What is your view on all the fuss this week about pat-downs as part of security measures at U.S. airports?

This issue got 100 times more attention this week than it has gotten in the past five years. It deserves that much attention as a civil rights issue and as a terrorist prevention issue.

Just in the past few days, many GOP people have come out against scanning and frisking, and I believe that is a first. Some airports might now use private contractors instead of the TSA, which is a first for major airports. Pilots have been exempted from some scrutiny. Kids under 12 have also gotten a pass. And many many smart people have come forward to help Pistole see that this is not "the only way."

Who knows if people are too afraid or resigned to push for more changes. Still, more attention, more scrutiny of unelected but powerful officials, and more consideration of alternatives is always a good thing. Tyner speaking out for his junk has given Americans a rallying cry AND a lot to be thankful for.

Unfortunately in this day and age, these sorts of security precautions are going to become more common. I have no doubt that some TSA officers do their job badly, but I would say most handle a thankless and boring job as best as they can.

I think that travelers have to meet them half way and realize that these measures are there for our protection, no matter how inconvenient. If travelers approach the pat-down with that in mind and be patient, and not yell out about civil rights and make a scene, then the whole thing will be over in a minute.

If there are special considerations for medical, religious or whatever reason, then a passenger can quietly inform the TSA officer and that will be taken into consideration by a reasonable worker.

I've been patted down, although not in the US. It's not such a big deal, and when approached with humour (they usually search the people WITH the suspect rather than the suspect himself, which means they suspected my hubby lol) it's hard not to laugh at how ludicrous it all is.

Frankly I think those Americans doing all the whining are making a big fuss for nothing, and being totally selfish too as they wanted to cause every US holiday traveler nothing but total chaos. No, it's not nice to be searched, or to be suspected. But it's nothing to being blown to pieces. Priorities people, priorities.

No big deal(I got patted down this summer at Pearson in Toronto) but it is another reason to avoid that place.

In the end all the hands-on, gubmint-in-your-trousers liberal fascism just strengthens the Tea Party Movement. So while I oppose the invasive pat-downs and the scanners - neither of which Israel uses in its far more successful battle against the enemy that Obama's indoctrination won't allow him to name - there is a silver lining in this latest unforced error by our rookie president.

No big deal.

It's a violation of constitution, human rights and many assault and sexual harassment laws in most states.

Moreover, government lied about the scanners as they do cause scanners and can store images.

TSA workers are often unprofessional and do not respect the rights of passengers.

Statements such as "your rights were taken away when you puchased ticket" are wrong and absurd. Any lawyer could make a very simple case against that.

If it's a girl, no problem. If it's a dude, big, big, big problem.

They should go back to just metal detectors and wands. From 2001 to 2009 they had no backscatter/milimeter wave machines or pat downs....so you could say that flying from 2001 to 2009 was very unsafe? I don't think so. This whole new thing is just "Security theater", security countermeasures intended to provide the feeling of improved security while doing little or nothing to actually improve security.

It is actually all just a huge conspiracy by the latex lobbyists. Don`t they use a new pair of latex gloves with every pat down? Hmm.

Just another attempt by the 'hidden' US war mongers, to keep the terrorism is everywhere illusion going.

Why do they do this? Control, Dictatorship by Stealth, Generate Artificial Fear, Keep the government buying weapons, Keep the military & security cash-conveyor belt moving.

Who owns the US military & security suppliers? What is their relationship and connection to the higher powers/decision makers within government? Vested interest I hear rationale thinkers say....

Whilst the average uninformed Joe public thinks their government is looking after their safety.. With ridiculous comments like "I don't mind my civil rights and privacy being invaded, if it makes the country safe"... Yeah right - the real enemy is a lot closer to you than you think.

I agree that it's theater. So it's OK to trash constitutional right and subject some to humiliation and embarrassment or unnecessary radiation, but not OK to profile? So granny and her 4 year old grand daughter are subjected to "enhanced" patdowns or full body scanned? Does this make sense to anyone? Do Americans look at that and say "that's logical?" Reeealy? And for those who think that scanned images will never be made public, I'm willing to make anyone a 10,000 yen wager that we will see photos of scanned images made public before these scanners catch a terrorist or anyone with explosives. Any takers?

Its unfortunate but America has lost many freedoms. Now, full body including but not limited to genital pat-downs are a normal part of air travel in the US.

I don't look forward to flying to and around the US.

Photos of these scanned images are already floating round, prevention of the terroist threats is not the reason these pat downs are happening, it is just an excuse!!

Next time i travel to the U.S. and there is a female on duty at the border i am going to demand a vigorous pat down and then request a second opinion.................

I think the fuss is entirely warranted. The US govt. should use an ounce of commonsense and rely heavily on racial and other types of profiling. It is absoultely stupid to pat down grandmother's genitals. I'm sorry but it is unacceptable.

Who wants to look at scanned images of unknown travellers? Only weirdos. anyway, not like they are particulalrly revealing. Still, must be better ways of doing this. Israel does it just fine without scanners.

Just another small reason why I don't like to take airplanes.

