Weekly Analysis – 1/12/03

Airport Insecurity

By Kirt R. Poovey

Glenn Harlan Reynolds in a Fox News article “Revenge of the Tweezer People” states, “The post-Sept. 11 air security system has been all about appearances. It’s the bureaucrats’ effort to fool the American public into feeling safe via cosmetic measures that create enough inconvenience to fool the gullible into thinking that all that hassle must be making them safer.  That’s what has people angry. It’s not that the air security program is ineffective, and it’s not that it’s a big pain. It’s that it’s both at the same time. That the powers-that-be seem happy with that state of affairs is what really rankles.”

Anyone that has flown since 9/11 knows exactly what he is talking about.  Until recently, it only continued to get worse.  James Loy, the new head of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has started using some common sense and has created a “stupid rules” list, such as the ridiculous questions that used to always be asked of every passenger about their luggage.  Did anyone else ever lie when they answered that question?  The number of hijackings foiled over the numerous years of repetitious verbiage – zero!

Over the strong protestations of the Bush administration, Congress wisely passed a bill that allowed pilots to pack weapons as a last resort of defense.  The Bushies were afraid that if a pilot had to use a gun to defend against a hijacking attempt that the pilot might be distracted from his job of flying the airplane.  (As if the hijacker were going to let the pilot continue on his normal course and not be distracted.) 

Apparently, the Bush administration thought it would be better to shoot the plane down than allow pilots (most who have military training) to defend themselves and their passengers.

Shortly after 9/11, a pilot was being run through the “security” gristmill on his way to his airplane.  In frustration over the stupidity of going through his bags and frisking him he commented in disgust that this was ridiculous because he was the pilot and he could fly the plane anywhere he wanted to irregardless of their efforts.  He was promptly arrested and thrown in jail.

Ever notice that it’s usually the little, old, grey-haired grandmother that is having all of her luggage exposed to everyone around her?  If not her, then it’s the young mother with a baby hanging off of her side and trying to carry several over-sized bags full of diapers and other baby items.

Or there’s the time that it was myself and the Air Force security officer who were picked out to go through the full search.  We can’t trust our military?

From the pages of Reader’s Digest, September 2002, comes this – “On a busi-ness trip, my father approached a security checkpoint at the airport.  The National Guard shift was rotating, and a guard, in full uniform, was in line in front of him. 

“As with everybody else, the soldier was ordered to go through the metal detector.  Before doing so, he handed his M-16 rifle to security personnel along with other items such as handcuffs and a flashlight.  Still the alarm sounded when he walked through.  Further inspection revealed a Swiss army knife inside one of his pockets.  ‘Sorry, sir,’ security said to the soldier, ‘but this item is prohibited.’

“Taking the knife away, the airport worker then handed him back the M-16.”

Do you feel safer?