Every time I read my hero Benjamin Franklin, I cannot help it but mention one of his famous quotes about Liberty and Security in Poor's Richard Almanac that says "Those who would give up essential Liberty to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." And you lose both! Ten years later after 9/11 attacks and the question is asked over and over again: Are we safer than before 9/11? has the TSA made us safer? Is it another big government bureaucracy that has grown into an oblivion size? The problem is definitely bigger than just an aviation industry problem but it is a political and educational problem as well. The motives of these 19 hijackers was to install the fear in the heart of a courageous nation because we have long time have meddled with their internal affairs over the course of the history. What does it do with aviation? As we all know, the hijackers had hijacked four commercial legacy planes and flew three of them into the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and the fourth, United 93, went down in Pennsylvania.
From the business point of view, The TSA since then was added to help assure the American people that the government is taking every measure of security to keep us safe. However, the government has used the TSA Agency as a scapegoat to charge people, businesses, and airlines with extra money to sustain its existence. Not only that, it also has added time inconvenience by making the people take off their, shows, belts, and even their clothes sometimes. It makes people go through screening, search luggage, and added some fancy devices that can even picture peoples' naked bodies. Add to that, the time delays that people go though because of all these procedures. Another irony is, after a decade since the attacks occurred, they TSA lowered the level to normal in the commercial side but hardened it on the business and charter side according to the article. Is that deficiency? You bet it is! The government is ready to put it's hands on anything is private growth in the name of help. Why did they allow to implement the known crewmember program if they were really interested in the safety of the public?
From the political view, the government is so ready to politicize anything just to justify its actions. Even though it may seem off tangent, but it really has to do with the American politics and foreign policy affairs. Had it not been that we have so many military bases in the Middle East countries, aligned with some and demonize others, removing government of other countries through war; we wouldn't have had the 9/11 blowback reaction that happened, we wouldn't be worried about going through TSA screening and delays, and we wouldn't be worried about what to is safe or unsafe to bring with us to airports. If the Secretary of State used its diplomacy more in vetting who wants to come to our country and for what reason, we wouldn't be having this discussion now. There is a good old Jewish saying that says "If your house is made of glass don't throw stones on others." There is actually a Congressman and a GOP Presidential hopeful who talks about TSA malfunction consistently every time on stage and explains them better than I do.
From educational point of view, we rather need to pay attention to the root cause of the problem to treat it than treating its symptoms. We need to offer real solutions to our problems and not a temporary ones. We need to stop meddling with others affairs and mind in our own affairs only as Americans. For those who don't want to live or abide by our way of freedom, they can leave it volunteer or forcibly if necessary. If we do that, we do quit well.
Last but not least, remember what Benjamin Franklin said "Those who would give up essential Liberty to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety." So let us live by our real principals and values that found us as a great nation, and we enjoy both our Liberty and Safety.... http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/04/22/2011-9629/reporting-of-security-issues
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/ALPA+Criticizes+Serious+Deficiency+in+TSA+Firearm+Carriage...-a097895200
I appreciate your thoughts into the root of the terrorism problems. Well-written post. FYI - you didn't really introduce or integrate your links as per our class discussions.
ReplyDeleteI can also see that the problem is big as you describe. The things that caused the attacks to happen and TSA to be formed are still playing around and never been really extracted from the whole picture. For the security issues to be still linked to aviation, I believe you are right.. different aspects of the problem should be properly discussed and solved. However, how about the existence of the security problems long time ago way before 2001? How about valued security guidelines and regulations that are set by authorities like the TSA for the airlines to apply and comply with after being left for decades to make them up for themselves??
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