<p>How ironic that people who don’t wish to be subjected to these new procedures are told to “suck it up,” by the very same people who are so very terrified of a one in 1,000,000 (or some other number that rounds to zero), chance that a terrorist will kill them.</p>
<p>I do wonder how those of you who say that Americans should be subjected to any and all indignities ever manage to step outside of your houses in the morning? You are aware that there’s a non-zero probability that you’ll be killed in a car accident–and in fact that probability is much, much higher than the chance of dying in any type of air accident from any cause–pilot error, mechanical failure or terrorism? How do you sleep at night, knowing there’s a non-zero chance that your house will burn down or a home invasion may occur?</p>
<p>I suppose you never take trains either because of the chances of a 7/7 type situation (London Tube bombings in 2005), or the Madrid train bombings (2004 I think)?</p>
<p>I get it that many people cannot comprehend basic cost-benefit analysis (though we all practice this unconsciously), but it’s a sad day when anyone who questions the need for these intrusions is regarded as a coward. Or the opinion of some, who think that those of us who doubt the need for this are ignorant rubes who never set foot on an airplane. Baloney.</p>
<p>If there were any degree of accountability by TSA, or a guarantee that we would not be needlessly humiliated in the process of providing “security,” then those of us who have something to lose in this process would have no problem with it. Apparently many of you think that it’s perfectly A-OK to humiliate anyone with an ostomy appliance because such people are “old,” pitiable, and insignificant. I’m here to tell you that there are many younger, active, and very fit people who have these things. You’d never guess that I had one and I certainly do not want this to be openly displayed at an airport or anywhere else. Why? Because apparently people are sympathetic to the very dreadful things done to women with breast cancer, but anyone who had colon cancer or Crohn’s disease or bladder cancer is apparently fair game to be sneered at and mocked. And I am hearing reports that people with ostomies are being asked to display them (and sorry, this does NOT fall within the same category as a trip to the doctor’s–that anyone can believe that public display to TSA personnel is equivalent to the privacy of the doctor’s office is laughable).</p>
<p>Apparently some TSA people do not know what an ostomy appliance is, so they’ve subjected some unfortunate people to the extra pat-down and/or made them expose the appliance. I went through O’Hare’s scanners last July with no problem and no extra measures, so I am hopeful that at least TSA is able to hire from a higher-quality labor pool here in Chicago and I won’t have problems here. Certainly reason to confine my travel to major cities, which I do anyway.</p>
<p>I am sick and tired of hearing about the need for enhanced security in the wake of 9/11 and the loser “underwear bomber.” The 9/11 guys walked through metal detectors with box cutters, right? And let’s see, the underwear guy’s own father tried to turn him in to the US government (and was ignored), boarded a plane on a one-way ticket paid for with cash, checking no luggage on a transatlantic flight. </p>
<p>But yet those of us who believe these procedures are unnecessarily intrusive are ignorant cowards. Yeah, right.</p>