Why does the TSA annoy so many of us? Not having the resources to do a survey, I resort here to what might be called educated speculation. I suspect it is because free men and women consider it invasive for government agents to order them around, pat them down, make them endure electronic surveillance, etc. − unless they have given their permission.
Just because someone embarks upon air travel it doesn't follow that such permission can be inferred, especially if the search is conducted by government agents. If a private carrier states up front that utilizing it will require submitting to various intrusions there is a difference. People may require visitors to their homes or business establishments to submit to certain reasonable precautionary measures, say, for hygienic or security purposes. That's because their home belongs to them and they may impose conditions for accessing it to others even if these others do not quite understand the rationale behind the measures to which they are subjected. They can choose to go elsewhere.
But when government imposes such requirements, given the overwhelming force it wields and its monopolistic powers, certain due process provisions must be met. In the case of air travel, one cannot escape the government since it runs air traffic. Thus, not unless there is solid reason to suspect someone of misconduct or ill will may they be interfered with by the government. Otherwise the policy is arbitrary.
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Can a TSA and a free country co-exist?
ReplyDeleteSure I can partially agree. I for one do desire safe transportation. We got searched for bottles at concerts when I was younger. It was because some idiots did not now how to behave in PUBLIC. So to protect you and me, we all suffered for the few bad apples. However, the values of our rights are quickly eroding by a "Brown shirt” approach to the current problem. The ground we call home is mushy. I myself, feel the world wide events I’ve witnessed in my lifetime, were intentional some how some way. Since the Berlin Wall came down, something has changed! It now seems to me, we have swapped roles with Russia and China! After what we experienced on 911 the gloves finally came off. It’s allowed them to catapult us into this new stage for our nation. Establish a new set of rules by playing on our fears while squeezing the vice a little tighter to prepare for the next big catastrophe. Did “they” help this whole mess along? How do I know? I don’t mingle in those circles, but if you don’t feel it in your gut that a conspiracy click does exist? Well then you don’t think for yourself or ever question authority. If you’re a democrat go back to sleep or go back to your liberal re-education system. If you’re a republican put your fingers in your ear and go NAH ANH NAH or run screaming from the room. But some serous questions need to be answered. What will our role be in this new world order? Appears to me we will be on equal footing…with? Are we the last hold out? Reluctant to step over this abyss we see before our very eyes? This nation was founded by a group of people escaping an over bearing, greedy, group of elites who believed commoner’s were insignificant. What are we considered today? They wring their hands as they watch us bicker over a situation we allowed them to create. It’s this expanding and intrusive nature of these searches and its disregard for the values that caused our forefathers to leave England that intrudes on my free American spirit. Our founders came here to ensure they had the means to speak, rule, and overthrow (with guns if necessary) any government that overstepped it bounds. In order to free the commoner from an oppressive government, they created the fairest most wholesome living document ever written, since the bible. Its how we have gotten here that bothers me. Is it just a few bad apples or a vast underlying attempt to destroy us from within?
There were no airline attacks between 2001 and 2010 and TSA didn’t need feel up little kids, strip search old ladies, remove diapers from incontinent passengers or irradiate and take nude photos of people then. In ten years TSA has not caught one terrorist.
ReplyDeleteThey didn’t find one item in 2011 because of the scanners or groping. Over 90% of items were found using the x-ray belt and walk through metal detectors. They are only groping people to get them to use the scanners and funnel more money to the scanner manufacturers that former TSA head, Michael Chertoff, now represents.
Over 1.3 million Americans died in defense of the liberties that TSA is trampling. Cowards who defend TSA’s violation of the 4th Amendment in exchange for false security are despicable and dishonor the sacrifice of those heroes.
This agency and its workers are a national disgrace and should be replaced with a system that actually works. Thankfully Rand Paul and a few other legislators are trying to preserve our liberties and stop the ascent of the American police state.
TSA Crimes & Abuses
bit.ly/TravelUndergroundTSAabuses