Cozumel Airport Security WARNING

[Leejnd]

And just to put a stop to the next post that I know will come soon: "What about all the terrorists who didn't try to blow up planes BECAUSE of the TSA? How do you know how many terrorist acts have been stopped by the TSA?"

Think about it: a terrorist wants to blow up many Americans. Can't get on a plane because dang it, the TSA is just so damn good. So what do they do? I guess they go home and cry into their froot loops that the TSA has put them out of business, and hang up their terrorist shoes. Right? Because gosh darn it, they can't get on an airplane, and a terrorist act just ain't the same if it's not on a plane. Right?

I ask again: why aren't they blowing up trains, subways, buses, or TSA checkpoints? Why do they HAVE to ONLY blow up planes?

Common sense, people. Think it through. Terrorism needs to be stopped at its source - at the cells, on the ground, BEFORE they start trying to blow up people. Because once you've got somebody hellbent on blowing people up, with the basic smarts (and the financing) to be able to do it - they'll do it. They don't need to board a plane. Do they?

 

[Leejnd]

Clearly TSA is having a deterrent effect.


So how much would you relax security? At some point, it would be lax enough so any yahoo could bring a gun on board. If that were the case, I'd be more worried about Texans than terrorists.


Hindsight is a bitch. After being blown to bits, I might reconsider that anal cavity searching. Of course it'd be too late then.


It's the reinforced cockpit doors and aware passengers that are the real theater. Do you think a competent terrorist or several with weapons successfully smuggled though the now non-existent TSA couldn't figure out how to get the pilots to open the cockpit door? No, it's not perfect, but it's not too intrusive yet either, as indicated by all the hordes of airplane travelers that don't whine about it. Cavity searches, well that might cross the line, but right now we're doing fine. The 100% success rate since TSA has been put in place speaks for itself, just as the 100% non-death rate of DIR divers speaks for itself.

Posting at the same time - and I knew you'd say all these things.

The TSA doesn't have a 100% success rate. They have a 100% FAILURE rate. There have been two terrorist attempts made on US-bound planes since 9/11 - they didn't stop either. How do we know more didn't happen? Because a) if they'd stopped a single actual terrorist, they'd have taken ADS out in the NY Times, and b) if they HADN'T stopped one, a plane would have blown up. Right? Think about it.

As for complaints - there are thousands. You just haven't been paying attention. When I get home I'll post links to the many MANY websites where passengers have complained by the thousands about TSA abuses.

We are NOT doing fine. We are giving up our basic civil liberties for a false sense of security. But clearly you're okay with that. I, for one (among THOUSANDS) am NOT okay with allowing strangers to touch my genitals...for ANY reason.

 

[ggunn]

Posting at the same time - and I knew you'd say all these things.

The TSA doesn't have a 100% success rate. They have a 100% FAILURE rate. There have been two terrorist attempts made on US-bound planes since 9/11 - they didn't stop either. How do we know more didn't happen? Because a) if they'd stopped a single actual terrorist, they'd have taken ADS out in the NY Times, and b) if they HADN'T stopped one, a plane would have blown up. Right? Think about it.

As for complaints - there are thousands. You just haven't been paying attention. When I get home I'll post links to the many MANY websites where passengers have complained by the thousands about TSA abuses.

We are NOT doing fine. We are giving up our basic civil liberties for a false sense of security. But clearly you're okay with that. I, for one (among THOUSANDS) am NOT okay with allowing strangers to touch my genitals...for ANY reason.

So, what, other than raising a stink on an internet forum, are you going to do about it?

 

[Mossman]

The TSA doesn't have a 100% success rate. They have a 100% FAILURE rate. There have been two terrorist attempts made on US-bound planes since 9/11 - they didn't stop either. How do we know more didn't happen? Because a) if they'd stopped a single actual terrorist, they'd have taken ADS out in the NY Times, and b) if they HADN'T stopped one, a plane would have blown up. Right? Think about it.

Deterrent effect. Organized terrorists haven't made an attempt since because it would be futile. In the old days, they could get a crew to all bring aboard box-cutters. Today, with the diligence of our fearless TSA protectors, only one or two would get through.

As for complaints - there are thousands. You just haven't been paying attention. When I get home I'll post links to the many MANY websites where passengers have complained by the thousands about TSA abuses.

For every one of those complaints, I'll show you ten complaints about cramped seats, about mean flight attendants, about delayed flights, about crappy (or nonexistent) food, about dirty airports. People like to complain when they don't have any control and there's nothing else they can do but whine. It makes them feel better. TSA gets the brunt of the complaints because they make people remove articles of clothing and submit to searches, i.e. doing their job. I say the more complaints, the better. If they're too soft on people, they're obviously not working hard enough.

We are NOT doing fine. We are giving up our basic civil liberties for a false sense of security. But clearly you're okay with that. I, for one (among THOUSANDS) am NOT okay with allowing strangers to touch my genitals...for ANY reason.

