Airport Security: Missing the Point

A post by "J. Mal" To see more posts click here

I am a firm believer that the TSA is a wasted use of taxpayer money.  I think private airliners would do a much better job of protecting their own planes if liability were imposed on any company that let a terrorist plot unfold on one of it’s planes.  But I can see other arguments as well.  I understand when someone wants to give more power to a police state in order to feel secure.  I just don’t agree.

I do think money is well spent on intelligence gathering.  In my opinion you only really stop an attack if you stop the plot before or shortly after the first plan or substantial step.  Everything after that point is still an attack, just a failed or incomplete one.

So why do I think that TSA airport security is missing the point?

Because the current airport security structure only focuses on people using planes as terror instruments.  The check points in airports in my opinion will succeed in stopping this event.  It will become so difficult to get on a plane with anything.  It wouldn’t surprise me if carry on luggage became illegal and all bags had to be checked and all people had to be searched.  Liberty would be sacrificed “just a little” in order to make us safer.

But I wonder, would we be safer?  Think about what terrorism is.  It’s an ideology, not a finite country or singular plan.  It can strike anywhere at anytime.  That is why it is successful, it knows no boundaries.

In my opinion, as long as we are in fear, and we continue to sacrifice our liberty, terrorism as an ideology is winning.  Look at the extremist nations.  They have police style states where the government manipulates and oppresses the people.  Everyone is in constant fear.  They don’t know who to trust and the most powerful group rules with an iron fist.  Their fear based ideology is infectious and it’s grabbing hold in America.  Distrust in freedom supported by faith in government security.

You may be able to stop all planes from being used in a terror plot.  But did anyone ever stop and think what happens when the terrorist start targeting the security posts themselves?

They don’t care how many people they kill at one time.  The more the better, but I’m sure they would settle for the couple hundred people waiting in line at a screening point.

What happens then?  Security check points to even enter an airport?

Does every car entering airport ground get searched?

No bags allowed including all checked luggage?  Would have to ship your bags separately?

Where would it end?

The answer is terrorism will never end.  You will never be able to stop it unless you change the ideology of the people or stop the plans dead in their tracks before they get off the ground.  If you do catch someone with a bomb at an airport, in my opinion, you’re too late.

In the mean time, huge amounts of money are wasted stopping an instrument of terrorism, while new plots in areas we don’t even think about are being hatched.

Search every car that goes over a major bridge?  On any major highway?  Check points to get in and out of D.C.?   How far is the government willing to go?  Curfews?  Cameras?

The better question to be asked is how much freedom is the public willing to submit until they realize that they went from free men who feared an ideology, to safe men living as prisoners to police protection.

UDoTheDishes…