Houston, We Have a Problem...

[Zeb_Carter]

HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM

Since 9/11, untold sums of money have been spent on airport security. First it was additional security screeners provided by private companies. Democrats decided that wouldn't fly (no pun intended,) so all of the airport screeners were "federalized," meaning a bunch of new federal government jobs were created.

So now we have the Transportation Security Administration, or the TSA in charge of things. And so in the 5 years after 3,000 people died at the hands of Islamic terrorism, we are no more safe than we were on September 10, 2001. In fact, things may be worse. And a story making news today makes that point quite clearly.

A man in Houston, evidently testing airport security...news reports don't say, decided to board a Delta flight to Atlanta. In his luggage was a laptop computer, a clock with a 9-volt battery strapped to it and a copy of the Koran. The man had a Middle Eastern name and the soles of his shoes had been hollowed out. What happened was pure government incompetence.

The TSA is blaming the Houston Police, who apparently cleared the man and let him board the plane. Supposedly the TSA screener disagreed and didn't want to let him on. Just who is running things at the airport? Why didn't somebody yank this guy out of the line, detain him and make him explain why he had bomb-making components in his luggage?

Even though it's not mentioned in any of the news reports, you can bet the reason why is because of political correctness. Officials were probably afraid of profiling anyone. Just because the man was a Muslim, they didn't want to single him out. They got lucky this time, but this is the kind of thing that is going to get another airplane blown up.

If this is the best airport security money can buy, I'd hate to see the worst. At least Rush Limbaugh didn't get away with carrying around improperly labeled Viagra!

 

[dirtyjoe69]

I don't worry

I really don't think we have to worry about terrorists on planes anymore. At least not ones who want to highjack them. If anyone stands up to and makes a threat, every single person would take them out. We all know the consequences of highjackings now! Since these psychos don't just want to land in Cuba anymore.

As for getting bombs on a plane....that matter is still a threat that needs to be taken care of.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

What happened was pure government incompetence.

That's as opposed to the pure private enterprise incompetence exhibited by airport security rent-a-cops on 9/11.

Rumple Foreskin

ps: What did Lit's very own Pure have to do with all that?

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Oh my fucking god! There's a bomb on my night table!


Oh, wait. It's my laptop and my alarm clock.

 

[fieryjen]

Well, there weren't going to let me take my crocheting needle...


until I pushed my teddy bear into the security woman's arms and told her that "he needed me to crochet him a blanket on the flight". Then she let me, probably assuming I was mentally unstable.

 

[matriarch]

Believe me, I've noticed no incompetence at airport security both here and in UK in my 6 journeys back and forth in the last year. If anything, its gotten tighter, and takes much longer now than the first time.

It's time consuming, irritatingly slow, and and royal pain in the arse, but we all go through it because we know its for our benefit.

I even have to take off my sandals to be x-rayed, along with my laptop.

Sheesh.

Lap top, alarm clock with batteries, and a Koran. So what?
What if the Koran had been the bible? No difference, and insulting of anyone to assume otherwise. Simply because someone is a Muslim, does NOT automatically make them a terrorist.

 

[dirtyjoe69]

yep

it doesn't make them a terrorist but I am afraid profiling is a natural instinct. and the list is endless on who gets profiled...i've been stopped myself cause i was mistaken for a skin head!

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Well, there weren't going to let me take my crocheting needle...


until I pushed my teddy bear into the security woman's arms and told her that "he needed me to crochet him a blanket on the flight". Then she let me, probably assuming I was mentally unstable.

So you were an unaccompanied mentally unstable person and they let you on the plane? Oh my god in heaven!

 

[fieryjen]

So you were an unaccompanied mentally unstable person and they let you on the plane? Oh my god in heaven!

I wasn't unaccompanied. I had my teddy bear!

And I was wearing a low-cut shirt.

 

[SweetPrettyAss]

I would think the screener would have authority to keep him off the plane as a suspicious character. I would think the police would have authority also. This would be whether he had a Quran or not. Actually, the possession of the Muslim holy book would make him less likely to blow up the plane. A religious zealot might not have wanted it to be desecrated by being on an exploding plane.

As for the lack of an explosive, perhaps hs seatmate would have plastique in the shape of a child's toy or something similar. This doesn't seem like a compete foulup. After all, they did catch the guy.

 

[SeaCat]

When I first read this thread I replied. Thankfully my computer twitched and deleted my reply.

Some of the comments here have made me more than just slightly angry, and because of this I am glad my original response didn't post.

One thing that people have to realize is that even though the screeners are Federal many times the actual security at the Airport is a local matter. (Last time I checked Screeners did not have the power of arrest.) Until these matters of Jurisdiction are settled things like this will happen.

Cat

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I wasn't unaccompanied. I had my teddy bear!

And I was wearing a low-cut shirt.

Well that would do it for me.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I would think the screener would have authority to keep him off the plane as a suspicious character. I would think the police would have authority also. This would be whether he had a Quran or not. Actually, the possession of the Muslim holy book would make him less likely to blow up the plane. A religious zealot might not have wanted it to be desecrated by being on an exploding plane.

As for the lack of an explosive, perhaps hs seatmate would have plastique in the shape of a child's toy or something similar. This doesn't seem like a compete foulup. After all, they did catch the guy.

Uh, the Houston Police let him board the plane, with his stuff!

 

[SweetPrettyAss]

Uh, the Houston Police let him board the plane, with his stuff!

Okay, but he was an extremely marked man and if he had done anything out of ordinary, he would have been mobbed by the other passengers. Much like John Reed was.