3 years, far outnumbering those of us who decry the TSA and its draconian abuse of authority. Amongst my family, friends, and co-workers, the percentage who take the "I'd rather be groped than explode in mid-air" attitude was about 90% until I started explaining things from the opposite perspective; it's now something more like 30%.

It's difficult to judge whether the pendulum is swinging the other way. Comments in the blogsphere certainly seem to be changing overwhelmingly against TSA policies, but this could possibly be because those of us on FT naturally descend on any TSA article and overwhelm the comments with our opinion, rather than any actual shift in public attitude.

Still, I hope that there is such a shift in public attitude. I do my best to explain my position without getting terribly emotional about it, which would make me sound like a paranoid tin-foil-hat conspiracy theory lunatic, but it's difficult to lay out facts and be rational in the face of such overwhelming assaults on the very fabric of the American ideals of individual freedom trumping "collective good" or "government interest."

It's particularly difficult when the prevailing attitude among Americans today seems to be that the government's primary reason for existence is to take care of us and solve our problems, when I believe that the government's primary responsibility is to protect and defend our individual rights and freedoms from any who would infringe upon them or deny them - especially itself.

But to address the original premise of this thread - even ONE American who is willing to compromise the individual rights and freedoms of others out of fear of an enemy attacking him is one too many. NOBODY has the right to take away the rights of others just because he is afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, yet here we are.

Wally Bird

Being very conservative, I'd say 299 million alas.

IslandBased

Many of them multitasking while driving, which can be far more life threatening than the unlikely occurrence of a terrorist incident.

mikeef

Funny you mention that. Whenever I have a conversation with someone who gives me the "anything for security" line, I point out that the most dangerous part of any trip is the drive to the airport. I usually get the "yeah, I know, but..."

Truthfully, I don't get as much of the "anything for security" now. It's more, "Yeah, it doesn't really do anything, but it only takes a minute, so it's not worth arguing."

Hmm...

Mike

ryan182

Well I would posit that if the views didn't represent a significant number things would change as their congress people would have to take notice, or be replaced by others who would bring said change.

ronin308

Except that actively detecting and patrolling the airport for security breaches is the airport's job. The TSA will advise and require certain systems be in place, but the actual boots on the ground are airport staff and local LE.

bcbailey64

Well, obviously a majority because otherwise, why would you tolerate losing so many of your civil liberties? The proof is in the pudding. Canadians certainly are less likely to put up with this crap... http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/03...ge-in-lawsuit/

Global_Hi_Flyer

1) America is a nation of sheep.

2) Americans are too concerned with their own personal speed through a checkpoint, rather than the broader "common good". They have abdicated responsibility for the "common good" to the government, who has, in turn, determined that the "common good" means invasive Kabuki theater.

SummerHologram

I've been surprised at how many women echo the the sentiment of the bag lady on Facebook. Well, I'm no longer surprised, but I was for awhile.

I will remember to mention the drive to the airport (and there have been THREE fatalities within 15 miles of my house in the past 3 weeks, all drifted over the line or over the edge of the freeway while texting or otherwise messing around). If we go out 30 miles, it's 4 females in the last 3 weeks (and there's that one girl up in Wyoming whose parents are trying to get some law passed regarding texting while driving, after their daughter died while facebooking). Of the four near my home, 3 involved injuries to others, one person remains in critical condition (through not fault of his own).

Total hypocrisy that people who risk their own (and others' lives) at the rate of some 18,000 a year (multiple car accidents where a fatality is the fault of another driver)...and then want to have *everyone* be "real safe" at the airports.