It has been explained to me by people who study history and politics that these intrusions into and abrogation of our civil and Constitutional rights have nothing to do with our safety. It is all about control, be it control of information, control of people's movements, or control of their entire lives.
By denying people's rights to use a product that they have purchased in whatever "non-profit" fashion they chose (RIAA and MPAA - I'm talking to YOU!) denies people their "fair use" rights.
By controlling what information, or by disseminating false or misleading information, those sources become suspect and can influence people to take action they would not have or do nothing when they should act.
Now, by controlling people's movements, the government has found a new way to hinder its citizens without doing anything truly effective against terrorism! They expose us to uncertain quantities of radiation by people that would not be allowed near similar equipment in a medical setting.
And, if that virtual "strip-search" isn't dangerous and degrading enough, then comes the "pawing" that, if done by anybody OTHER that the government, would see them arrested and prosecuted for sexual assault, invasion of privacy, and possibly even more.
WHERE DO WE DRAW THE LINE TO NOT ONLY PROTECT OURSELVES, BUT OUR COUNTRY AND WAY OF LIFE? Or do we? If we stand by and let apathy bind our hands and voices, then the terrorists have already won in that they have made us change our country into something the Founding Fathers would find unrecognizable and abhorrent.
The invasive airport scanners have caused quite a stir recently. Security is something to think about as many of you hit the road for Thanksgiving. In the future, we might find the scanners in places like the metro.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said on Charlie Rose:
Well, I think [terrorists are] going to continue to probe the system and try to find a way through. I think the tighter we get on aviation, we have to also be thinking now about going on to mass transit or to train or maritime.
Napolitano said we actually don’t know much about terrorists, adding that:
If you ever try to divide template about what connects this terrorist to this terrorist and how they were raised and what schools they went to and their socio-economic status or this or that, it’s all over the map.
via Popular Science and The Hill
