QOTD: TSA Groping Perspective

I just find it funny that on some forums, there are rednecks who live in a cabin in Montana who have probably flown on a plane once in their life making a huge deal out of the TSA screenings like it's the end of the world and a huge challenge to their ability to live a free life.  Give me a freaking break!  Shut up and pay your taxes!  They can grab my balls all they want if they stop stealing my money!

Ahhhhhh, AK Fan.  Always having the way to put things into perspective.  He is right that we have the ability to vote with our feet and our dollars.  When we choose to fly, we do choose to sign over our rights.  Rights are not unlimited and everyone's ideas on rights are just a bit different.  It has often been said that my rights stop at your door step.  If I choose to fly, I imply that I agree to the terms and conditions that you set forth for my use of your service.  Granted, people choosing to opt out of the scanners and make a scene is one way to get the airlines to change their terms of service (same thing goes with canceling our tickets and telling them the reason why is because of the TSA).  

The main point that he makes is, we can choose to opt out of TSA check points and somewhat invasive searches by simply not flying.  Unfortunately, we do not have that option when it comes to earning a living, paying taxes, abiding by National Firearms Act laws, or the illicit growing of pot in our basements (not that we are advocating anything illegal).  We are controlled by the government in ways we have not stood up for in centuries, and yet this simple act of securing airlines, airplanes, and passengers is our "line in the sand?" 

We, the US People, have fairly well become sheeple, in a death by 1000 paper cuts assault on our individuality and freedoms.

Volunteering for the DHS & TSA "Christmas List"; Just Check Patriotic Extremist

Lesson number one of blogging (or anything press related), if ya got a good story, get it to press because someone might beat ya to it. 

According to the Canadian Free Press article, it would appear that the TSA is taking note of who is being civilly disobedient, and then labeling them "domestic extremists."  Why thank you!  I will gladly take that label Big Sis, but I would prefer to be referred to as a patriotic extremist instead.  So can you please make that change?

Wait, what?  This is the United States of America!  Since when have we not endorsed civil disobedience?  Hell, our country was founded on it! 

Further, Doug Haemann's article says that the internal, not for public consumption, memo had implications that the directive went all the way to the top.  Great, so we have a defacto admission that a sitting US President not only endorses the pathetic procedures but wants to add the unwilling and uncooperative to his "enemies" list?  Hell, if I knew I was going to be treated as such a serf in my own country, perhaps I can still get an airplane ticket shipping container reservation on a slow boat to China.  I'm sure customs will fail to screen the box, since they barely thwarted the toner cartridge bombs!

Oh, and if that's not good enough for ya, slide on over to John R. Lott's blog, where he has the viral Adam Savage (of Mythbusters) video and how he allegedly got through security with contraband.  Additionally, John has posted a Clinton News Network (CNN) video on whether or not the disrobing machines even work at stopping underwear bomber style attacks.  Excellent!  We give up our rights for the illusion of security, and it's even been admitted to by a biased news company?  AWESOME! 

I wish everyone out there today who is traveling through airports or other secure areas the best in their civil disobedience efforts.  I hope you had the name and number of a good civil rights attorney on your cell phone at both ends of your trip.  The only way this thing will stop is from public outrage and pressure on the airlines to "opt out" their airports and companies.  Hit the companies in the pocketbook, which will in turn, hit the lobbying industry in the pocketbook, which in turn hits the bank accounts of the politicians.  Simple enough, as we all know, money is what makes the world go around. 

Political Marketing: Burkahs vs. Nudes & the TSA

Someone should really tell the TSA about this campaign going on in Switzerland!  Visual imagery certainly is a very powerful tool when used in the right ways.  If the TSA was trying to prevent terrorisim, perhaps all they would need to do is post a few of these campaign posters in airports around the country.  Then again, I'm sure some religious zealot will be offended by the naked women, or the tacky portrayal of women in Burkahs.  Oh well, tough noggies! 

