Found via Prof. Bainbridge on Twitter, a commenter on Gizmodo writes:
Yeah, there are no problems today because backscatter machines are TURNED OFF at many airports and they are doing normal security procedures. Interesting that they’d rather risk people’s safety than endure a PR disaster. By not giving people the chance to opt-out, they effectively take control of the story. Of course, by their logic, if there was such a heightened risk, then these machines should be used all the time (especially on a day when so many people are going to be flying). A move like this demonstrates that safety isn’t their foremost concern; they just don’t want to lose a big gov’t contract. And of course, if there was some sort of attack today because the backscatters were turned off, then it’s “See? We TOLD you so.”
Meanwhile, Ruth Marcus of the Washington Post advises her readers to stop being so childish when it comes to the TSA, in much the same fashion as Gloria Allred, who said that if you must be probed, you might as well lean back and enjoy it, as she does.
(And speaking of Allred…)
Update: As Allahpundit notes, Gizmodo has since updated their post with a denial from the TSA:
Twitter lit up a few hours ago over this post at Gizmodo compiling tweets from passengers claiming that the scanners had been turned off at some airports in order to speed people through security. But see the update; TSA denies it, and in fact, there are AP photos on the wire of people going through the machines today at O’Hare (and Logan in Boston). O’Hare, as the country’s central hub, logically should have been one of the first ‘ports to abandon the scanners if the plan was to avoid any opt out difficulties, but the photo doesn’t lie. In fact, TSA is actually crowing about it on their blog under the headline “Opt Out Turns Into Opt In.” (Follow the link for a heartwarming pic!)
One lingering question, though. Did some passengers opt out of the process altogether by canceling their plans to fly?
In any case, what is to be done with the bureaucratic clusterfark that is the TSA, to paraphrase one of the original fans of Big, Big Government? That’s the subject of a new article from Glenn Reynolds.
My understanding of the procedures for today (in the future?) is this: As reported on NPR by a TSA representative, the number of passengers run through full-body scans has been left to the discretion of airports; that uncertainty is introduced into the planning of the bad guys. Related to this, it was reported by the St. Louis media that TSA was doing full-body scans or pat-downs on 20% of the passengers today in order that there would not be delays. I would not be at all surprised if they use some form of random sampling going forward. From what I’ve seen, this has been their past practice with respect to performing more intensive searches of luggage and people.
A while back I stopped using air transport for nearly all trips of up to 700-800 miles because you really don’t save much time flying when you compute the time to go from door to door; and you avoid the various hassles and uncertainties that have come with flying. Check state DOT websites for construction information, plan for routes around, take some good music, an audio book or two, and enjoy the drive. Only in emergencies, or when the fares are ridiculously low (or someone is paying my fare) do I even consider airlines for trips below 800 miles. I plan to backpack in the west next summer. Though its a long way from Missouri to Wyoming and Washington, I expect I’ll be driving.
Also illustrative of the absolute farce that TSA security procedures have become is the fact that their vaunted scanners apparently missed two foot-long pieces of sharpened metal recently.
The crazies that called for the National Opt Out Day, don’t know what they are talking and the majority of our nation flew anyway. As soon as we get another terrorist attack these same crazies will be yelling that our government we were not doing enough to detect them. They have no ideas on what should be implemented instead of what is in place, but I am sure that will call this a victory. What a bunch of empty suits that are just real haters not debaters.
Yeah, nothing like security procedures that miss what they’re designed to detect… as shown in my comment above.
“…the majority of our nation flew anyway.”
Really? 150+ million? Quite the record day for air-travel I would think. No wonder they were only checking a mere 20% in St. Louis.
As the saying goes the modern trend of government is that it exists for the purpose of creating and maintaining jobs for government employees. The stated public purpose for any agencies existence is purely secondary. In point of fact it is essential that the agency does not solve the problem it was created to deal with. Why increase their budget if the problem is contained, and God only knows what would happen to them if the problem was actually put to rest for all eternity? They might lose their jobs.
War is Peace
Freedom is Slavery Ignorance is Strength
Failure is Success