Al Qaeda doesn’t have to attack us directly. They’re already making life miserable for the millions of Americans who fly. Our own government has declared war on us while the terrorists just get more creative. Meanwhile, flying has become a real ordeal that about as much fun as having a root canal.
I have really had it with the stupid rules TSA inflicts on us when we fly. Why do so many of these rules make no sense to anyone other than a Washington bureaucratic?
In order to comply with their 3-3-1 rule regarding liquid toiletries I have to buy 3 clear plastic bottles 3 oz or less, pour my liquids (toiletries, one assumes) into these bottles, put them in a 1 qt ziplock bag, and hope I can remember which is which. If I make a mistake and have a 4 oz bottle of facial cleanser that is opened and only contains 3 oz, they confiscate it. What if I used a sandwich bag? Will they take my stuff?
I have had an unopened can of Diet Coke confiscated, as well as brand new toothpaste just opened the night before. In London I was detained for a full carry-on search because I forgot I had a half full plastic bottle of water in my bag. 40 minutes later we were released, after they took my water and looked through everything I had with me.
Check any security line at any airport and you will see a table of confiscated items. Sodas, bottled water, toothpaste, shampoos - the list is endless. I know I feel a lot safer knowing these dangerous items have been kept off the plane.
Why is it that the actions of one would-be terrorist who failed, bring on another myriad of rules for everyone? Richard Wright, the “shoe bomber” was an idiot, but he is responsible for everyone having to take off their shoes at airports.
The “underwear bomber” brought on full body scans and an expense of billions of dollars (borrowed from the Chinese) to buy these very expensive machines. Have they caught anyone yet? Yet when we have a real terrorist (the NY bombing attempt) actually IN “the System”in our “security system” the TSA and Homeland security have to be told by the airlines that someone suspicious, on the no-fly list, is on a plane ready to leave the country.
Instead of banning my Coke why don’t catch the real criminals? Why don’t the different agencies work on integrating all their various systems so a real terrorist doesn’t slip through the net? But for the grace of God we would have had 2 horrific tragedies in less than a year. If left to the TSA both attempts might have succeeded.
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