Obviously the Swiss People's Party (SVP) get's "it."  They realize the infestation amongst their country by criminals and terrorists of foreign nationality (and citizenship) and they are attempting to show just what could happen to their country if they let the radical Islamofascists legislate their morality.  Certainly, it is a drastic and dramatic portrayal of the consequences of inaction, but as we see here in the USA, drastic and extreme are now the new normal.  Further, it goes to show that if other nations are willing to control their own border, why isn't that part of our comprehensive, homeland and airport security initiative? 

Extending this thought process to our TSA friends and their new groping protocols, we are left to ask just how are we willing to defend our freedoms?  It's plainly evident that we have no freedom of mobility anymore, because submitting to molestation is now a condition of free travel.  Kudos terrorists, you win, we lose!  So where does this leave us?

Currently, as many have written, we are forced to waive our rights as Americans and falsely trade our freedom for the illusion of security.  Some reports have even proposed going the biometrics route for pilots and frequent fliers on an ID card, which would be yet another feeble and costly failure to better control the traveling public.  If hackers and terrorists can scan, hack, and clone RFID Passports as of four years ago, what makes us think another piece of paper and silicon will make us more protected?  Short answer, it won't. 

As any good security consultant will tell you, metal detectors, millimeter wave scanners, and pat downs are all passive or reactive counter measures to highly motivated people.  Focusing our efforts on looking for the device rules out perhaps the most dangerous weapon in the terrorism game; the human mind.  While following the various talking heads and blogs for the last week, it isn't hard to hear the term Israelification.  It's a simple strategy really, and relies heavily upon deception detection, and get this, looking into the thoughts and actions of other humans.  The main piece of intel that our TSA fails to collect, the Israelis focus nearly all of their resources upon, and all without touching people's junk

Don't Like the TSA? Then Ban 'EM (In Your State)!

First off, hat tip to falnfenix for this link!  Seems that New Jersey isn't completely useless, but as she says "Idaho rocks!"

Yep, that's right folks, some states (even liberal ones) still believe in state's rights!  They [states supporting state's rights] do exist!  Couple that on the heels of this post from Say Uncle, it seems like there is an alternative to bloated bureaucracy!

We in the free world call this, a good start!  Advocating for bottom up government, instead of top down, authoritarian threats on the individual, is where the good stuff is!  And just think, all it took was one man with "junk" to audio/video record the corruption and nonsensical, asinine backward bureaucracy at work! 

QOTD: Airline Security

From this morning's Norris & Davis Show on 105.7 the Fan, Ed Norris had this to say about airport security:

We have to take off our shoes, belts, and go through full body scanners, but what happens after I clear security and eat in a restaurant behind security?  Yeah, that's right, they give you a steak knife.  Yep, no problems taking one of those steak knives on to a plane after you've had your meal, and people wonder why Juan Williams get's fired for saying he is uncomfortable about seeing people in Muslim garb in an airport.  We need to stop being so PC about this stuff.

So true, I have deem no further commenting necessary.  

Street Scanners, Crime Predictors, GPS Tracking: 1984 Has Finally Arrived

Other blogs have been hot all over the story that broke last night about full body scanner technology being downsized and shoved into van sized vehicles for mobile scanning abilities of cars, buses, trucks, or even our homes.  The word outrage isn't even strong enough to describe how I personally feel about this blatant violation of 4th and 5th Amendment rights.  Refresher:  The Bill of Rights is written in simple English, to those who have studied it properly, to understand precisely what our enumerate protections actually are.

Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

---

Amendment V

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Simple enough to understand, even for the laymen or arm chair lawyer.  This shit (excuse my French) ain't rocket science!  It really should come as no shock that two other major fourth and fifth amendment violations stories are also plastered all over the bandwidths today.

