While I disagree with a large number of TSA policies, I have found TSA officers to be thoroughly professional and nearly always courteous. The anti-TSA bandwagon on HN seems to be the product of people who don't travel much basing their opinions on a few rants or CNN coverage, or perhaps just general anti-authority bitterness.
I've flown at least once a month for 10 years, domestically and internationally, and almost never have a negative experience with TSA personel. While I hate taking off my shoes, turning off my phone, and find the liquid rules particularly ridiculous, I have found that TSA agents have more than met my expectations of professionalism in implementing policies over which they have no control.
Millions of people travel every day. A few bad encounters can be expected. Don't be an asshole and tear down the employees of the TSA because of a few anecdotal occurrences. In doing so, you are just as bad as an ignorant talking head on Fox News. Think and put yourself in others shoes before you rant.
I think you're making a straw man. The anti-TSA bandwagon is not due to the fact that a small but significant number of TSA agents are very rude.
It's more due to the fact that a massive and totally unaccountable police force has been created that violates people's rights left and right, and has also been shown to be almost totally ineffective, despite costing billions of dollars.
Meanwhile, the federal goverment seems to have everything wiretapped. We now life in a "turnkey totalitarian state." [1]
This seems to bode quite badly for the future of the American experiment in individual rights.
I love how anti-TSA supporters seem to forget that EVERY country has a "massive and totally unaccountable police force" that "violates people's rights left and right".
It's just American's anti-police, anti-government, anti-authority streak that cause them to rise up against it.
And there is a substantial view round the rest of the planet that America is a "massive and totally unaccountable police force" that it "violates people's rights left and right", as discussed here, for one example, when certain web sites get taken down and people who have never stepped foot in the USA suddenly have to be sent there to face American "justice", which Americans them selves seem most uncomfortable with.
It's just American's anti-police, anti-government, anti-authority streak that cause them to rise up against it.
No, it's called the principle of individual rights. The founding principle of the US, totally unique for its time. Now, it's mostly out the window, but it's still in our blood to some degree, as it should be. Also, limited government.
And not only does the TSA totally trample these American principles, but as others have pointed out, it's a much worse unaccountable police force than can be found in most other Western countries.
This seems a massive overstatement of the powers of the TSA. They pat you down for weapons before getting on a plane. While it may not be justified or to your agreement, I just don't see how this undermines fundamental freedoms in the US and sets us up for tyranny. I worry about court hearing free forfeitures and surveillance. The TSA pat downs of children? Don't give a shit. Fight a battle worth fighting. Body scans at airport entrances are not part of an inevitable road to tyranny.
I don't know why you got downvoted, but FYI, I voted your comment up.
Remember, the TSA does not exist in isolation. By itself, maybe not a part of the road to tyranny. But look at the broader context (e.g., the government wiretapping everything, political parties that seem to be a complete farce, broken educational system, etc.).
The TSA shows that the government can and will arbitrarily inject itself anywhere in life, potentially under completely flimsy premises. As an American with a basic education in the history of our country, it seems just obvious to me that it was totally wrong for the government to ever have gotten involved with screening airline passengers. (I realize lots of people who know our history do not see it that way, though.) To me, this is very scary.
So again, it's not about the pat downs; that is not the cause, it's just the highly disgusting effect. People worried about TSA pat downs and scanners for their own sake are missing the boat.
I've flown at least once a month for 10 years, domestically and internationally, and almost never have a negative experience with TSA personel. While I hate taking off my shoes, turning off my phone, and find the liquid rules particularly ridiculous, I have found that TSA agents have more than met my expectations of professionalism in implementing policies over which they have no control.
Millions of people travel every day. A few bad encounters can be expected. Don't be an asshole and tear down the employees of the TSA because of a few anecdotal occurrences. In doing so, you are just as bad as an ignorant talking head on Fox News. Think and put yourself in others shoes before you rant.