Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Where Is The Line?

Since 2001, I have heard many people ask a valid question that is on everyone's mind: When is enough, enough?

Watch this video through and let's think about this question a moment:



For years, I have heard liberals condemn the security measures implemented after 9/11. They got mad when people were profiled. They claimed abuse of TSA agents, back when scanners were the modern invasive tool of choice. And they voiced much displeasure when they learned the government was listening to conversations of people, dirty rotten scoundrels, who had known connections to terror groups overseas.

Please make a note that it is not the Bush Administration doing this stuff to people.

Please note that their precious Democratic Party leadership (like Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, and now Chuck Schumer) are all quiet....not saying a thing.

Please note that while we want the airlines to be safe and efficient, we know that it's also a slap to the faces of every law abiding citizen who wants to be treated with dignity and respect.

So, to answer my original question....the answer is yes.

I think we have now gone a mite bit too far.

7 comments:

Chuck said...

I must admit that I am not entirely against this new screening.

I think I would be okay going through the scanner. I say I think because I have not faced the situation yet.

I would be less comfortable with the pat downs, I have space issues and some stranger searching my "junk" definitely violates that personal space.

The question is, what is the price of safety? If we have a repeat of 9/11 and someone flies planes into the Sears tower will we be reliving 9/12? Wondering what we could have done differently to make ourselves safer?

On the other side, there is an argument that the terrorists have won. This carries a lot of credence too. Their intention wasn't only to kill a bunch of people on 9/11 but to terrorize us for the next 10 - 20 years. and to some extent they have succeeded.

Ideally we should attack the problem at the source and eradicate the threat. Punish the criminals, not the victims. Until then, we have to keep ourselves safe. With the current administration, irritation of the terrorists is not even a threat let alone eradication of them.

Dead on about the silence from the left though. Imagine Bush using these scanners. We would have had guttural screams from Obama, Napolitano, Reid, Pelosi, and company. They of course would have then continued the program after taking office but it would be different then.

Anonymous said...

The least intrusive security measure is profiling. Nuns and grannies aren't blowing up planes; Muslim men between the age of 17 and 60 are ...

This is not rocket science. What has happened, the expenditures on this sort of technology, is the result of being brain dead in this country.

Always On Watch said...

Frankly, I'm not all that keen about repeated exposures to x-ray.

Always On Watch said...

Linked at Infidel Bloggers Alliance.

A.C. McCloud said...

It makes absolutely no sense for pilots. They have the yoke in their hands and can do anything they want with the airplane. There are also guns and maybe a fire axe in the cockpit. They will also get radiated much more than the average fliers. They will get a waiver.

Metal detectors and no-fly lists are one thing, these scanners and pat downs are another. Cavity searches or hands on naked skin are next, after the next crash-attempt. We the people need to have a conversation on whether it's worth it. I like Coulter's advice--give it back to the airlines.

Greg said...

We've definitively crossed the line. I think it's notable that Israel doesn't do this, and they have a good track record of preventing attacks on airliners. They use profiling - not racial profiling, but terrorist profiling. We don't use that, why? Because we don't want to offend peoples' sensibilities.

Because a virtual stripsearch and/or sexual assault isn't going to offend people?

This makes no sense.

Also, what if I stick the bomb up my rectum? Is this new system going to catch it? If not, trust me, this is all a waste of time and money.

Yeah, the terrorists have won. I won't fly under these new procedures.

LA Sunset said...

Trading rights for safety does indicate that the terrorists have won. But, we have other options. Once people begin to opt out of flying, the airline industry will sink even further into the abyss.

But....maybe that is the goal of the government. They are the best at limiting choices.