Lines..standing in and crossing

A few thoughts and opinions about some lines, more specifically, those lines forming at the TSA checkpoints.

The most common reply to the furor over the new screening process I've read from anonymous TSA screeners is that they are just doing their jobs and complying with the regulations required by the TSA. I would like to ask them if there is a line they wouldn't cross in following orders. Seems that a whole lot of folks are thinking this new procedure is one the screeners should be refusing to follow. Since the screeners don't seem to think so...I'm wondering where the line is they wouldn't cross. Is there any regulation that TSA could implement that would cause the screener to refuse?

While randomness has its place in security...when you're looking for something (such as bombs) random isn't really effective. If you think random is the best way to go about finding something...try it the next time you lose your car keys. Most sane folks start looking for their keys in the last place they saw them. Seems the same principle could be helpful if you're looking for bombs...look in the last place you saw them. Here's a hint...it wasn't on a three year old or a nun.

One thing that might make this level of intrusiveness more acceptable..NO exceptions. Subject everyone, no exemptions for politicians or their families. I wonder if Mr. Obama would think this was such a grand idea if some stranger was pawing on his daughters. They are as likely to be carrying a bomb as I am...so why not?

One bit of sad irony. The TSA is regularly producing and viewing nude images of girls under the age of 18. If these same girls had taken similar images of themselves they could be charged with producing child pornography. Go Google "sexting" and you might be a bit shocked. This is not to be construed as me being for sexting...but a government agent should not be allowed to do to you what you can't do to yourself.

All of this might be minimally tolerable if it actually made us safer. I can find no evidence that it has made us safer. I can find no news items about a single incident of a TSA screener actually catching a terrorist with any type of device that could have been used to bring down an airliner. I looked on the TSA webpage and you would think that if one of their screeners had caught an actual terrorist (versus some overbusy soul who didn't completely inventory his carry-on prior to getting in line) they would have put out a press release. None that I could find. If anyone can provide a link to such a catch..please do so.

What will I personally do if confronted with the choice of the flash or the grope? I honestly can't say while sitting here in my house..it will depend on a lot of factors when actually confronted with that choice. The biggest being how important it is to get to wherever I'm going. I'm thinking the picture would be my choice...wonder if I could request a 5X7.

take care... t