The Farce Of The Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
The recent news of the “crotchbomber” trying to blow up a Trans-Atlantic flight bound for the States has reignited my grievances with the Transportation Security Administration.
TSA was formed after the atrocities of September 11, 2001. It was an action that forever changed how air travel operated. We’ve seen our identification requirements bolstered, the carriage of liquids onboard is very limited and you have to take off half your clothes before you’ll ever be allowed within half a mile of an aeroplane.
However, all of these changes have been direct restrictions on the exact actions terrorists took in mounting an attack on aircraft. For example, following the attempt of the shoe bomber to blow up a plane, we now have to take off our shoes going through security to make sure that we aren’t carrying a bomb in them and as a result of the attempt to blow up 8 Trans-Atlantic flights bound for the US using bombs made of liquids, we now can not carry liquids onboard.
Following the attempt of the crotchbomber to blow up a plane by lighting explosives in his crotch on fire on approach for landing, we’re bow being restricted from moving in the cabin during the last hour of flight and from having anything in our lap.
Doesn’t this seem a bit strange to you?it seems to me that several times since TSA was formed, terrorists have been able to board flights and make attempts to cause destruction. And every time, all TSA can do is stop us from doing what they did and give Americans the false pretense that they’ve for everything under control.
The fact of the matter is that terrorists continue to find ways to get explosives on board and TSA continues to let them on board. Every time an incident happens, TSA’s thoughtless reaction is to ban the activity that permitted the event to occur.
As far as I can remember, TSA haven’t actually stopped anyone from taking explosives on board an aircraft. All they’ve done is made flying less enjoyable, more arduous, more expensive and more time-consuming.
Even if they had foiled the few terrorist attacks there have been, the lives saved would have been in the hundreds at a maximum. Compare that to the colossal cost of TSA’s operations and it just doesn’t make much sense. If even a small portion of that money was spent on improving accident blackspots on America’s roads, more lives would be saved in a year than TSA would ever save.
It just doesn’t make economical, or practical sense. The formation, operation and rule-setting of TSA are knee-jerk reactions to successful attempts by terrorists to attack the freedoms that Americans so mindlessly and steadfastly protect. Ironically, in doing so of course, they give away more freedom every day, not least in how we go about getting on board planes and what we’re allowed to do when there.
We are but a few steps from being sedated and mannacled in our seats when we get onboard a plane. Some serious reconsideration is needed to establish what TSA is for and how best to ensure a safe travelling environment for everyone, because the current system is laughable, ineffective and immensely expensive.
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