A question: Did you purposely quote me as "Foster" in some childish game or was it the result of cyber-gremlins at work?

Why this one particular subject? Because nothing else on FlyerTalk has been talked to death so much, using such strident rhetoric, and with zero results.

Thread after thread has been posted here for over 4 years about the TSA. Indeed, very little else is discussed on this forum. The language used is unmatched anywhere on FT with the exception of Omni.

Yet I still haven't seen one single change in TSA operations as a result of all this rhetoric and effort.

Don't you think that it is time for those who feel so strongly about this issue to take a different path?

Things aren't always the way they seem to be; search is a great way to uncover the irony.

Gotta give credit for the lobbying effort, however.

The first fallacy is that you assume nothing has changed. I'll refer you to the TSA blog at www.tsa.gov/blog where the TSA itself claims people writing in under user names in an equally anonymous forum were credited with changing operations regarding electronics. While this exposes flaws of the TSA operation they themselves claim it was the masses that prompted this change. Letters written by FTers to various administrators exposing the same practice in other locations, presumably with their real names, did not affect this change previously. You've seen people here state this on this very forum.

Your second fallacy is that you claim to wish to encourage people to change. Your approach, as someone who states they have written and published professionally, was to:

1. Deride the readers by stating they hide in anonymity.
2. Call their actions on this board useless without understanding the utility of this board as a sounding board for shared experiences.
3. Hope to inspire people to write to their elected officials.

I don't really have to explain how a more diplomatic post would have been far more useful, do I?

Please tell us what you discovered in "Search" and what the irony is.

Did you, perhaps, find some post which I made in which I said that the TSA is a wonderful organization?

No? Perhaps you found a statement by me that when arguing your cause you should hide your identity.

I think you will find that since my first posts about the TSA, I have said:

1. It should be looking for terrorists, not weapons.

2. Some screeners and other TSA officials have overstepped the boundaries and should be fired -- but that they should not all be tarred with the same brush.

3. Americans should not give up their Constitutional rights to any bureaucracy, including the TSA.

(Still, you will not find me calling them Nazis, Communists, perverts, or any other perjoratives.)

As far as my "lobbying effort" is concerned, find anything in this thread in which I have "lobbied" for anything except more effective action by those who feel as strongly about the TSA as the majority of TS&S posters seem to.

I await your answer.

I genuinely have no idea who or how "Foster" ended up in the quote, but corrected.

Of course other subjects have been discussed ad-nauseum on Flyertalk from overhead space, overweight passengers to the ethics of mistake fares and a whole host of travel and other issues that nobody will ever agree on and that's what makes flyertalk so great.

If you truly believe that discussions in this particular forum net no results, fine. I tend to believe that what we say here filters it's way to people one would never expect, and that when an issue comes up that does generate media coverage, it brings new eyes to this forum.

And I have no reason to believe otherwise, so that matter is over.

In the end, isn't this entire thread about the fact that the OP has outed himself?

This is the major irony you found by using search? :confused::confused::confused:

I think you have me confused with someone else.

I think a search would have revealed that. :D

Don't underestimate the power of Flyertalk - the original "Kip Hawley is an Idiot" story was first posted here, then picked up by major news outlets (but to your point, that story would not have been retold unless I was willing to reveal my real name)

I don't think anyone would take the time to write their representatives and not sign their real name (and address) :confused:

Same as above.

You can save the money and just write 5 words on your Ziploc baggie. ;)

There is a time and place for user names and a time a place to standing up and be counted, but Flyertalk posts would gain little by being attached to real names. I think you have made a big leap in logic in assuming that people who post here, only post here. I only speak for myself, but I can assure that I have spoken out in many ways.

Signed MKEbound aka Ryan

They announced a change as a result of the blog only a day or so ago.

I'm noticing a groundswell of anti-TSA press the last few months. The press isn't doing that in a vacuum, it is because complaints are registering and sites like FlyerTalk show there is a cogent, determined opposition.

Most Congresscritters won't even bother unless you can "prove" you're a constituent by giving your real name and address or can make a contribution to their re-election funds if you're not. Either way gives them an incentive to listen.

True, but a lot of TSO's tend to ignore what's on the KHIAI baggie. My KHIAI t-shirt gets noticed every time with varying reactions from both pax, airport workers and TSO's.

It's going to be sad when he's booted and I have to buy a new shirt. :D So you'll save money with your baggie. :)

speaking of real efforts at change ... I am curious if there are any organized groups composed of frequent flyers that are agressively lobbying congress regarding the DHS and TSA type issues repeated over and over on this forum ? The NBTA nor the Air Travelers Association don't seem to fit the bill IMO. Is there a real organized Frequent Flyer Lobby with the general personality of this forum?

You are right. I confused you with FWAAA. My apologies.