I was just on C-SPAN re:airport screening

[The Witch]

Caller from Oakton, VA. I said:

1) The article on the passenger screening included the fact that the government was tracking "Special services, such as religious meals." Does that mean that if you order a Halal, Kosher, or even vegetarian meal, they will say, "Hmm, he could be a Muslim, he could be a terrorist?" That reeks of discrimination to me.

2) Are the airlines giving them this info? Does that violate any privacy agreements in the ticket sales?

3) To those who say "Anything it takes to keep the country safe," aren't you the same people who say "Freedom isn't free"? Meaning someone ELSE has to die to keep you safe? What happened to equality? Who dies so who can stay alive?

4) And what you really mean is "Anything it takes to keep you COMFORTABLE." If the government were to say "Ration your electricity" or "Stop driving your SUV," you'd be up in arms.

5) Finally, they are listening to our phone calls. They are looking at our bank accounts. They are looking at us naked -- look at the Phoenix airport -- and now they are taking down our email addresses and our search histories... I would encourage everyone to draw a line. How much is too much? Even if you think THIS is not too much. Draw a line and stick to it. Because it just keeps going.


If anyone heard a caller responding to my points, could you summarize? I had to run away from the TV to post this :)

[Skidmore]

1. I heard you!!

Haven't heard anyone yet take on the truth you spoke.

[liberaldemocrat7]

10. Good call. hehe the freepers went nuts this morning.

To the people who said, "If you have nothing to hide you have nothing to worry about."

I say to those people, let us ship you to Iraq where they do check you out and since you freepers have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about.

[malaise]

2. It was a great call

and you are 100% correct.

[B Calm]

3. Great call. I heard you too...

[notadmblnd]

4. I heard you too... then two nuts called in after

and Pedro cut them off. one man said that gwb stuffed a cod peice in his pant and dthe other said he had been raped by I think he aid Keys before Pedro ctt him off.

[Graybeard]

5. I was trying to call in also...

...in resonse to those people saying that if you have nothing
to hide you have nothing to fear. Every time I hear that I
want to scream. Yes, of course they think that they are the
"Good" people but they are not the ones making the
judgement. It's the government that decides and we don't know
what criteria they are using.

Every one of the Jews that were thrown into German
concentration camps for execution were good, law abiding
citizens. They obeyed the law, did not associate with
criminals or terrorists and had nothing to hide. 

[Lerkfish]

8. I would go further: even NOT good people are entitled to certain rights

its what our legal system is founded on. Innocent until proven guilty. Even mobsters are entitled to representation.



Until this administration.



I think its wrong to even use the "good" or "bad" people argument, because its beside the point of civil rights completely, AND you know they will pick an authentic guilty person as their poster boy for why abridgement of personal liberties is justified.


Just don't go there.

[Roland99]

6. Excellent comments!

[fasttense]

7. Seems to me that the bushes are locking down travel in,

out and around the United States. Did you ever wonder why they are making it so difficult to travel?

[Lerkfish]

9. they are MORE concerned with who LEAVES, in my opinion.

like all oppressive dictatorships.

[donsu]

11. I heard you too - and in addition, getting x-rayed is not good health wise

people shouldn't get x-rays unless it is absolutely necessary.

[justice1]

12. You just made me think about something.

Recently I was traveling and went through security about 2 dozen times in 10 days. If the Phoenix x-rays become standard and a woman is pregnant, what are the risks to the baby?

[SPKrazy]

13. That Is Cool

I wish I'd heard it

good job!


:hug:

[butterfly77]

14. I heard you too ...

and I would say that there were only about two callers who were talking nonsense. When I first heard the question of the morning, I hadn't gotten it out of my mouth before I heard, what I knew would be one of the callers first words," I don't care as long as it keeps us safe"

Pedro was a little to fast with the caller who was talking about bush and the sock in his pants. I was howling with laughter...These people continually believe that Bush is protecting them and these are the same people who are complaining about immigration...If the borders are open or the ports are not protected what makes them think that they are absolutely safe...By the way have any laptops been stolen lately from any governmental agency?