Body scans and pat-downs are just the beginning

[liberal N proud]

What does future hold for airport security?

The pre-Thanksgiving standoff between the Transportation Security Administration and some airline passengers over the federal agency’s new screening techniques has left many industry observers wondering: What’s next?

For now, the full-body scanners and enhanced pat-downs are here to stay, according to the TSA. But in the future, air travelers could see additional biometric screening or smarter body scanners — and possibly one day a return to pre-pat-down security protocols.

Earlier this week, the U.S. Travel Association called for the creation of a "trusted traveler" program for airline passengers, which it says would result in more secure, efficient and effective screening. Under this system, passengers would be screened for security risks before arriving at the airport, reducing bottlenecks and diverting security resources to higher-risk passengers.

“The vast majority of the traveling public poses little threat to our nation’s security, yet the current approach subjects every passenger to the same security procedures,” said Roger Dow, president of the U.S. Travel Association. “A trusted traveler program would allow us to focus more security where it is most needed.”

The TSA has already conducted a pilot study for a trusted traveler program, said spokesman Greg Soule. But he said the agency plans to remain focused on the new scanners.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40479523/ns/travel-travel_tips/

As for my latest trip through TSA (today), I slid right through without even showing my 3oz of crap in the quart zip-lock. But as I was exiting the line from collecting my stuff and putting my shoes back on someone set off the detector. As soon as it did, I caught out of the corner of my eye a TSA agent come running snapping his blue rubber gloves shouting, "we got one!" I collected my stuff, throwing my PC back on the bag and didn't even tie my shoes.

[gateley]

1. Are you kidding about the glove-snapping "security agent"? it sounds like it

could be a bit on SNL.

[liberal N proud]

2. Not kidding

I had to do a double take, but the agent was racing toward the passenger who set off the detector.

[LisaL]

3. Well that sure as hell doesn't sound like someone who

didn't want to do pat downs.

[gateley]

9. Holy shit. Thank god you escaped. That could have been YOU! n t

[LisaL]

14. That can be anyone!

[gateley]

15. Agree. nt

[laconicsax]

4. Call me naïve, but wouldn't someone wanting to do harm via an airplane work their asses off...

...to get on a "trusted traveler" list? If we can't manage to keep a wannabe terrorist off an airplane after their father reports him to everyone he could find, what are the chance that such a program wouldn't be open to manipulation?

[LisaL]

6. Oh give me a break.

The wannabe terrorists are few and far between.

[laconicsax]

10. What's your point?

That the whole thing is unnecessary? I agree. Nothing the TSA's done has made anyone safer.

[veganlush]

5. OP title is misleading.

..and the gloves can snap when you put them on. Sounds like dramatic flare to me, a little artistic license...

[LisaL]

7. Since you weren't even there, why do you presume to know

what had happened better than the OP who was there?

[veganlush]

24. It's not about being there.

it's about the dramatic reading of it. The agent said "we got one" and snapped his/her gloves while putting them on. Could it be that the agent was hurrying once the need for a pat down was established, to avoid a back-up in the line? No, apparently the motive could be discerned as sexual desire simply because they let their co-workers know and their gloves made noise.

[liberal N proud]

8. The title is from the article

Yes glove can snap, but dashing across the room and shouting "We got one" lends one to believe the agent was enjoying the soon to be molestation experience. If I were that passenger, I would sure wonder what was about to happen. About like walking in the doctors office and the tube of KY is on the table and the Doctor says drop-em and bend over.

[veganlush]

17. so the TSA agents just happen to be perverts

who enjoy molesting people, right? I assume that applies to the doctor too? And when a plane blows up and someone has to pick up body parts, they must be perverts as well, right?

[liberal N proud]

20. You enjoy the visit to the doctor when he pulls out the KY and says bend over?

Then you should enjoy the molestation at the airport.

Treating us all like criminals without probable cause is criminal, see the Constitution.

[veganlush]

23. No, but it isn't about me

..you're saying the DOCTOR enjoys it, just by virtue of the fact that he's touching someone in a "private" area. You and others imply a perverse motive to people who are doing a job and it's simply wrong.

As far as treating us like criminals, I disagree, it's more about FINDING who the criminals are, because they're not wearing a badge that says "I'm a criminal" .

I have to assume that you also oppose metal detectors for the same reason.

[liberal N proud]

25. Not my point at all

My point is about the person standing there and how they feel when someone comes running at them as they snap the rubber glove and shouting. Now you get nervous.

Not about the doctor, but about what the comment from the TSA agent because for the passenger who forgot to take his watch off or the pen in his pocket.

[MadHound]

11. And it is going to continue to get worse until enough people stand up and say enough

The only way to roll this back is to not fly, en masse. Hit the airlines hard and they have enough corporate clout in our government that they will get TSA to back down.

Anything else will simply not work, and one day that glove snapping sound you hear will be coming from a point dangerously close to your bare ass.

[PSPS]

12. "But he said the agency plans to remain focused on the new scanners."

The TSA has already conducted a pilot study for a trusted traveler program, said spokesman Greg Soule. But he said the agency plans to remain focused on the new scanners.

Of course they do. The TSA's primary goal is to condition us to living in a police state. Their secondary goal is to funnel as much of the treasury as possible to political cronies, like Chertoff's company that makes the scanners.

[hedgetrimmer]

13. I'm hoping for the reach around!

[MrScorpio]

16. Asking travelers out on dates. nt

[conspirator]

18. "Trusted traveller" sounds like something from 1984 or Gattaca sci-fi

A "trusted" will quick become someone whose whole life history and data is on a database, probably someone with an implanted chip in his body, or a bracelet.
And on top of that "trusted" will only be from a pure race, very few brown people will be allowed in this group.

[seabeyond]

19. "majority of the traveling public poses little threat". wrong. NO threat.

the vast majority are NO threat.... fuck the little threat, bullshit.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

21. And it's not even a vast majority. It's above 99.9% nt

[seabeyond]

22. yes. this is the bottomline absurdity of this supposed protection at loss of rights. nt