UPDATE: More on TSA sexual molestation.
There is building resistance to the new body scanners being used at airports. The response of Janet Napolitano is typical of clueless progressives in power. More of her idiocy here.
when Janet Incompetano (as Mark Steyn calls her) was asked if Muslim women sporting hijabs would have to go through the same full-body pat downs, she equivocated and said, “adjustments will be made where they need to be made” and “With respect to that particular issue, I think there will be more to come.”
And more wisdom from Big Sis:
But, she said, “if there are adjustments we need to make to these procedures as we move forward, we have an open ear. We will listen.”
She added that “if people want to travel by some other means,” they have that right.
I’m sure the airlines will be pleased to hear that. In fact, there is an alternative.
The 2001 law creating the TSA gave airports the right to opt out of the TSA program in favor of private screeners after a two-year period. Now, with the TSA engulfed in controversy and hated by millions of weary and sometimes humiliated travelers, Rep. John Mica, the Republican who will soon be chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, is reminding airports that they have a choice.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out. There is growing resistance to the high handedness of the TSA.
There’s some really deep feeling brewing out there about the TSA’s newly intensified searches of airline passengers. I’m wondering what potential this very particular issue has for skewing politics more generally.
Think about why this issue has such a strong emotional impact: The government wants to see you naked or grope your genitals. It is conditioning an important aspect of personal freedom — flying in airplanes — on your resigning yourself — and your children — to sexual assault. I was chatting with someone the other day who seemed more angry about this than any other political issue.
This is more big government reaching into every aspect of life, even your underwear. The most ridiculous aspect of this is the searching of the pilots. Pilots are starting to rebel and I don’t blame them a bit. Why would a pilot need a bomb when he is in control of the airplane?
Undoubtedly airports will choose this opt-out option, but I expect lawsuits will follow. The most likely pioneers will be smaller airports that cater to wealthier clientele. This situation reminds me of public vs. private schools and mimicking education, the private sector will be ahead with customer satisfaction, and more importantly security.