Having recently returned from a vacation that involved four trips through the security system, even before the latest atrocities by the FTA, I am prepared to say that Al Querida has WON! We are no longer free to travel by air in our country without being zapped and groped by our own government. If you need a part for your printer, you might as well throw it away and go buy a new one if the parts have to be air freighted in from overseas. I've been pretty dovish for the last 50 years or more but I have changed my mind.I said it in 1965 about Viet Nam and I will say it again, a couple of well placed pre-emotive nuclear detonations will go a long way toward bringing about peace. Remember "Hill Street Blues" on TV in the 80's? The desk Sgt began every shift by telling the officers, "Let's get out there and do it to them before they do it to us." Made sense to me then, makes sense to me now. I wonder who could be so naive as to believe that as soon as N Korea and Iran have the capability (which might be very soon) they won't use nukes on us.
Tsk. Tsk. Tim. You know I am a peacenik. I think that when our country started "unlawful search and seizure" was something that people were willing to take risks to keep free of. Has that changed? Are we willing to give up being free from that in order to feel safe? And is safe possible? Not just from the two places you mentioned but safe from many things that might cause us harm. I decided early on in my adulthood as a female that while I try to keep aware of my surroundings I still do not let the crazies of the world box me into staying home or not doing things for fear. Fear immobilizes. I say take a deep breath and step out into the light of day and don't give up freedom due to fear. But maybe most of the country doesn't agree. We have to be team players as far as how much freedom we are willing to give up in order to feel safe.
"I wonder who could be so naive as to believe that as soon as N Korea and Iran have the capability (which might be very soon) they won't use nukes on us."
I must be naive. If either of those countries nuked us, they'd do so being fully aware that they'd be completely annihilated by retaliatory strikes.
And how does that relate to the invasive, humiliating, potentially harmful, unnecessary and useless current pre-boarding procedures being utilized by the TSA?
As I pointed out in a recent comment, the entire perimeter of the world's second busiest airport is completely unprotected. Anyone with a shoulder-launched missile could easily bring down the aircraft of their choice.
Irradiating pregnant women and children and humiliating grandma is a fear-based and ineffective over-reaction which violates the 4th amendment of the constitution against "unreasonable search and seizure".
You were an advocate of nuking Vietnam? Aside from the fact that we had no business being there in the first place, what would that have accomplished other than incinerating countless numbers of innocent men, women and children? Oh, right, it also would have permanently turned world opinion against the this country and it's people. And rightly so.
Incidentally, the man who ordered these scanners went on to quit his job in his national security capacity and is now running, and profiting from, the very company from which he ordered the scanners.
This pre-boarding problem is therefore a result of greed preying on fear emanating from within our own country. It's an over-reaction to an overblown sense of fear of other countries. There are much more effective and far less dangerous and invasive screening techniques available, such as amping up the use of drug-sniffing dogs, short pre-boarding interviews conducted by trained body-language readers (body language profilers), securing the periphery of the airports, and increasing the effectiveness of our Intelligence agencies.
We are a vulnerable country because we are a free country. If we wish to remain free, we're going to have to accept some risks. Of course just getting out of bed in the morning puts you at risk. Driving a car even more so. Life contains an infinite number of risks and eventually we all die. There's just no getting around it.
Regardless of what security measures are used, there is always the possibility of someone walking into an airport and blowing themselves up. Al-Qaida are a clever bunch. They're very adaptable. And there are exponentially more terrorists now than before we were lied into invading Iraq. There is a greatly increased likelihood of terrorist attacks now than before Bush ignored numerous warnings of the impending 9/11 catastrophe, and responded by going after the wrong bad guys.
I can understand the anger you must have experienced by being subjected to these "enhanced interrogation procedures" while attempting to simply arrive at your destination. But dropping nuclear bombs on every country that may eventually manufacture one doesn't strike me an the appropriate response. Sorry.
If people have forgotten what happened then it is time for some major education. Tim - you know very well nuclear warfare is a terrible thing. I am not sure why you are even arguing in favor of it. I know you well enough that I can't believe you are saying these things. In fact, I should ask you to check your blood sugar. I agree that there is no reason for the airport security people to be so invasive. It is a matter of the fact that someone who was in power went from a job where he ordered those scanners to a place where he sold them and got rich while a bunch of politicians got campaign money when the orders were approved. It is not a matter of any one being afraid of anyone. It is more get rich finagling. Hardly worth nuking people in another country over a the greed of people in our country.
As I said on Veteran's Day - Thank you. I appreciate it. But that does not mean I do not wish it had not been a fact that all these people had to fight those wars.
Having recently returned from a vacation that involved four trips through the security system, even before the latest atrocities by the FTA, I am prepared to say that Al Querida has WON! We are no longer free to travel by air in our country without being zapped and groped by our own government. If you need a part for your printer, you might as well throw it away and go buy a new one if the parts have to be air freighted in from overseas.
ReplyDeleteI've been pretty dovish for the last 50 years or more but I have changed my mind.I said it in 1965 about Viet Nam and I will say it again, a couple of well placed pre-emotive nuclear detonations will go a long way toward bringing about peace.
