IP: THREE more on Public anger on the rise over airport searches

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

For the pile of new Ipers caused by the Wired article, I must repeat that I
don't necessarily agree with all views I send out on IP. I try to expose
Ipers to the high variety of world views especially on controversial
subjects.   Dave


------ Forwarded Message
From: Nathan Cochrane <ncochrane () theage fairfax com au>
Organization: The Age newspaper
Reply-To: ncochrane () theage fairfax com au
Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 09:05:53 +1100
To: farber () cis upenn edu
Subject: Re: IP: Public anger on the rise over airport searches

It's inevitable: the world's "greatest democracy" has turned overnight
into a fascist state and the sorts of people who were screaming loudest
for safety are the ones reaping the whirlwind. The terrorists won not
when the towers collapsed, but when Americans' love of freedom imploded.

------ End of Forwarded Message

å
------ Forwaårded Message
From: gerry-faulhaber () mchsi com
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 14:58:50 +0000
To: farber () cis upenn edu
Subject: Re: IP: Public anger on the rise over airport searches

About the Horrigan's 3-year-old; seems outrageous, but
terrorists are not above hiding a weapon/bomb on a child.

During the frantic evacuation of Saigon in 1975,
soldiers were instructed to search every Vietnamese
climbing into the helicopters.  Upon direct orders from
an officer, soldiers even looked into an infant's dirty
diaper...and found a grenade.

This is not to excuse groping, harassment, and the
stupid stuff that seems to be occurring in airports
these days.  But it does say that children should not be
beyond search, sad to say.

I should add that I just did a trip from Philadelphia to
Denver and return.  The security checks were much more
thorough and professional than 2 months ago; random
searches were conducted pleasantly, with security
personnel friendly and joking with the searched
passengers, and the passengers responding similarly.
There was no harassment; both passengers and security
personnel knew what had to be done and got on with the
job as painlessly as possible.  I was expecting the
worst at Philadelphia Airport, but it didn't happen.
Perhaps I should count myself lucky.

Gerald Faulhaber

------ End of Forwarded Message

------ Forwarded Message
From: Mikki Barry <ooblick () ego org>
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 2002 10:08:03 -0500
To: <farber () cis upenn edu>
Subject: Re: IP: more on  Public anger on the rise over airport searches

I'm sorry to say that you shouldn't expect a private pilot license to
substantially change things.  Currently, general aviation pilots are the
latest scapegoats in a society that attempts to restrict the instrumentality
of a crime rather than the crime itself.  In this case, the instrumentality
was too powerful (the airline industry) therefore they are going after those
who have less money, organization, or ability to lobby.

In Maryland, a group of legislators attempted to pass a bill that would have
mandated full FBI background checks and fingerprinting for anyone receiving
broadly defined "aviation instruction."  The sponsor withdrew the bill when
enough general aviation pilots wrote to complain, giving us one victory
thusfar.  Other states are right behind in attempting to further regulate
this "dangerous industry."  Three airports near Washington, DC including the
oldest continually operating airport in the United States are closed to all
but pilots who were based there prior to 9/11 who have gone through full
background checks, fingerprinting, and special security briefings and
procedures.  No other pilots may visit these airports.

While you study for your private pilot certificate, don't make the mistake
of identifying yourself as a pilot in any way at a commercial airport or you
may face further scrutiny than other passengers.  One flight student who
attempted to read his private pilot study guide on an aircraft was escorted
off and back to the gate by the air marshal.  Seems he had an accent.  That
plus a desire to be a pilot made him a "threat."  The accent was Israeli,
but that didn't dissuade the marshal.

Federal officials have made statements that they wish to use the background
check/fingerprinting as a template for all general aviation activities.
There is currently a public comment period for objections to the current
security plan in place at College Park, Potomac, and Hyde fields near
Washington.  The information can be found at http://dms.dot.gov./search/
The docket number is 11580.

No other means of transportation has been subjected to the scrutiny that
general aviation has since 9/11.  No other population of American citizens
has been subjected to these types of regulatory procedures to access their
own property or public facilities since 9/11.  And now, the vast majority of
that population is no longer allowed to enjoy some of those public
facilities for which we contribute tax dollars because of an unnamed
perceived threat.  

------ End of Forwarded Message
> From an anonymous Iper

Dave,

While I certainly won't be calling any radio stations to report on it,
(and as a corollary I'd appreciate anonymity if you choose to relay this
to IP) I thought I'd share a similar story regarding the fallibility of
today's stringent security measures:

I recently completed a wonderful 10 day trip to Malaysia, including
Kuala Lumpur and a beautiful island up near the Thai border called
Langkawi.  In my carry-on backpack, I inadvertently brought a pocket
knife that I had failed to remove from a prior, pre September 11 trip.
Upon our arrival in Kuala Lumpur, I was shocked to find the pocket knife
lying there at the bottom of the backpack, as it had passed undetected
through security checkpoints in Oakland and LAX.  Out of curiosity, I
kept it and started a little research project to see how many times I
could bring this thing through metal detectors.  In the end, I got it
through 7 security checkpoints, in 4 different airports and 3 different
countries (Oakland, LAX x2, int'l & domestic, Kuala Lumpur x2, Langkawi
and Taipei on the return connection)!  Something is very amiss here.
The knife was at the far bottom of a very full backpack.

B....




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