Denrael

I’ve been reading with interest, as well as posting here, many of the stories from the new TSA procedures. What I find interesting is that in each case, it’s been a reactionary procedure. First the shoe bomber, so we take off our shoes. Next, the underwear bomber so we resort to “enhanced pat-downs” and invasive scanners. If this process continues, those blue gloves the TSA’s wear will soon take on a new meaning when the act of them pulling them on is followed by a “bend over please” comment.

Given the choice between the two, I have been opting out and choosing the pat-down myself. I don’t do it as a protest, but because I am not convinced that I trust Janet Napolitano for trusted medical advice. I’ve seen too many contradictory stories on the safety of the new scanners, and given the amount that I fly, I am not willing to take the additional risk brought about by the scanners. That being said, there has to be a better way, because playing catch-up never works.

People have pointed to the Israeli system as a model. I agree with the critics that say as they do it, it’s not scalable for the United States. So, what do we do? A few years ago, I joined a group called Clear. Their goal was for frequent flyers to have a less painful security experience in exchange for biometric data, a background check, and I think about $150. Unfortunately the process was a flop because the best they could do was offer skips in line. Once you were handed off to the TSA, it was the same procedure as before. 

It seems however that there is a concept here that could be built upon. A large percentage of traveler’s are frequent traveler’s. Business people who just need to get from point A to point B, and are willing to pay for convenience. I know I would be more than happy to pay annually for a full background check if it was used for profiling at the airport. Now we are not talking about profiles based on race, religion or anything of that nature, but on hard data generated by potentially the FBI. Set up the biometric scanners to insure that I am who I claim, and then allow me to walk through a metal detector with my shoes on, and leave my laptop in my bag. This has the advantage of speeding up the overall screening process, as well as allowing TSA to focus their more intensive efforts on those who haven’t had a background check. Now, perhaps the Israeli methods can be adopted as we are dealing with a smaller percentage.

If we add to the mix the fact that the airlines have a pretty good pattern of my travel, and use changes in behavior there as an added pre-screen, you now are getting much more effective, and convenient intel for decision making.

This doesn’t address the patting down of women and children. It is not a complete solution. It is a proactive step that at least to me makes sense. As for the rest, as much as Ms. Napolitano would like us to believe that the TSA are finely trained professionals, they are not. Trained yes, but still ordinary people doing a thankless task with quite often, union mentality. We need look no further than the Denver masturbation, the overheard comment of an agent to his back room scanner partner of “we’ve got a hot one coming through, or the invasive pat downs of elderly because they made a mistake and sent a bottle of water through. These are actions of people who are trained to follow explicit procedures, or people who poor hiring practices have placed in positions for which they are obviously ill-equipped.

Benjamin Franklin said words many years ago which are no less true today:

“People willing to trade their freedom for temporary security deserve neither and will lose both.”

The TSA is telling us we need give up our freedoms here in the name of alleged safety. There are other solutions, and other approaches. It is up to us, as the employers of government, and citizens of this country to demand of our government that they find those solutions. As I said above, I am choosing the pat down, not by choice, but because my job requires travel. I am vocally objecting each time however, and I will continue to challenge any TSA agent who fails to act in a professional manner. For the most part, I have dealt with TSA agents who are trying to do their job and follow the rules laid down for them. I don’t condemn them, but their bosses who are trying to convince the public that they know what they are doing.