Remember "Hill Street Blues" on TV in the 80's? The desk Sgt began every shift by telling the officers, "Let's get out there and do it to them before they do it to us."
Made sense to me then, makes sense to me now.
I wonder who could be so naive as to believe that as soon as N Korea and Iran have the capability (which might be very soon) they won't use nukes on us.
Tsk. Tsk. Tim. You know I am a peacenik. I think that when our country started "unlawful search and seizure" was something that people were willing to take risks to keep free of. Has that changed? Are we willing to give up being free from that in order to feel safe? And is safe possible? Not just from the two places you mentioned but safe from many things that might cause us harm. I decided early on in my adulthood as a female that while I try to keep aware of my surroundings I still do not let the crazies of the world box me into staying home or not doing things for fear. Fear immobilizes. I say take a deep breath and step out into the light of day and don't give up freedom due to fear. But maybe most of the country doesn't agree. We have to be team players as far as how much freedom we are willing to give up in order to feel safe.
ReplyDeleteI thought this one was kind of funny too. It is hard to tell which side these guys are from one vid to the next. It is the nature of satire I guess.
ReplyDeleteOh I agre with you 1000% Mary
ReplyDeleteI know you are a risk taker too Heidi. You would have to be to have accomplished all that you have.
ReplyDelete"I wonder who could be so naive as to believe that as soon as N Korea and Iran have the capability (which might be very soon) they won't use nukes on us."
ReplyDeleteI must be naive. If either of those countries nuked us, they'd do so being fully aware that they'd be completely annihilated by retaliatory strikes.
And how does that relate to the invasive, humiliating, potentially harmful, unnecessary and useless current pre-boarding procedures being utilized by the TSA?
As I pointed out in a recent comment, the entire perimeter of the world's second busiest airport is completely unprotected. Anyone with a shoulder-launched missile could easily bring down the aircraft of their choice.
Irradiating pregnant women and children and humiliating grandma is a fear-based and ineffective over-reaction which violates the 4th amendment of the constitution against "unreasonable search and seizure".
You were an advocate of nuking Vietnam? Aside from the fact that we had no business being there in the first place, what would that have accomplished other than incinerating countless numbers of innocent men, women and children? Oh, right, it also would have permanently turned world opinion against the this country and it's people. And rightly so.
Incidentally, the man who ordered these scanners went on to quit his job in his national security capacity and is now running, and profiting from, the very company from which he ordered the scanners.
This pre-boarding problem is therefore a result of greed preying on fear emanating from within our own country. It's an over-reaction to an overblown sense of fear of other countries. There are much more effective and far less dangerous and invasive screening techniques available, such as amping up the use of drug-sniffing dogs, short pre-boarding interviews conducted by trained body-language readers (body language profilers), securing the periphery of the airports, and increasing the effectiveness of our Intelligence agencies.
We are a vulnerable country because we are a free country. If we wish to remain free, we're going to have to accept some risks. Of course just getting out of bed in the morning puts you at risk. Driving a car even more so. Life contains an infinite number of risks and eventually we all die. There's just no getting around it.
Regardless of what security measures are used, there is always the possibility of someone walking into an airport and blowing themselves up. Al-Qaida are a clever bunch. They're very adaptable. And there are exponentially more terrorists now than before we were lied into invading Iraq. There is a greatly increased likelihood of terrorist attacks now than before Bush ignored numerous warnings of the impending 9/11 catastrophe, and responded by going after the wrong bad guys.
I can understand the anger you must have experienced by being subjected to these "enhanced interrogation procedures" while attempting to simply arrive at your destination. But dropping nuclear bombs on every country that may eventually manufacture one doesn't strike me an the appropriate response. Sorry.
You make excellent points Whatzit. A well written response.
ReplyDeleteThank you. :)
ReplyDeleteI pass. Anyone else wanna else wanna have a crack at this one?
ReplyDeleteSo soon? I tried eveything I could to taunt you into a rebuttal. I must be losing my touch
ReplyDeletelol
ReplyDeleteIf people have forgotten what happened then it is time for some major education. Tim - you know very well nuclear warfare is a terrible thing. I am not sure why you are even arguing in favor of it. I know you well enough that I can't believe you are saying these things. In fact, I should ask you to check your blood sugar. I agree that there is no reason for the airport security people to be so invasive. It is a matter of the fact that someone who was in power went from a job where he ordered those scanners to a place where he sold them and got rich while a bunch of politicians got campaign money when the orders were approved. It is not a matter of any one being afraid of anyone. It is more get rich finagling. Hardly worth nuking people in another country over a the greed of people in our country.
ReplyDeleteAs I said on Veteran's Day - Thank you. I appreciate it. But that does not mean I do not wish it had not been a fact that all these people had to fight those wars.
ReplyDeleteOr perhaps they then make more plans to drive airplanes into buildings.
ReplyDeleteYou are going to make it necessary for me to go get a higher dose of blood pressure medicine if you don't stop taunting.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nowpublic.com/world/full-body-scanner-lobby-michael-chertoff-rapiscan-2552674.html
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/26/opinion/26iht-edcohen.html?_r=1
ReplyDeleteFound by Sher.
ReplyDelete