I'm doing fine, sorry you're not. Maybe you're one of those people who should stay at home.

The first time a law enforcement officer touched my genitals was when I was trying to smuggle a beer in my crotch into Oakland Stadium for a concert when I was a teenager. Little did I know, but instead of the wussy Staff Pro security in their yellow jackets, they had honest-to-goodness Oakland PD working the doors and they weren't afraid of being too hands-on. My 16-year-old crotch was manhandled by Oakland's finest and they found my beer

You're telling me it's OK for police to fondle the hardware of teenage boys for the sake of preventing a tiny bit of alcohol consumption but it's not OK for TSA to physically screen passengers in the name of national security? Or would you ban all pat downs everywhere because decency trumps safety every time?

 

[Leejnd]

So, what, other than raising a stink on an internet forum, are you going to do about it?

Write letters to my Congresscritters. Vote. Talk about it to other Americans who think it's okay for our government to abuse us. Submit formal complaints every time the TSA abuses me (and my mother - both of us have metal body parts and get groped EVERY TIME WE FLY). As a citizen, that's all I can do.

 

[Leejnd]

Deterrent effect. Organized terrorists haven't made an attempt since because it would be futile. In the old days, they could get a crew to all bring aboard box-cutters. Today, with the diligence of our fearless TSA protectors, only one or two would get through.

Go back and read my post. There's no need for a 6 BILLION DOLLAR A YEAR deterrent. If there were terrorists wanting to blow up planes, they'd be blowing up other places that don't have junk-touchers at every entrance. Can you tell me why they're not? Why are our buses, subways, trains, nightclubs not being blown up if there are so many terrorists on American soil trying to blow us up? Why are we spending 6 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR protecting just this ONE thing? Please go back and read my post...and come back with an explanation that justifies this outrageous waste of money.

You seem to have the mistaken impression I want NO security at airports. You are wrong. I want security that doesn't abuse our rights, and our bodies. Touching the genitals of innocent civilians is WRONG. If I was an idiot teenage boy trying to smuggle beer into a concert, then I get what I deserve. I'm not. I'm a law-abiding middle-aged woman, and *I* should get to decide who touches my vagina. And power-hungry Wallmart rejects are not among the people I choose to touch my vagina.

I'm sad that you so easily allow our government to exceed its role and its power over us. That's what we have a Constitution for...and they are violating it. And I'm not the only person who feels this way - not by a long shot.

Comparing the complaints of people who've been violated by TSA with people who don't like cramped seats is just...nuts. I'm very sad that you feel that way, and if I had more time I would post more that I believe would help you to see how wrong this is...and how many people in America are fighting against it. But I have to go catch my flight home now. Bye.

 

[redacted]

Go back and read my post. There's no need for a 6 BILLION DOLLAR A YEAR deterrent. If there were terrorists wanting to blow up planes, they'd be blowing up other places that don't have junk-touchers at every entrance. Can you tell me why they're not? Why are our buses, subways, trains, nightclubs not being blown up if there are so many terrorists on American soil trying to blow us up? Why are we spending 6 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR protecting just this ONE thing? Please go back and read my post...and come back with an explanation that justifies this outrageous waste of money.
.

Your problem is that right now, what we have is what the public is willing to accept. How would you feel about a $10B expenditure with no direct contact?

I appreciate your campaign but until you have some viable alternatives you probably should not expect much support.

 

[dmoore19]

Leejnd,

If you are leaving Cozumel today would you come back and give us the story about:

1. what you did with your batteries and did you get through security without problems
2. Would you start another thread and give us your trip report.

Have a pleasant trip home.

 

[ggunn]

Write letters to my Congresscritters. Vote. Talk about it to other Americans who think it's okay for our government to abuse us. Submit formal complaints every time the TSA abuses me (and my mother - both of us have metal body parts and get groped EVERY TIME WE FLY). As a citizen, that's all I can do.

Well, good luck with that windmill, Don Quixote.

 

[ggunn]

Comparing the complaints of people who've been violated by TSA with people who don't like cramped seats is just...nuts. I'm very sad that you feel that way, and if I had more time I would post more that I believe would help you to see how wrong this is...and how many people in America are fighting against it. But I have to go catch my flight home now. Bye.

No, it's not. When I fly, I pack and dress so as to have the least possible dealings with TSA when I go through their checkpoint. I am through there in a couple of minutes once I get through the line. It's really no big deal for me. When I get into my seat and it's cramped and otherwise uncomfortable, I am dealing with it the whole flight.

The TSA rigmarole is challenging to you because you have internal metal objects and get more scrutiny, so it affects you more, and you are upset about it. I understand. But it's not nuts that others have different concerns, it's just... different. It's a big deal for you but it's a minor inconvenience for me.

Is it a waste of money? I dunno, maybe. There is no way to measure the effectiveness of the TSA security measures because you cannot collect data on something that didn't happen.