Addendum to Airport Security

So I have taken some abuse for my stance on the new manner in which passengers are screened at American Airports. It has been interesting, to say the least. So, with out further ado, point number one is a comparison to an old post of mine regarding seat-belts. Yup, I was against the government forcing me to wear a seat-belt...but...I now wear one. From a libertarian point of view, mandating that I keep myself safe seems over the top, however, I now realize that if I am injured due to not wearing my seat-belt it affects more than just me. Those injuries can affect my immediate family, my extended family, and even my co-workers. If I become unable to work due to the injuries (that might have been avoided with the use of the seat-belt) tax-payers are affected as well. There, I made the jump, and I admit, I was wrong to assume that I was the only one affected by my choice regarding the seat-belt (I will also fight hard to put helmets back on those that ride motor-cycles when I am an elected official).

Now that we have determined that there are rights of others involved in the seat-belt arena can we please also admit that there are others involved in the airline safety issue?

Really, this is a simple yes or no question: Do people have the right to carry explosives on to commercial airplanes? If your answer is no, then you have to help solve the problem of ensuring it never happens. This can be accomplished in many ways, and maybe the 'naked' screening is not the way, the pat downs might be too much? Maybe?

Nope, not too much, not until we profile in the manner of El Al, with incredibly well trained screeners. This is going to slow things down even more though...which is going to create the hue and cry for faster service, which is what the full body scanner is all about.

Remember folks, if we took our time in the first place, we could do it the way El Al does, but we want to be there yesterday, hence the need for speed in travel.

So, until we all learn to slow down, until we accept the well trained but slow process that is profiling (and not based on race, so chill), either accept the speedy scanner or the pat-down.

Or walk.