Outrage No. 2: The Government's New Right to Track Your Every Move With GPS

Oh yes, you read that correctly.  Synopsis:  Guy growing weed has GPS tracker placed on his car, in his own driveway in middle of the night by DEA agents who then proceed to "follow" him around, electronically, until he leads them to his pot field.  Sounds like sound police work to me.  Instead of using good old tail and chase techniques with physical man power, they go high tech and violate his property rights and personal effects.  Warrant?  We don't need no stikin' warrant!

What is far worse is the mere fact that the 9th Circus AGREED to allow the use of this tactic for this case and all future cases!  Yeah, the guy screwed up, was violating the law, but that doesn't mean that the law enforcement agents get to violate the laws meant to protect innocent people from the law enforcers, at least not without prior judicial approval.  Don't give me the crap about "not doing anything illegal, you got nothing to worry about," either.  This country's heritage is meant to protect innocence until proven guilty, not the other way around.  Remember, we work within a system that our founders agreed to that would let 10 guilty men go free rather than punish one innocent man.  If you don't like that system, AMEND THE CONSTITUTION?  Yes, the amendment process is significantly hard.  Meaning that there has to be an almost unanimous agreement, for good reason, to prevent a slow take over of tyrannical forces (it's a shame that's forgotten today). 

With usurpation like this, can we ever be completely sure that we are free in mind and spirit with big brother watching us or even a small portion of us?  As the saying goes, the average American commits at least three felonies a day.  (Tip on WSJ onlie:  If you want the full article, simply Google the web address).  Is it really that far fetched that you could violate some obscure law and then get a shake down from the fuzz?  What would some newbie government enforcer, who wishes to rapidly advance through the bureaucratic system, do to us in an effort to bestow great honor upon himself?  Will they hassle you into a confession?  Charge you with lying to a federal official?  Obstruction?  Sounds outlandish, but ask yourself, does it?  Given how simply crazy stories like this are and how frequently they occur, it's quite possibly in the realm of reality.  

Outrage No. 3:  Software Predicts Criminal Behavior

Minority Report comes to real life!  Excellent.  Again, this is only currently being implimented for "known" criminals, but how can we ever be so sure.  Police agencies in major cities across the country have been using closed circuit TV systems to "monitor" for years.  Other countries, like England, have tried to pass "pre-crime" laws.  What exactly constitutes a pre-crime, and who gets to make that determination?  Hell, at least I know that Google is just trying to make a buck with their rover vans and UVA drones for street view and Google Maps.  The power of the almighty dollar is more trust worthy than those who serve as the last line of defense that are meant to protect the Republic (read Judges enforcing the rule of law).  

It is simply mind numbing to see where we are headed and how we are getting there.  When insanity reigns, the psychopath's are considered normal.  If that's the case, than please sign me up to be considered a psychopath. 

TSA's Full Body Scanners

Local sports talker 105.7 The Fan in Baltimore happens to have one of the best radio personalities on in the morning, former Baltimore City Police Commissioner and State Police Chief Ed Norris.  Norris always seems to use his common sense, and subscribes to the "shovel of wisdom" which attempts to whack people for their stupidity on his show.

Earlier this week, he spent a few segments covering the TSA's new full body scanners (audio from the segment here).  Some of the info being provided is seriously scary as is evidenced by this article from World Culture Picotrial's blog.

The biggest standout is the fact that these new screening machines would have failed to stop the underwear bomber from Christmas of 2009.  Further, several countries have deemed these machines as "pedophile, child porn producing" devices.  If the concept of Airport Security is to stop people from doing things that wish to cause others harm, don't you think innocent children are on the low priority list?  Further, when are we going to start training the TSA agents to act upon terrorist profiling (which is not racial) and pulling out the people who are the trouble makers.  Asking every individual wearing a sundress to submit to extra screening doesn't work when you don't additionally screen someone who's wearing a burka. 

Typical knee jerk reaction to a non-existent problem by the bloated Fed Gov.  Last I checked, it was the free market that stopped the fruit of a loom bomber (thanks Mark Steyn for that label), not the bureaucrats.