print(Rep.) Ron Paul does the right thing with characteristic brevity. As WND.COM reports, Paul’s H.R. 6416 “is just two sentences long, stating:
No law of the United States shall be construed to confer any immunity for a federal employee or agency or any individual or entity that receives federal funds, who subjects an individual to any physical contact (including contact with any clothing the individual is wearing), X-rays, or millimeter waves, or aids in the creation of or views a representation of any part of a individual’s body covered by clothing as a condition for such individual to be in an airport or to fly in an aircraft. The preceding sentence shall apply even if the individual or the individual’s parent, guardian, or any other individual gives consent.
“‘We have seen the videos of terrified children being grabbed and probed by airport screeners. We have read the stories of Americans being subjected to humiliating body imaging machines and/or forced to have the most intimate parts of their bodies poked and fondled,’ Paul said.”
“‘This TSA version of our rights looks more like the ‘rights’ granted in the old Soviet Constitutions, where freedoms were granted to Soviet citizens – right up to the moment the state decided to remove those freedoms.'”
UPDATED I: TSA Animals Animated.
UPDATE II (Nov. 18): I agree with Myron that the Paul bill must provide for probable cause searches, as the Israelis do. More in my WND column, tonight. Does Paul exclude those provisions? I would have preferred a reiteration of the Fourth Amendment.
Go Ron… Get the stinkin Federales outta our lives
Thank you congressman Paul. He seems to be the only member of Congress that gives a damn about this issue.
(Video) San Mateo DA vows to prosecute TSA assaults at SFO
http://dailypaul.com/node/149699
Ron introducing HR 6416 on the floor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-N5adYM7Kw
Why would Obama’s TSA initiate such deliberately offensive screening procedures hard on the heels of a major electoral defeat? The resulting public fury and pushback is absolutely predictable. What will happen to the credibility of Constitutionalists and others if a major “terrorist incident” involving aircraft (whether real or manufactured) takes place shortly after the TSA walks back from its controversial new screeing methods?
I smell a set up.
Even those who are willing to accept some “inconvenience” in the name of security have to wonder if the cargo, baggage, etc. are being subjected to the same intense scrutiny. I wonder too.
Way to go Mr. Ron Paul. Given the “let ’em cake” mentality of the Department of Homeland Security, this is something I want to see passed!
We are seeing many signs of the quote by John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”.
That animated feature is priceless. The quivering, the leering, the naked airplane… Ilana, could this be the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back?
This video is hilarious!
Actually, I would permit more intrusive searching upon REASONABLE SUSPICION with the caveats that the number of people searched be less than 1% of the flying population and that statistics be gathered on the TSA stop/frisks, the rationales, abuses, and the false alarms.
However, I would also exempt from the moronic and frivolous shoe fondling / liquid confiscation: aircraft crew, children and elderly traveling domestically with family, uniformed military, employees with Defense Department common access cards, and those “frequent fliers” who have a updated photo-ID indicating passing security screening … possibly everyone [with “reasonable suspicion” exceptions in rare cases].
Now, when Umar Underpantabomber, a single Yemeni guy traveling with no luggage, no contacts in America, no speaka-da-English – wants to board the plane – THEN the TSA can give him the 3rd degree. To that extent, Paul’s bill may be constitute an excessive meat-axe on the side of liberty. The 4th Amendment did not outlaw all searches but placed LIMITS on searches.
Still, the BEST thing is for the airlines themselves to take responsibility to get their passengers safely on the airplane without stripping, starving, and fondling them. Whatever happened to private enterprise and RESPONSIBILITY?
Myron is right. Except his solution calls for common sense and, gasp, “profiling”. Most Americans have lost the common sense required to use common sense so we have to fall back on no-brainer solutions such as unwillingness to profile.