Kind of goes hand in hand with this article.
DHS Passenger Scoring Illegal?
A newly revealed system that has been assigning terrorism scores to Americans traveling into or out of the country for the past five years is not merely invasive, privacy advocates charge, it’s an illegal violation of limits Congress has placed on the Department of Homeland Security for the last three years.
The Identity Project, founded by online rights pioneer John Gilmore, filed official objections (.pdf) to the Automated Targeting System, or ATS, on Monday, calling the program clearly illegal.
The comment cited a little-known provision in the 2007 Homeland Security funding bill prohibiting government agencies from developing algorithms that assign risk scores to travelers not on government watchlists.
“By cloaking this prohibited action in a border issue … the Department of Homeland Security directly and openly contravenes Congress’ clear intent,” wrote project members Edward Hasbrouck and James Harrison.
A DHS spokesman said the language in the appropriations bill doesn’t cover the ATS, and insisted the program is legal.
Good, I hope this kind of crap gets overruled. Making references to Ben Franklin sayings has become trite at this point, but this reaction to terrorism, by our government, got out of control a long time ago.
Again, the very existence of the TSA and Homeland Security empires is a disgrace. “We are not descended from fearful men.”
These two bureaucratic monsters attest to the opinion that THE TERRORISTS HAVE ALREADY WON !
I bet a score low. Dang it.
Get this story (true) ….
Last month I forgot I had a 4 oz tube of Dr Scholl’s rough heal cream loose in my duffle bag. Well, it was caught on the X-ray. I was taken aside and confronted with “undeclared liquid” (I did declare my toothpaste and deoderant in the baggie).
I merely reached for it to see what it was and the gestapo dressed TSA chick nearly took me down for “interfering with an investigation”. I was set aside and questioned why I did not delcare said liquid . I said it was a cream, not a liquid and it was 3 oz. Ouch. That got the bitch furious and she called for backup.
Needless to say, she opened up “the TSA shitlist”, put my name in their, drivers license, ticket #, etc and sent me on my way.
Clearly, they will find I am a liberal and my mother is Cuban. OMG. I am screwed.
I think a discussion should be opened for people who know they are on the shitlist and what happened. My story was flying to Colorado from the Caribbean, for vacation. In Orlando to Denver leg, I asked the ticket agent (in Orlando) if we could change our plan and get off in Denver, instead of continuing on in Albuquerque, then renting a car and doubling back to Colorado. (Four Corners area). I told the girl that I was not requesting a refund for the flight from DEN to ABQ and that they could use the seats anyway they chose to. Seemed like a win-win to me. Oh no, that would be fine they said, you can depart in Denver and pick up your luggage in Albuquerque. They would not let my luggage off with me. I spoke to the manager, and I said something stupid like, “I’m no security expert, but wouldnt you want the luggage to leave with me, with the terrorists threat and all.” Yeah, I know, dumbass, open mouth insert foot. I now have made 10 trips back and forth and we are always given the “special treatment”.
It’s just nuts out there. Last week going through Dulles, the TSA pulled my wife aside because she had put her make-up crap in a GALLON size (anti-democracy) Zip-lock and not the QUART (pro-democracy) size bag. If our safety in the air depends on the size of a baggie we are more than screwed.
That picture really turns me on.
#6 – Thank you for having the courage to say what I was only thinking 🙂
The terrorists have won… But losing is so sexy…
one more reason not to fly anywhere, ever
id rather drive. I cant be harrased by the tsa when i drive
Just protecting our “freedoms…”
so, now can someone explain why I get the shoe/search everything/body massage/rubdown/wipe down and “sit in that chair and put your feet on the big yellow stencil feet painted on the floor”delay…every time I fly? What did I do? I assumed it was because they’d matched my email/posts on this blog!!!