[OldManMac]

Originally Posted by loki74

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Back on topic:
Another part of eliminating terror is security. I do not think that this random stuff is effective. We need to profile. But that is not what the ACLU is pushing for. They are pushing for no extra security. Figuratively speaking, they want us to go into a blizzard in our underwear. This is so obviously ridiculous.

PS LaGow, I'm still waiting for an answer.

You're right; another part of eliminating terror is security. Unfortunately, the Department of Homeland Security has been underfunded from the first day of its existence, as it's creation was really nothing more than a sham, to give the public the impression that the federal government was doing something about terrorism. The Dept. is a huge conglomeration of formerly separate agencies, and any one who thinks that combining all these agencies will make them more efficient and effective needs to buy some prime land I have for sale. Trying to protect every aspect of our existence and every physical plant that could be subject to attack is an impossible task, and so few seem to realize that. We could live in a total bubble, which is safe from outside attack, if we really wanted to, but the costs would be incalculable. Life is full of risks, daily, but we have been hoodwinked into believing that terrorists now live under our beds and are out to kill us all. When I was a child, the big scare was communism, and we used to have air raid drills, where we would hide under our school desks, to protect us from the evil Red Menace. There is no security in this world, unless you want to wrap yourself in an indestructible bubble, and I don't know of any such item available yet.

The solution to terrorism is actually rather simple; we stop sending our oil dollars to countries that claim to be our friends, and their source for funding terrorism dries up. Unfortunately, for far too many that's too painful a choice.

[olePigeon]

I heard this on the radio today (just got a new radio for my pickup.) The guy had one of the lawyers from the ACLU on. I don't remember what the show was, but the radio host was up in arms about it just like you (I was initially, too.)

However, after having the ACLU guy on things were cleared up and it turned out to be overhyped media crap. This is a one-time lawsuit they're doing on behalf of a woman who was detained for several hours while they checked her purse, cosemtics bag, all her makeup items, and other personal affects, as well as did stuff like physical exams.

The reason they claimed was because the only item she had was a carry on (her purse) and was flying on a one-way ticket out of a major airport.

I'm not sure on this one, I think it's a toss up. Lots of people fly the way she did, I'm wondering if it was just random that she got picked for a search. It happened to my brother once, he was at the airport for 4 hours while they questioned him.

It also happened to my brother's calculus teacher. His name happened to be the exact same name as one that's on the Federal watch list. He was detained for several hours and questioned.