The US has recently used its "no-fly" list to interfere with travel between other countries, effectively labeling journalists such as Hernando Calvo Ospina as "terrorists". Those events occurred in April, so it is possible that the policy has changed since. If that is so, I would like to know.
The TSA gave subpoenas and threats to bloggers who posted copies of a directive that the TSA sent to 10,000 airline employees. I read that they later dropped these subpoenas, which is good, but the TSA still has a vicious attitude problem.
The US government should put away the security theater, which threatens our freedom and doesn't protect us. The way to prevent terrorism is by respecting justice, at home and abroad.
Abdulmutallab's home-made bomb reportedly set the airplane's cabin wall on fire. The new security measures are surely unnecessary in some ways and inadequate in others. Meanwhile, you don't need a terrorist to cause a fire in an airplane — for instance, survivable crash landings sometimes start fires.
So what's an airplane doing with a flammable material in the cabin wall? That's what needs the attention.
The TSA unintentionally published all the details of its security practices through incompetence.
United refused to compensate Dave Carroll after damaging his guitar, so he wrote a song about it. Airlines (and other companies) ought to treat all their customers decently, not just those who are specially talented. This requires consumer protection laws and regulations.
Idiotic airline "security", rigidly enforced, almost sabotaged a revolutionary stem cell transplant.
He should have just put it in a cough medicine bottle to get around these security theater measures.
The "security theater" with its accompanying paranoia is often galling, but usually the only substantial harm it does is to the spirit of freedom. As we get worn down and accustomed to obedience, we become more suited to living in a dictatorship than in a free society. But this instance shows that it is liable also to do major harm to individuals.
Note the fundamental injustice of arresting people for criticizing the way they are being treated.
Note also how airline personnel use absurd accusations as a way to distract attention from their mistreatment of the passengers. They are trained to put the passenger in the wrong.
Conclusive proof that most airline security is just for show. It would block stupid terrorists, but not smart ones — if the smart ones are still interested in airplanes.
Blocking stupid terrorists is worth something, but it could be done with a lot less hassle without the show.
The TSA is on guard against the Bra Bomber.
Here are EPIC's comments on TSA's "Secure Flight" program, which aims to make airlines report all air travel to a central site which will check the list of a million terrorist suspects, rather than checking it themselves.
Bruce Schneier points out that the system will be error-prone and ineffective, as well as nasty and unjust.
Even though identifying all travellers has limited value for preventing non-state-sponsored terrorism, it is really handy for general control of the populace and suppression of dissent.
An airline security bully threatened to arrest a man in Heathrow Airport for wearing a shirt with a picture of a cartoon robot with a gun.
If the bully were so stupid that he believed the cartoon robot could actually shoot someone, it would be hard to be angry at him. Someone so badly retarded is not fit for the job, but it's not his fault that he is retarded.
However, what really happened is much worse. That bully was perfectly aware that the cartoon robot could not shoot anyone. But he thought he should forbid it anyway, because he has lost all sense of proportion.
Airline pilot James Robinson has trouble getting to his flights because he's on the terrorist watch list.
Another pilot has sued for being listed, since it cut him off from his livelihood.
A TSA inspector got a clever idea for "inspecting" planes. Nine planes he damaged were grounded for repairs.
In a rare act of thoughtfulnes, the TSA has decided not to add to its "terrorist suspect" list everyone that forgets to bring ID.
John Gilmore was once kicked off a plane for wearing a sticker saying "terrorist suspect". The morons on the flight crew thought that meant he was dangerous, but it only referred to the fact that everyone who flies in a plane is treated by the TSA as a terrorist suspect.
Sherri Davidoff reports on flying in the US without her wallet, concluding that the TSA's attempts to identify people have nothing to do with protecting passengers and are solely about control.
A TSA agent took from an airline pilot the standard issue knife that the airline gives to all its pilots.
This TSA idiot firmly denied that he was enforcing a dumb rule.
The worst thing about the TSA is not that its staff enforce rules in stupid ways. It is that they insist it is right to enforce rules in stupid ways. They are being paid to act like robots instead of humans.
When people act like robots, do they still deserve to be treated like people, or is it legitimate to treat them as robots?
Air travellers now face strip searches in public.
Remember the Shoe Bomber? Wait till they catch the Bra Bomber and start requiring all women passengers to remove their bras.
The TSA has abruptly abolished the right to board a plane without showing ID.
As the article explains, this and the "no fly" list are "security theater", with results that are unjust.
Student with 2" gun necklace pendant stopped at airport.
This tendency towards absurd zeal is not limited to the occasional idiot. It pervades the whole system.
When the TSA insisted on opening James Hoyne's backup feeding tube, they put his life in danger.
Here's another person who the TSA deceptively harassed about his shoes. The article also explains how ineffective the TSA is at catching real weapons.
TSA agents took stole a baby's food. "You need a doctor's note," they said. The parents are both doctors, the TSA refused to accept their note, or to let them contact another doctor.
Once the TSA has found an excuse to take something away from you, their policy is to be as cruel as possible.
The "liquid explosive" danger is fantasy. When the TSA confiscates liquids, this is gratuitous abuse.
TSA searches, detains 5 year old because his name was on no-fly list.
Here's the text of a complaint that I am sending to the TSA for misleading treatment at Logan Airport.
When I continued to verbally criticize the conduct of the agents, and didn't sit down and shut up, they called the State Police, and one Officer Gillespie told me that "Unless you shut up I will throw you out." I asked if that meant he would arrest me for speaking, and he said, "No, for making a scene." (Different words for the same act.) I told him that was bullying and abuse of power, and refused to shut up.
I then promised I would write about it for my web site, and he asked what it was, so I told him. Unfortunately it took a few days for me to get the work done. I hope he has not concluded I failed to follow through.
In another incidence, a man who put a note saying "Kip Hawley Is An Idiot" (that's the head of the TSA) on his plastic bag of liquids was treated like a criminal by the TSA.
This was, in effect, perfect proof that the TSA attacks those who criticize it, even in the total absence of any legitimate reason to do so.
The TSA's response to subsequent inquiries followed the standard dishonest rule of unjust government: admit nothing, deny everything, make counterallegations.
Don't fly Air France if you can help it. This is not a boycott, just a suggestion. Air France is unbelievable.
The Transportation Security Administration is tyrannizing airline passengers in the name of security.
For future trips, I think I will print copies of that article so I can hand them out while waiting in the line at the checkpoint.
Go to China or else! (12 April 2003)
Distinguishing real, useful air security measures from snake oil.
The US government keeps track of lots of information about Americans who travel — including what books you read, and the size of your hotel bed, if they can find it out.
To search all air passengers for bombs and weapons is legitimate provided the search does nothing else. When the government uses this search as an excuse to take note of anything other than bombs and weapons, that is dishonest, and therefore unjust.
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