Letters to the Editor
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TSA doesn't hire geniuses
The reason airport screenings are so maddening isn't primarily because of the invasion of privacy they entail, but because you're at the complete mercy of people who are generally not too bright -- TSA employees. Let's face it, these people where hired in a rush and only make $20,000-30,000 a year. At the threshold of an airport terminal your personal liberty must pass through the hands of a person whose previous job was at a mall food court. Many TSA employees have probably logged more hours operating an Orange Julius machine than a metal detector.
I've heard countless stories very similar to the rogue hand sanitizer one, the common thread being TSA employees failing to comprehend the absurdity of their own statements. This is completely separate from the absurdity of airport security policies. I'm talking about where TSA employees take polices that are dumb enough on paper, and make them even dumber in their implementation -- anyone remember a few months back when that traveler was told he had no 1st amendment rights during an airport screening?
My last flight was also my first encounter with one of those air-puffing machines that check for traces of explosives. I had no idea what this monstrous-looking gray box I was about to be forced to pass through did; so, being the hypochondriac that I am, I turned to the nearest TSA employee and said "This thing isn't going to involve radiation, is it?"
This woman, who was previously very friendly with me, glared at me with this mixture of horror and confusion and said "Now, why would we ever put radiation on you?!?"
I just gave a weak smile and resisted the urge to point out that she was leaning against an x-ray machine during our entire encounter, and that despite the lead shielding, it was probably "putting" some radiation on her (Let's just call it crypto-eugenics!) She made motion to some brawny guys with crew cuts to keep an eye on me. Clearly, I was trouble.
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The insanity of it all
I, like "Ask the Pilot", am just totally fed up with American airlines and "airline security". My father too. In fact, I just got off the phone with him and he just relayed his most recent adventure with flying commercial. He was flying from Portland ME to MSP on Northwest. Flight cancelled. The single gate agent in Portland, which was handling both NWA and Contenental finally got to him after 40 minutes and when asked to rebook, said nothing was available that day. "How about Tuesday". This was Sunday. Sounds more like a steamship company than an airline. Finally, the agent found something for the next day, via Newark.
Going through "security" the next morning, the TSA screener disallowed his plastic bag with his one rolled up toothpaste tube because it wasn't regulation size. Luckly, the TSA had a regulation sized bag, but upon further review, his toothpaste tube was larger than 3 ounces. The screener had to unroll the almost entirely used tube to find out this fact. Just another case of TSA stupidity. The next day, my father, who is quite wealthy, called Marquis Jet, one of those small jet taxi services and bought 25 hours. The rest of us will have to put up with being screwed by the airlines and hassled by the TSA.
Or do we?
When this ban on liquids and jells first came out, I sent my Senator, John McCain, the ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, a note outlining the insanity of this ban and the general poor operational screening by the TSA and asked why we don't use the UK's seamingly logical method of a brief security interview while waiting to check in. I have heard nothing back from his office, not even a form letter "thanking" me for my views so I guess we will have to continue to put up with the insanity.
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Security re-screening after international flights
As someone who does security research for a living (and as a frequently flyer) I'm as frustrated as anyone with the often maddeningly arbitrary pseudo-security practices of the TSA. However, one example you cite -- re-screening passengers connecting from international flights -- is actually quite reasonable, and long pre-dates September 11, 2001. Why? Arrriving international travelers have to undego Customs inspection with their checked baggage in their possession. Some items prohibited in the cabin (such as firearms) are still permitted in checked baggage, and so arriving passengers (who've had access to, and could easily remove items from, their luggage) have to be screened again before being allowed back into the terminal.
Flights from countries that have US Customs screening at the airport (such as Canada and the Caribbean) that go straight to domestic gates don't re-screen their passengers.
Of course, I'm still at as much of a loss as anyone about the ziplock bags.
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More on Airport Security
Inspired by Mr. Smith's previous critiques of U.S. airport security practices and his call for action, I set up an online petition at:
http://www.petitiononline.com/FreeSky/petition.html
When 100 people besides me had signed it, I wrote letters to both of my Senators (CA) referring to the petition and asking them to do something relevant. I have heard back from one as of today, Senator Boxer.
Pasted below is my letter and Senator Boxer's vaguely relevant response.
If you signed the petition, I encourage you to write to your elected and appointed Federal representatives and ask them to act!
