posted on January 12, 2004 11:59:28 PM new
A prediction: it won't be long before this administration will demand that we have internal travel visas--all in the name of "safety" and "security," of course...
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- The U.S. government is moving forward on a computerized system containing background information on air travelers...
These internal travel visas, I predict, will work along the lines of the internal passports required in the USSR before the collapse of Communism for citizens just to travel around their own country.
posted on January 13, 2004 02:54:18 AM new
bunnicula, they had on the news tonight: each individual traveler will be assigned their own threat level, red, yellow, green, etc. Thats its folks! We are in the computers, and assigned a dot!!
About a year ago I was boarding a small plane from Michigan to NY. Was near 1st in line at the checkpoint at the gate. (nevermind you cleared the 1st checkpoint) Then they 'randomly' pulled me. I stood there taking off my shoes, holding up my arms under their magic baton, etc. I watched all the other passengers slowly board past me and kinda looking like "what did she do" and also bore this schmuck clerk, a total stranger, rummaging though my purse. Now I am about as far from a terror threat as one can get. And that doesnt mean squat.
I dont like this, no how no way. Our civil liberities and right to move about without fear of being tagged, tracked and branded is gone. They need to do something about this. It's not right. IT IS NOT RIGHT.
posted on January 13, 2004 03:28:16 AM new
Nero - you were lucky. On a fllight last year my mother went through that same process. What she was not aware of was that as one guard was checking her, another was taking all of her jewelry that she had stored in her carry on.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
If it's really "common" sense, why do so few people actually have it?
posted on January 13, 2004 04:33:24 AM new
Holy sh**, fenix!! I really dislike strangers invading my privacy. Dont know how they justify that to normal average citizens in the name of terrorism.
posted on January 13, 2004 05:17:30 AM new
This shouldn't be a problem for those who are patriotic citizens. I for one welcome the added protection this will give us all.
___________________________________
Mi abuelita me dijo "en boca cerrada no entran moscas".
posted on January 13, 2004 05:37:16 AM new @ the patriotic citizen.
My daughter's boyfriend had his luggage removed and he had to fly home without it. Several days later it was returned to his house in a disorganized heap.
Some believe that it's unpatriotic to expect civil treatment from those in authority and refusing to submit to such authority without question is Anti-American. It sounds like the beginning of fascism to me.
posted on January 13, 2004 11:30:25 AM new
Every invasion will be done under the guise of looking for terrorists... they could be hiding anywhere, so every square inch of the U.S. should be searched thoroughly before people are allowed to move freely.
Why can't Homeland Security tell the difference between Al Quaeda and my six-year-old daughter?
My six-year-old daughter is on the CAPPS (Computer Assisted Passenger Pre-Screening) list as a security risk.
Here's what happened. We went to visit my parents in Colorado for the holidays. When we got to the Burbank Airport, the skycap asked for our IDs. He noticed that my wife driver's license had expired. He excused himself and came back about five minutes later, and said we could fly, but that Carla would have to undergo "secondary screening," which meant she had to take her shoes off and have all her carry-on luggage searched. It was a hassle, especially since we had a lot of carry-on stuff for our six-year-old and infant daughter, but at least they let us fly to Denver.
A week later, we got to the Denver Airport to go home. Carla showed the agent her ID, and the woman didn't say anything about it being expired. I thought we had gotten lucky. But when we got to the security screening area, the woman working there looked at our tickets and said "Who is Sarina?" I pointed to my six-year-old. "She's been marked for secondary screening," she said. "She has to go over there. One of you can go with her." Carla went with Sarina and I went through the normal line with Jane. While Carla was escorting Sarina through the extra security check, she asked for an explanation. A man working there told her Sarina was on a list that required the extra search, and that he couldn't tell her anything more about it.
My daughter was scared and shaken up by the ordeal and told us that she "hated it." At least the security people were polite to her. But they were like polite robots, unable to laugh at the fact that someone had mistakenly pegged a little girl as a potential terrorist. No, they insisted that she had to take off her shoes and get patted down and have a wand passed over her body and have her Hello Kitty suitcase opened and examined with a fine toothed comb.
