Wednesday, November 17, 2010

TSA Says When We Buy an Airline Ticket we Surrender Some of Our Rights; really?

The citizen outrage over the TSA “pat downs” and use of X-ray machines that create X rated pictures is completely justified as American citizens protected by the constitution are being molested and abused by representatives of our government. This argument is not about security it is about rights, and what we are willing to accept as a “price” for security. There are better ways to keep planes safe than the ones the TSA uses. But I want to focus on a particular comment and policy of the TSA.

The recent publication of a passenger telling a TSA agent “if you touch my junk I will have you arrested” has caused me the most constitutional concern. The passenger decided he wanted neither the enhanced pat down nor the X-ray option. He wanted to go through the metal detector just like 80% of the passengers at San Diego airport were allowed to do. He was denied that option so he chose to get a refund and was escorted to the American ticket counter to do that. A discussion ensued with a TSA supervisor that he could not leave the airport without finishing the procedure he started or he would be subject to an $11,000 fine. He was also told that when you buy an airline ticket you give up certain rights. I have heard this comment from a number of TSA representatives and people not so interested in the constitution.

Let’s think about that. I fly often and I generally purchase my tickets weeks and sometimes months in advance. When I buy my ticket months in advance have I given up my fourth amendment rights? Can a TSA agent or some other government agent come to my home without a warrant and search my home and me because I have purchased an airline ticket? Is the fourth amendment null and void when I buy that ticket? I would argue that the purchase of any ticket is not an opportunity for a government agency to ignore our constitutional rights.

So why is an airport any different? If I as an American refuse to be molested or scanned, I should have the choice to leave without being accosted by the government. If the government believes I am a risk then they can go through the process of submitting evidence to secure a warrant for further investigation through due process. To suggest that this policy of forced interrogation once I enter an airport security area is to ensure terrorists don’t come to the security area to gather some kind of intelligence and then leave is ludicrous. Terrorists would most likely not risk the spotlight that kind of action would place on them.

So where does my fourth amendment constitutional right end? It doesn’t. The TSA needs to be disbanded and replaced with real law enforcement professionals trained in profiling behavior. The arrogance of the TSA leadership to stomp our constitution is unforgivable. I want to fly on safe planes but there are many better options than government agents chuckling over naked pictures, feeling up our wives and daughter’s breasts, our sons private parts, trampling our dignity and rights. We have created another gigantic, ineffective, and embarrassing agency. Let’s look at a better option in the best interest of our security, the airlines, and our constitutional rights….

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

We have lost our minds!

Patrick Wellman said...

What's your solution? How would you keep American's safe during air travel? The Constitution was written almost 250 years ago and I think that everyone who screams that their rights are being violated should be required to specify a better solution to the problems. It's easy to complain and cry foul! But when your airplane is headed for that skyscraper, you might wish they had patted down the guy in front of you.

Rich said...

Israel has the system we should adopt; behavioral profiling. Constitutional ignorance always includes a reference to when it was written as if the principles have changed. The principles of freedom and privacy never change. It is people that think the way you do that are the greatest threat to our freedom. Young muslim men from Yemen should be treated differently than grandmothers from Kansas. The Christmas bomber didn't board a plane in the US. He boarded a plane to the US. That is a huge hole in security that has nothing to do with XXX ray machines. Security is paramount but as a frequent flyer myself the people hired by TSA are not making me feel safer...

Thanks for the comment though...

Anonymous said...

If i owned a plane i would let anyome from the US without a record or muslum ties skip onto the plane without a second look. Everyone from outside the US should receive a cavity search. And anyone who follows a creed which beleives in killing people who draw a cartoon picture of Mohamad would be required to walk. How's thag for a solution?