Friday, August 11, 2006

You're all wet

After 9/11, it took about 2 years for flying to become even remotely palatable again. With the ridiculous lines at security and the demanded removal of all shoes regardless of whether they were moccasins or sandals and the constant bag checks, it was a horrific nightmare. But the process had actually become reasonable within the past couple years. Now we have the mess with the water bombers.

Before I continue, for those that don't know, I think all the security stuff is a way of perpetuating fear and forcing the standard sheep citizen to believe that we NEED the current administration to watch after them. Airport security is just the tip of the ice berg, literally. When journalists actually grow a spine and decide to go for a dive, people are shocked at how deep this ice berg goes. And it all goes on unchecked thanks to the culture of fear.

Now, with the current situation, I just don't buy this whole liq exp thing. Sure, they exist, but how are a bunch of terrorist looking people going to congregate on an airplane and put together the mechanism required for detonation without arousing any suspicion? It just wouldn't ever happen ever again. Period. Yes, it's unfortunate for the innocent and nice Middle Easterners, but it's a realistic by-product of the fear culture. And now you can't bring ANY beverages on board? Really? Have you seen the size of bev erages given on flights? I don't think I've been on a flight longer than 2 hours and not brought my own water. It's almost criminal to not allow you to bring on board a beverage.

And it's not like it's necessary. Make the person sample all liquid carry-ons. Do they die? No? They're clear. If you don't want to sample your hairspray, you check it. This whole thing is absurd.

On MSNBC last night, my aunt paused briefly on Keith Olberman's show. He hates O'Reily so I kind of like him and I'm interested in what he has to say. Then he says the following to a security specialist: for years now, people haven't been allowed to bring any beverages into stadiums, so how can the airlines justify their lax security all this time? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!? That was the must reeeeetarded thing I've every heard on talk TV, and I've seen my fair share of both Hannity and O'Reily. YOU CAN'T BRING IN BEVERAGES TO A BALL GAME BECAUSE THEY WANT THE REVENUE!!!!!!!!!! Sure they they will claim is it to keep out alcohol or so you don't chuck it and hurt someone. But we all know the real reason. Actually, at Dodger stadium, you can bring in any plastic bottle still sealed. That's just as reasonable a requirement as making people sample the beverage.

So now, the Village Idiot's international War on Terror gains credence because stadiums have been on the forefront of liquid explosive security measures and nobody's tried to blow one of them up yet. SEE!!! It's working at stadiums!!!! Olberman should have mentioned that movie theaters deserve just as much credit for their diligence.

Is it a good thing that these yahoos were caught? Absolutely. Should we be careful and not take our safety for granted? Definitely. Should we give up our right to bring water onto an airplane because of an isolated incident? Absolutely definitely not. They don't add up. It's not black and white like that. You've not been safer at a stadium because they've forced everyone to throw away outside beverages for the past 10 years. I can still get into stadiums without taking off my shoes. After the London subway incident, we didn't ban people from carrying bags on our public transportation. The obvious difference here is that the Federal Government can mandate security regulations on planes. Not on subways. Not at stadiums.

And saying things like stadiums have been safer than planes because we haven't been able to take beverages into those sites only gives ammunition to a lunatic every bit as dangerous to our freedoms as the terrorists.

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