While my countrymen danced in the streets over the death of Bin Laden, I was struck by a news story that was overshadowed by our military's amazing accomplishment. It was the story of a former Miss USA who travels a lot, refuses porn scans, and therefore endures "enhanced" pat downs. She's used to them. However, she went through Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport recently and ended up in tears because TSA touched her vagina not once... not twice... not three times... but FOUR times. In her video describing the incident she asks if someone puts a bomb up their rectum one day, will Americans then have to endure a cavity search to get on a plane. Personally, I fear that if that happened then many Americans would willingly bend over and submit to such a search in the name of "safety." You may think that's blowing things out of proportion, but in all fairness we seem to be running low on common sense and backbone in this nation (except for the SEALS who showed exceptional courage on Sunday).
I remember when the porn scans were introduced via the media. I warned my friends not to silently concede to this one. Lawyers swear to uphold and defend the Constitution. I begged my friends to write Congress, TSA, the White House - anyone who would listen - and demand that our rights NOT be taken from us. I was verbally flogged for not caring enough about safety. I care about safety, but this was too big a violation to sit back and passively accept. Yet Americans did just that. Do you really think a porn scan or getting molested at the airport will stop someone intent on destroying us? Terrorists sit around all day every day thinking up ways around our security. No matter how many liberties we give up we will NEVER stop them from coming up with new ways to kill us.
By the way, does it make any sense that the scans can see through everything EXCEPT panties???
Think someone might be lying???
"But," you say, "we haven't had another 9/11 since we started giving up our liberties."
First, we should be ashamed that we've willingly given up any liberty. Second, yes, but 9 years of relative safety have NOT come because of porn scanners and being sexually assaulted by TSA. Those two things didn't exist until recently and therefore cannot be credited with 9 years of safety.
After TSA molested a 3 year old child, a friend posted on Facebook that if they tried it with his daughter there would be hell to pay. I immediately sent him a message and warned him that he no longer had the right to object (because we've given up that right too) and that if he did so he would likely find himself in federal custody indefinitely with no right to an attorney. My friends didn't listen when I warned against the porn scans, I pray this one listens to me now. We've given the government the right to declare anyone who questions the government in an airport or on a plane the right to declare that person a possible enemy combatant WITHOUT A HEARING before a neutral judge (another right we've given up). That possible enemy combatant has NO RIGHT to an attorney (because we gave that one up too) during their indefinite stay with the feds. The height from which America has fallen is staggering! Sad that it's all due to fear. Sadder that it's because we are desperate to control our world. Wanna know a secret? The only thing you have some control over is yourself and your reactions. That's it.
If I were in the military I'd be furious that as I valiantly fight for your freedom, you cowardly piss it away. It makes me angry enough as an attorney. It's time for attorneys to stand up and fight for the Constitution and for the citizens even if they won't fight for themselves. Class action lawsuits should be filed against the government, TSA, and individual agents. You may not like how litigious our nation is, but change only occurs when the status quo costs money. I'd also love to see District Attorneys convict a few TSA workers for Indecency or Sexual Assault when they grab genitals without some sort of probable cause or reasonable suspicion. A couple of convictions might help TSA develop some common sense. Consider the fact that Homeland Security and TSA are adding Agents at such a rapid rate that the odds are a few pervs are applying to work for TSA. After all, it's the only lawful way to molest 3 year olds or anyone else. The following video shows TSA throwing a woman to the ground for questioning them when they asked to see her bare breast to examine her nipple ring. I wonder how long she was detained without a lawyer. It also features 2 TSA victims: a 71 year old man who TSA "pants-ed" in public and a 16 year old handicapped girl who was forced to take her pants down in public. How would you like your grandfather, daughter, or sister treated this way?
Below is the video of the former Miss USA. This woman is someone's daughter and someone's significant other. It could be your loved one next. Shame on us, America! Shame on us for letting it get this far! Go ahead and dance in the street over a dead man - a figurehead - but understand that Bin Laden's real epitaph is this: Bin Laden wanted to terrify America and thereby change what its citizens stood for and the very foundation upon which America rested. RIP Bin Laden, you accomplished your mission. America's been wiping its collective ass with the United States Constitution ever since 9/11. You won.
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." ~Ben Franklin
To sign a petition demanding that Congress do something to stop intrusive pat-downs without probable cause or reasonable suspicion, go to: http://www.susiecastillo.net/
It's a tough world. Get over it.
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