http://it.slashdot.org/story/10/11/2...-Metro-Systems

There are almost 900 comments on the expansion of the TSA into all forms of public transport. Nearly all are anti-TSA and there are some very interesting ones. I don't see the alleged overwhelming public support for the TSA on Slashdot. A must read for any members of the resistance or other "domestic extremists". Here are some highlights:

Pretty much the entirety of the internet using populace in the US (read that as informed citizens) is opposed the the scanners or gropings or both.

I've never seen so much solidarity on an issue across such a wide spectrum of voting demographics.

The (unbought) right, and the left is pissed, I don't think even they realize that they feel the same way as each other yet.

That, I'm afraid, is definitely untrue. Even the surveys most generous to the opposition show a gross majority of the American public favors the scanners. A motivated minority seems to be doing most of the Slashdot posting. But most Internet fora contain a high proportion of "If you don't like it, take the bus!"-type posts.

One of the saddest aspects of this drama is how it's revealed the latent American appetite for totalitarianism. A lot of Americans, perhaps the majority, don't understand or even want their constitutional rights. This goes deeper, tragically, as you look at younger, Internet-generation citizens. Look at the surveys of sub-30 American who generally agree freedom of the press ought to be curtailed or suppressed when it threatens the stability of the state.

Oh, I think they do. There's been a lot of writing in the past week or two about how this is the only issue than could possibly unite Glenn Beck, NPR, Matt Drudge and the ACLU. Which is a wonderful thing. But the division here is not between left and right, Democrats and Republicans; it's between the awake and the asleep, the proactive and the passive, the students of American values and extreme security junkies.

I don't think Anne Frank would have lasted until lunchtime on day one in the attics of 6 out of ten Americans. ("Oh, officer, hello. You're looking for Anne Frank? You say she's a threat? Oh, well, if it keeps us safer... go right upstairs and grab her. She's working on some subversive, traitorous diary; be sure you get that too.")

I agree that Slashdot opinion is definitely not representative of the general opinions on the internet. There are a lot of Libertarians on Slashdot. Maybe as high as 30% or something. Much higher than the general public. For some reason computer programmers and other techies are more attracted to Libertarian ideals than most. That wouldn't explain the near 100% anti-TSA sentiment though. I'm not sure how to explain that but it definitely isn't representative of people in general. Slashdot represents quite a large group of people (hence the "slashdot effect"). So it is nice to know that Slashdot members can almost universally be counted as our allies.

Napolitano added she hoped the US could get to a place in the future where Americans would not have to be as guarded against terrorist attacks as they are and that she was actively promoting research into the psychology of how a terrorist becomes radicalized.

Sounds like Minority Report. Change them before they go "bad"?

The problem with trains being soft targets is that they take specific paths at predetermined times. Because it's too expensive to guard the millions of miles of railway track from terrorists, I propose, for security's sake, we randomize the train departure times and destinations and implement random delays and schedule changes en route.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Boston and New England Amtrak have had these security measures for years.

Saving America by giving up one domestic extremist per attic.

Lots of us have been worried about the apparent impression that DHS/TSA is becoming the Department of Precrime for a while.

So you totally missed the USA Today poll then.

The USA Today / Gallup poll was of regular fliers, not the public at large. Somewhat different sentiment within the small minority of US citizens who fly regularly.

ABC News / Washington Post poll of the public at large, Wednesday 24 November:

64% support new scanners, 32% opposed
50% say new hand searches go too far, 48% approve of them
Margin of error +/- 5%

USA Today / Gallup poll of recent fliers, Tuesday 23 November:

67% believe new scanners more effective, although 42% say they're "angered" or "bothered" by them
57% bothered or angered by new hand searches

And the nontraveling public's opinion matters why? They aren't exposing themselves to ANY danger. They aren't taking any risks. Why should they be saying what those who are at risk should be doing? That's like me saying what the guys on oil rigs should do. Its just a narcissism thing.

First, you were challenging me when i said "a gross majority" of the American public favors the scanners, which is true. Second, gross sentiment matters politically as we work to get TSA brought to heel. When we make policy in this country we don't limit the discussion to people directly affected by it. We don't limit discussion of abortion policy to women of childbearing age, for example.

Well, it is true that TSA will distort the truth by saying "America is behind us", using whatever figures best support the lie. What I'm saying is that THIS discussion should stick to the truth, not just numbly echo the same lies that TSA is telling.

Nevertheless, lawmakers will listen to all of their constituents, not just those who are directly affected by an issue.

And I'm sure even those who never fly have planes go directly over their heads from time to time, which they'd like to keep at that altitude. :-)

*I* am part of the non fliers group you speak of. I am EXTREMELY opposed to the scanners AND the pat downs.

Why am I opposed:

The scanners are a direct in your face violation of our 4th amendment rights as US Citizens. It also will expose millions of my fellow americans to DANGEROUS levels of radiation If the scanners were so safe, why are the results of the radiation emitted, and health riskes classified, wouldnt it be MUCH more effective to quell the negative press by declassifying these numbers and say 'Look! heres the sceintific evidence this is safe!' they arnt doing this, at all. And yet hundreds of reports from people who deal with xrays are saying avoid these scanners if it means being shot!

The grope: criminal pat downs of US Citizens who are not suspect in ANY crime is a crime. Groping both men and women is a crime. Period, It is again, a violation of our rights. It is a moral violation, and it forces upon millions of people extreme emotional trauma. Especially those who have been victim of physical, and or sexual abuse.

To take nudie pictures and to grope children is also a crime.

The TSA, and DHS, a govt, agency rife with lies and bs, is telling the american public that these scanners have no storage capacity, and the images scanned, will not and can not be stored. I call BS. Given the TSA/DHS track record of openness and honestly, I call this a breach of the 4th amendment, as well as other laws. The fact that no outside public scrutiny is even allowed to anylize these machines or their storage capacities and their dangers, its a slap in the face to every american, regardless if they fly.

This stuff angers me to my core. I havent stepped foot on an airplane in 17 years.

The govt take over of our rights, liberties and freedoms affect all of the american populace. they start out small, and take baby steps, then before you know it, we have what we have today. Next up is total loss of freedoms and liberties.

This crap the govt is pulling needs to stop NOW.

However given our representatives ability to listen to us (look at BOTH bail outs) I feel we are on our own in this fight.