When we got to the gate, I looked at one of the monitors, and I saw Sarina's name on the list, along with one other person's name. The list was titled "CAPPS."
My guess is that somebody decided to put Carla on the CAPPS list for showing up with an expired driver's license, and then screwed up by entering Sarina's name instead.
I'm not too mad or upset about this, but after reading how this kind of thing has happened more than once, I have lost what little faith I had in the Department of Homeland Security to do its job. I wonder if we are going to have to go through this every time we fly? I also wonder if we can get Sarina's name taken off the list? If you have any suggestions, please let me know
posted on January 13, 2004 03:14:02 PM new
She would have been detained 6 months with no recourse to legal council, and nobody being told that she was being held, in all likelihood... Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
posted on January 13, 2004 03:31:34 PM new
My 6-year old son flew to Texas with my father the week before Christmas, and they were subjected to the same precautionary measures. They flew back on Christmas Eve morning, after the alert was raised, and the security measures were the same. Had to take their shoes off, etc. - yes, both my father and my little boy.
When I was unpacking his bag when he returned home, there was a TSA notice in his bag which stated the bag had been manually searched.
I have no problem with my child being searched - people are doing the job they are paid to do. Being inconvenienced for safety's sake far outweighs the risks IMO.
__________________________________
"I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to the people who sleep under the very blanket of freedom I provide, and then question the manner in which I provide it. I'd rather you just said 'thank you' and went on your way." - A Few Good Men
MIT published a research paper that demonstrates why CAPPS 11 actually makes flying more dangerous. What terrorist is going to go to the airport and identify himself? I don't know why it took an MIT study to figure that out.
posted on January 13, 2004 04:52:06 PM new
In my POV, it amounts to illegal search and seizure. Somebody thought that a good idea, as its been a law forever and if I'm not mistaken, it even corresponds with the constitutional fight the "righters" have with their right to bear arms. Which is about personal liberty.
tweleve, just wait until they decide to come into your house unwarranted. Why would they? Why could they? Whey might they?Because in the name of Homeland Security, THEY CAN.
posted on January 20, 2004 04:37:58 AM new
I'm in no way trying to defend security screeners that steal items, or are rude with passengers. But look at what other countries' airlines and airports have to go through. I flew to/from Japan back in the late 70s, and security was TIGHT! Can you imagine what the Israeli airlines have to do? This is just the price we pay for being top dog in this world...it's as if we have a target painted on our back.
I work as a meteorologist with the NWS, and am an incident meteorologist which means I have to go out on forest fires to support the teams, up to 2 weeks at a time. I love it when I can drive there, but most of the time I have to fly. Now, can you imagine what I have to go through everytime? Lots of high tech equipment, one way ticket bought less than 24 hrs in advance. It's almost a full body cavity search every time I travel. Yes, it's a pain in the ass. But you know what? That's the price we have to pay, and I accept that.
Just my 2 cents worth
"Who's tending the bar? Sniping works up a thirst"
posted on January 20, 2004 06:56:54 AM new "This is just the price we pay for being top dog in this world."
"Top target" is an appropriate description of our status in the world right now -- with intensity racheted up on a regular basis by Bush foreign policy.
And that "target on our back" transfers to any other country associated with Bushco terrorism.
posted on January 20, 2004 07:24:42 AM new
I am retired - I won't be traveling on business.
There is no reason I should put up with that sort of invasive search. If they pull me out of line and I tell them NO - If I have to go through that I won't be taking the flight and turn my ticket back in for credit I bet they will still arrest me on some charge because of my suspicious unwillingness to be groped and interrogated.
I have no illusion that any of you sheep will join me - but if they treat me too rudely they may end up paying money for it.
posted on January 20, 2004 10:33:49 PM new
Wives and mothers are now laughing hysterically,since men & boys are the ones that usually leave "skidmarks"... Censorship, like charity, should begin at home; but unlike charity, it should end there --Clare Booth Luce
@ the patriotic citizen.
Sniping works up a thirst"