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My favorite experience at the airport was when my three year old son was selected for "enhanced screening." He cried, of course. How does it make us safer to use absolutely no intelligence? And when was a single terror event thwarted by TSA? As for the no pitiful little knife rule, does no one remember that the hi-jackers claimed to have a bomb? That was why they weren't immediately disabled, that and the old rules of hi-jacking, i.e., the hi-jackers expected to live. Boxcutters wouldn't get you control of the plane today, never mind a butter knife.
However, TSA is NOT the reason I have cut way back on my flying. Airlines are. There is a reason Southwest and JetBlue are marketing themselves the way they are. We are all sick of being treated as though we are a nuisance to flight attendants. This started long before 9/11/01. Remember "air rage?" Guess what? The airlines caused it. It's hard not to get furious. I generally fly first or business class and that service on American airlines is so much worse than it was that I dread ever flying coach again. I won't, in fact. I'd rather stay home and use my time to lobby congress for high speed rail.
As for the people being sheep, I'm more concerned that we aren't trying our leaders for war crimes or out protesting this latest wire tapping law. The TSA inconveniences us, but the Patriot Act undermines our core principles and constitutional rights. Since we won't be traveling as much, let's all do something about it.
p.s. Isn't it dangerous to take caffeine away from a pilot? Just asking?
