TSA, does it have the right?

Here is my question: WHY do we have to choose between one of three things:

1. Being irradiated and humiliated (simultaneously)
2. Being groped, fondled and junk-touched
3. Unsafe flying

Isn't there a way to make flying "safer" without options 1 and 2? Any creative minds out there can come up with a solution wins $5,000 hypothetical dollars from me. Hypothetical means you really don't get it, except in another reality where it somehow manifests itself into your account (who knows, if you can jump universes, it's yours!).

Really, anyone creative enough to go for the $5,000 hypothetical dollars? Please come up with a way to fly safer, without options 1 or 2 (or flying nude altogether).

reply to post by janon

I see you are from the UK and are use to having your rights trampled but that doesn't mean I am willing to give up my 4th Amendment right in the name of false security.

Have you ever been to the UK?

I have been to the US and I can tell you I have never known anything like your TSA in my lifetime of living in the UK or in my travels around half of the World. They are totally intimidating bully boys and God help you if you've got a sense of humour!! It took me half an hour to convince them that yes, I actually have come all the way to America with nothing more than a backpack. It's called backpacking, quite a popular European activity (I know you yanks do it too, but far less popular for some reason).

As for the guys moaning about the pat down, stop being such a wuss. If you can't handle a professional guy running his hands over your body for a minute, what you gonna do if you need a prostate exam?

Originally posted by bekod
reply to post by Death_Kron

 

we let me be the first to say i told you so when all your freedoms are thrown out the window for the name of freedom, safety,and security. and people wonder how Hitler came to power.
an air marshal is there for what? ever here of self defense? my argument is just as strong as yours but mine lets you have your dignity, were theirs takes it.

We are fast losing all of our freedoms bit by bit. What's next?

reply to post by Onboard2
are you sure you want to ask? for i feel we are one act away from the SS, were we are told when to travel how to travel, where we can travel, we a already told what we can take, how to take it, now we are told we need to "show" them, TSA we are safe, to travel, next it could be as bad as driving the highway, check points could have a new meaning, they already scan streets, why not cars trucks and you, would you put up with this? what about shopping malls? to tell you the truth i am more afraid of large crowds, than flying and i do not fly, did it once and never again, that was back in the 80's. once we gave in to fear the ball of power over us started to roll and that is just what the terrorist wanted no that it made it had for them, but took our freedoms away.

Originally posted by nik1halo
reply to post by janon

 

I see you are from the UK and are use to having your rights trampled but that doesn't mean I am willing to give up my 4th Amendment right in the name of false security.

Have you ever been to the UK?

I have been to the US and I can tell you I have never known anything like your TSA in my lifetime of living in the UK or in my travels around half of the World. They are totally intimidating bully boys and God help you if you've got a sense of humour!! It took me half an hour to convince them that yes, I actually have come all the way to America with nothing more than a backpack. It's called backpacking, quite a popular European activity (I know you yanks do it too, but far less popular for some reason).

As for the guys moaning about the pat down, stop being such a wuss. If you can't handle a professional guy running his hands over your body for a minute, what you gonna do if you need a prostate exam?

I know you realize that my comment was tongue in cheek so I gave you a star.

I don't really understand though... You agreed that the TSA are "intimidating bully boys" but you agree with the invasive pat-downs? I'm not going to patronize you by quoting the 4th Amendment. Since they are a Government entity, they are violating it. I also understand that since you aren't a US citizen, it doesn't directly apply to you but those of us it does apply to, we really care about it.

reply to post by janon


I neither agreee with, nor disagree with pat down procedures. It's generally not that invasive, just a quick pat down over the clothes that takes no more than a couple of minutes. Hell, I go to a local night club that does the same, checking for weapons and drugs. These are professional people in the main, who gain no more sexual gratification from this than a doctor performing a breast examination. I've never heard a woman quoting the 4th amendment to a gyneacologist!

I'll agree that there are many cases where the TSA have gone too far, but these are the exception, not the rule. Most are just normal people doing their jobs, some a little too stringently.

Also, I believe it's the rules, if not the law (it is law in the UK) that a pat down can only be done by a member of the same sex.

At the end of the day, it's the policies that allow the bully boys to act the way they do which need to be addressed, rather than the people doing the job. They have been given too much power in their roles and there will always be A-holes who abuse power.