The most important safety measure implemented was strong doors leading to the flight station. The cost/benefit for every other 'security' measure has clearly not been worth it. The amount of time people spend standing in line, arriving early, etc etc has a real cost in human life and vastly outweighs the supposed security and safety benefits we have gotten from airport security.
Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
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Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#72If you're ever wondering why something in the U.S. can't be made better, the answer is often that the existing rent-collectors must be allowed to continue collecting their rent at all costs. This is why we can't have the government file taxes on our behalf: because Intuit would no longer be collecting rent, and rent-collecting must be protected at all costs. This is why we can't have a single-payer healthcare system:…
TSA is USA specific. But why are all other countries following the same security theater? Has any other country ditched it?
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
yes, the way people dared to board planes pre-9/11, and the way people dare to board trains, buses, and ferries today.
You think people weren't screened pre 9/11? Are you under 24 years old by any chance?
Literally just walked up to the gate. Only thing was the gate attendant checked your ID against the ticket. That was all. No metal detectors. No screening. Just walk up to the gate an get on. One time my mate forgot his drivers license, and missed the flight. So harsh!
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#74Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't think most TSA employees are vets... I'm a veteran and it's relatively easy to identify a fellow vet most of the time.
Its nearly 20% staffed by vets https://www.tsa.gov/about/employee-stories/veterans-working-...
It'd be interesting to see a breakdown of percentage of veterans in different government positions. I'd imagine they are all fairly similar levels since it's most likely just a transition from military to government rather than specifically military to TSA. In any case, I certainly wouldn't call TSA "a welfare program for veterans" as the parent comment suggests.
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#75Earlier quoted context omitted.
If said plane is the only unscreened flight out of Tel-Aviv? Maybe I'd have some reservations. But if all flights were completely unscreened? It wouldn't change what or when I fly. I already board unscreened trains and busses quite often.
When trains or buses crash, the majority of the passengers survive in most cases. When commercial airliners crash, usually everyone on board dies.
High speed trains in Japan have no screening at all. I imagine a well-placed bomb going off could have a similar number of casualties.
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
If said plane is the only unscreened flight out of Tel-Aviv? Maybe I'd have some reservations. But if all flights were completely unscreened? It wouldn't change what or when I fly. I already board unscreened trains and busses quite often.
With that username, I’m not sure I’d want to join you :P
Always bring a bomb with you on the plane - the chance there are two bombs on the plane is almost infinitely small!
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#77How many terrorists does any of the security theatre measures catch on a given day? One, ten, one hundred, one thousand? $20 says it's zero. How many bellicose self righteous idiots get through every day? Probably 10. Which causes more problems?
idk ... on the flip side I'm old enough to remember when the shoe bomber was caught MID-FLIGHT and people were rightfully scared.[1] Like, holy shit: you can hide bombs in your shoes?! And that was only THREE months after the 9/11 attacks. [1] https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/shoe-bomber-rich...
Thanks to that one idiot, we have to take off our shoes as part of the screening process.
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#78Earlier quoted context omitted.
You think people weren't screened pre 9/11? Are you under 24 years old by any chance?
Literally just walked up to the gate. Only thing was the gate attendant checked your ID against the ticket. That was all. No metal detectors. No screening. Just walk up to the gate an get on. One time my mate forgot his drivers license, and missed the flight. So harsh!
Yeah, no, you're definitely either under 24 or over 80.
Re: Can We Just Throw in the Towel on Airport Security Theater Already?
#79We can stop dancing around the issue while pretending we don't understand why the TSA exists. In the aftermath of 9/11, the government has to be seen doing "something". This was the something. Then, in the following years, the TSA evolved into a welfare program for veterans, because here in the US we can't dream of just giving people money, we have to invent bullshit jobs that make society worse.
TSA emerged in the aftermath of 9/11; TSA is USA specific. But why has every other country has adopted this useless security protocol. I don't understand that.