Kind of don't like it at all. But.

"a female on duty at the border i am going to demand a vigorous pat down and then request a second opinion"..

Unless she looks like a United Flight Attendant!

Got my weasel grabbed by a sweet Korean thing several years ago in Kimpo (Gimpo) But, would not like Uncle Bill getting grabby in S.F.

american_bengoshi at 01:58 PM JST - 26th November I think the fuss is entirely warranted. The US govt. should use an ounce of commonsense and rely heavily on racial and other types of profiling. It is absoultely stupid to pat down grandmother's genitals. I'm sorry but it is unacceptable.

But perhaps grandmother is a terrorist? Would you exempt a man from suspicion of hostile intent just because he's old? I wouldn't exempt either of them, although 99.9% of the time (or more) they'll be innocent. But then so am I, and I'm not old, or young, or a grandmother. Are grandmothers the only exception? If only they could invent a motive reader, then it would be easy to travel without fear of a terrorist being on board.

Profiling travellers is the best approach

I'm heavily invested in the firms making the X-Ray technology. We're working on expanding it globally to courthouses, bus stations, train stations and the like. This is all about making us rich; it has nothing to do with actual safety.

The underwear bomber flew in from Nigeria. Security is no better there now. It should be obvious that enriching ourselves is the true goal here, but people don't get it.

"you better not touch my junk"

My daughter is 13 now. That means when we travel to the states for the holidays she'll get her first plane ride, and molestation in one trip. God I'm so happy to be an American.

I think they're going to catch just as many terrorists this way as they did before. Someone willing to blow themselves up in the name of religion probably doesn't care if it's via lighting their underwear on fire, their shoes, or sticking a bomb in their rectum.

What's really ridiculous about this is that people who have the option will simply NOT FLY. Which is the last thing the airlines want.

What's to stop a terroist from walking in to the airport and blowing himself up in the terminal, doesnt need to be on plane to kill people and get his twisted religious message across does he.

He would probably be able to kill more pople by doing that than by doing it on a plane.

All the fuss?

Not trying to sway people with this title, are you, JT ?

All the fuss is about the gradual and definate loss of liberty common people are experiencing under the guise of anti-terrorism.

Perhaps we could have the miniskirt police doing similar pat-downs when we enter Japan...

Pamelot makes a great point. "The majority" of American people think of this as "fuss", but then the majority are rarely concerned with issues of rights. "Common wisdom" is neither, as they say.

It looks like the mainstream press are slowly turning from the issue, but the op-ed pages are on fire. And it is not the usual suspects, either. Roger Ebert, who has to wear bandages on his neck, has some things to say about medical privacy and the wisdom of letting 12 dollar an hour employees handle beams of radiation. Dave Barry, Penn and Teller, Popular Mechanics, Wired, even airline workers' blogs have not let up. And every one of them brings up new and original points. And each has reader comments that are more intelligent than anything I have heard come out of Pistole's mouth.

Tyranny of the majority and casting this as "fuss" is the only thing that will protect this policy.

asahi-man.

Agree there, Terrorist look for targets with the maximum impact.

I would not be surprised if a suicide bomber visits a Ball-game or similar or if a Stadium, Mall, Parade, etc becomes a target.

That is how terrorists strike, at an unexpected target while causing lots of damage to get the best effect.

tokyokawasaki: Just another attempt by the 'hidden' US war mongers, to keep the terrorism is everywhere illusion going. Why do they do this? Control, Dictatorship by Stealth, Generate Artificial Fear, Keep the government buying weapons, Keep the military & security cash-conveyor belt moving.

Oh is that why they do it? Well before pat downs and scanners how did they maintain the control? What were the "other attempts"?

Oh is that why they do it? Well before pat downs and scanners how did they maintain the control? What were the "other attempts"?

The Cold War?

When in line at the cashier yesterday there was a father with two 5/6yr old daughters buying coffee/soda. I thought of the pat/down grope TSA situation and I know that I could not do something like that to kids so young or even teens. Cultures are different, but for a culture based on freedom and liberty (at one time) it is bizarre and I believe this type of pat/down grope behavior should be discouraged. I highly doubt President Obama would allow these pat-downs gropes on his own kids.

dammit:

" But perhaps grandmother is a terrorist? Would you exempt a man from suspicion of hostile intent just because he's old? "

Take a look at the real-life suicide bombers/pilots that we have had so far and show us the ones who do not meet the basic criteria: 1. young, 2. muslim, 3. male.

Please! Bring up the Western geezers with bombs, which should be there in a politically correct world.

Dave Barry, Penn and Teller, Popular Mechanics, Wired, even airline workers' blogs have not let up.

Penn and Teller are basically Libertarians. P M did a great job debunking 9-11 Truther idiocy. Wired has come down on Obama and the authoritarian Left for their Orwellian "net neutrality." I am not surprised to see these guys taking the lib media to task.

Obama and the authoritarian Left for their Orwellian "net neutrality."

I don't think "Orwellian" means what you think it does.

Or is the Colbert shtik just going over my head?