Security Theater
In a major change of policy, the Transportation Security Administration has announced that passengers refusing to show ID will no longer be able to fly. The policy change, announced on Thursday afternoon, will go into force on June 21, and will only affect passengers who refuse to produce ID. Passengers who claim to have lost or forgotten their proof of identity will still be able to fly.
OK, so just to be clear, this was the old policy:
“If a traveler is unwilling or unable to produce a valid form of ID, the traveler is required to undergo additional screening at the checkpoint to gain access to the secured area of the airport.”
I suppose that’s a reasonable compromise. Never mind the problems with ID-checking for now, it’s at least rational to say that if you won’t or can’t provide ID, you get patted down and your bag searched. But how does it work now?
“Beginning Saturday, June 21, 2008 passengers that willfully refuse to provide identification at security checkpoint will be denied access to the secure area of airports. This change will apply exclusively to individuals that simply refuse to provide any identification or assist transportation security officers in ascertaining their identity.”
This new procedure will not affect passengers that may have misplaced, lost or otherwise do not have ID but are cooperative with officers. Cooperative passengers without ID may be subjected to additional screening protocols, including enhanced physical screening, enhanced carry-on and/or checked baggage screening, interviews with behavior detection or law enforcement officers and other measures.”
This is pretty much the dumbest thing ever, and is just about explicitly designed to punish passengers who aren’t cooperative.
Under the old system, there were two ways to get past security without an ID: 1) Refuse to provide it, or 2) say you lost it. Either way you got searched, and then you got on the plane. Now there’s only one way to get past security without an ID: say you lost it.
Who, exactly, are we being protected from under this policy? The world’s stupidest terrorists? I defy anyone to describe a dangerous passenger who would be prevented from flying under this idiotic system.
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Well, it’s a lot more embarrassing to be attacked by stupid terrorists than smart terrorists.
I get furious every time I go through airport security for reasons like this. The longer the line, the more furious I get. Doesn’t anyone managing the War on Terra realize that making everyone take off their shoes before flying is a win for those who would endeavor to terrorize us? We’re not any safer, but we sure waste a lot of time. Everyone, everyday. We take off our shoes. Because of one loony terrorist. Of course, you wouldn’t want to be on the plane that goes down because of this, but sheesh. Furious.
Some day, somewhere, someone’s going to bring down a plane with a tube of toothpaste. Who’ll be furious then?
Dentists, that’s who.
I think it’s probably to try to keep certain people who have been pre-identified as risks (the “no-fly” list) from flying under pseudonyms, right? I mean, still dumb, because would-be terrorists could surely get unknown people to carry out the deeds, but still.
Except those people can still buy a ticket under a pseudonym (or have a confederate purchase the ticket) and claim to have lost their ID.
Buy tadalis….
Buy tadalis….