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From: scott palamar
Sent: Thu 10/19/2006 2:05 PM
Subject: RESTORE LIBERTY AT US AIRPORTS!
Dear Senator Boxer:
The last time I wrote to you was during the lead-up to Bush's declaration of war against Iraq. At that time, I pleaded against supporting what even beforehand was plainly going to be a huge mistake. However, both you and Senator Feinstein succumbed to pseudo-patriotic paranoia, and supported the Administration.
Now, beside the unbearable consequences that have been realized after the invasion, we continue to contend with an invasive and oppressive Homeland Security policy.
I am writing to you this time specifically about the pointless, counter-productive measures in force at our nation's airports. I believe this type of hysterical response is effectively what the perpetrators of terror wanted to achieve.
The American people, by and large, put great faith in their elected and appointed leaders. They exercise extreme patience in waiting for promises to be delivered. In recent times it has become increasingly apparent that we have been misled, if not outright deceived, on matters of all magnitude.
Democrats may think they are enjoying the benefits of the backlash against Republican deceptions and incompetence, but in truth the American people have lost a great deal of faith in all politicians. Now is a good time to restore that faith. This will not be achieved by cautious half-way measures or strategies designed simply to get elected or re-elected. No, now is the time for real truth to be spoken and corresponding actions to be taken.
May I suggest you start by acknowledging that many of our security practices are "theatre" that do little other than mire us in lost productivity and send a signal of failure to the world. I established a relevant online petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/FreeSky/petition.html, and one hundred other concerned people have signed it with me. You can be assured that this number represents but an infinitesimally small percentage of voters who agree with its basic premise. RESTORE LIBERTY AT US AIRPORTS!
Sincerely,
Scott Palamar
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From: senator@boxer.senate.gov
Sent: Wed 10/25/2006 4:30 PM
Subject: Responding to your message
Dear Mr. palamar:
Thank you for contacting me to share your views regarding the state of our nation's homeland security. I appreciate the opportunity to respond to your views, and I share your concerns.
The discovery of the terror plot to blow up passenger airlines traveling between London and the United States confirms my belief that we must be far more vigilant in guarding against another attack.
It is time to stop scaring the American people and start protecting them. Although more than five years have passed since the September 11 terrorist attacks, our nation is still not as secure as we should be. There is no excuse.
To cite one example, cargo on passenger planes is still not screened. The 9/11 Commission recommended that all passenger planes that carry cargo should have at least one hardened container, yet Congress has failed to act on this warning. I plan to introduce legislation to ensure that this recommendation is implemented, and I hope that President Bush and Congress will pledge their support.
I believe that we also must examine the level of security at our nation's rail systems. We have had three fatal attacks in Madrid , London , and Mumbai. Despite these deadly warnings, Congress continues to underfund rail security. According to the American Public Transportation Association, we have $6 billion in transit security needs across the country. Last year, Congress appropriated only $150 million for transit and rail security. I call on the Bush Administration to support greatly increased transit funding.
Similarly, port security remains dangerously underfunded, with only five percent of cargo arriving in U.S. ports undergoing inspection. Since the 9/11 attacks, only $816 million has been spent for port security despite Coast Guard estimates that $7.3 billion is needed over the next ten years. We must work to close this dangerous security gap.
We averted tragedy with the foiling of the London terrorist plot. However, we must take warning and ensure that we do everything within our power to prevent additional attacks. That is why I recently wrote to Senators Ted Stevens and Daniel Inouye, the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, requesting that the Committee hold hearings on the status of our nation's homeland security - with particular focus on the 9/11 Commission recommendations and transportation security.
On August 17, 2006, I wrote to President Bush to express my disapproval of his failure to make homeland security his highest priority. I am at a loss to explain why the President has not made closing the gaps in our nation's homeland security defenses a top priority and why there has not been a commitment by the majority in Congress to enact strong legislation on these critical homeland security issues. Protecting the American people cannot be done on the cheap. Protecting America will mean investing in new technologies and personnel - not giving tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires.
Thank you again for taking time to share your views. Please be assured that I will continue to work for the passage of legislation that aims to correct the homeland security shortfalls currently threatening our nation.
Sincerely,
Barbara Boxer
United States Senator
Please visit my website at http://boxer.senate.gov