Moran: Feel me up? “so what”
By E M Barner | Friday, November 19th, 2010 | PolicyIt’s a classic question: How much personal liberty ought to be sacrificed in the interest of collective security?
Jim Moran answered that question yesterday with his own characteristic elegance and tact:
“I could care less whether somebody feels me up or somebody sees what I look like without my clothes. You know, so what? I think it’s something you just have to live with.”
That’s a little different from what Benjamin Franklin opined on this subject: “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.” (quoted in Memoirs of the life and writings of Benjamin Franklin, 1818)
Moran’s comments were made in reply to a question from News Channel 8′s Bruce DePuyt about TSA’s controversial new screening procedures that require a “virtual strip search” or an intrusive pat down when going through airport security. Moran’s tone was dismissive as he told us that he doesn’t “have much sympathy for the privacy advocates on that” and that we should all “just go with the flow. That’s life in the 21st century.”
Embedded in Moran’s dismissal of those who raise liberty concerns about the new TSA procedures is a fundamental assumption: that the TSA procedures actually do make us all more secure. And that’s an assumption worth questioning. Any time we are asked to trade liberty for security, we want actual security not just an illusion of it and we want it in the least intrusive way possible. I’m suspicious that TSA is giving us a fool’s bargain and Moran is buying it.
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E M Barner, the blogger formerly known as DCH / De Civitate Hominis (“concerning the city of man”), writes from a Northern Virginia perspective. Barner has been active in Republican politics and policy since 1994 – as a grassroots volunteer, party leader, and professional.
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26 Responses to "Moran: Feel me up? “so what”"
Typical Democrat response, especially since he isn’t subjected to such invasive searches.
Since the bumblers at TSA have never caught anyone, we’re being subjected to these degrading searches to no purpose. While some Americans might be willing to trade liberty for some security, the fact is –as Franklin foresaw — we’re getting neither.
I’m not entirely opposed to the company of useful idiots, but it sure would have been nice to have all this right-wing outrage back when TSA overstepping was getting started.
If I’m going to get felt up by a stranger, I’d prefer dinner and a movie first so we can at least break the ice.
If this populist backlash against the TSA works, I hope we’ll see a follow-up to return many of our other lost liberties such as rolling back government internet surveillance and the excesses of the Patriot Act.
It is interesting to remember that the Fruit of the Loom bomber was in Dec 2009. So DHS can go through Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct without any concern about a repeat but suddenly feel (no pun intended) that peep and grope was the only way to save the show I mean the country. There are currently deployed equipment such as trace machines but the cronies want to sell new boxes.
MB,
You’re right that what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. However, you must admit that the hypocrisy of the left on this issue is assuming mind bending proportions. Useful idiots by the planeload. Strangely enough it was the Dems who first insisted on the creation of DHS and George Bush who said it would turn into a bureaucratic monster. Of course the Dems were only thinking about all the pork barrel spending that could be disguised under “security grants”.
James: There seems to be building momentum for that on ALL sides of the political spectrum.
I don’t care how much you want to “feel me up” as long as I don’t get blown up while on the plane… Times have changed since 2001 and most Americans have forgotten what happened on 911.
Definitely, Steve. Next thing you know, we won’t be able to get raw milk, take nutrion store glucosamine sulfate for arthritis, or save our own seeds for planting……..oh wait a minute…….they are working on that one in the senate and both Webb & Warner voted for cloture.
William, we didn’t even have this level of intrusion after 9-11. You tell that to the cripple they force to remove leg braces or the person with the colostomy bag. Explain to the rape victim why she’s being assaulted by juvenile acting power tripping maniacs .
William: What happened on 9/11 is some cave dwellers with 10th century mentalities got incredibly lucky and had the best day they are ever going to have and managed to crash three planes into buildings and kill a little over 3,000 people.
Even on their best day, they managed to screw up 25% of their mission as some unarmed passengers thwarted them.
As an existential threat they don’t rise to the level of the Nazis, the Imperial Japanese or the Soviets.
So we should all quit wetting our pants and get back to the business of being America, land of the free. And stop letting Paul Blart, Mall Cop, feel us up to get on a damned airplane.
You should have read the Ben Franklin quote in the original post.
And your comments continue to prove my point…
Sorry but if Obama and Congress stopped it today and a plane blew up in the morning, you’d be screeming like a little girl for his/thier heads. Get real and grow up. You and your views are exactly what the “cave dwellers” are counting on to weaken our protection system.
AND last but not least: don’t fly if you don’t want to be searched you big baby….
We have people who’ve sat in torture camps, soldiers and civilians give their lives in the name of freedom and we have a government committing sexual assault in the name of safety.
In an interview last night, Joe Liebermann recommended that we could get a doctor’s note if you had prosthetics and wanted to get through checkpoints easier. Now, our politicians are treating us like we’re school children.
This incompetence reminds me of Napolitano’s H1N1 debacle last year. Remember when the H1N1 strand was supposed to return in fall for the second coming of the black plaque Napolitano’s cure for the plague was wash your hands, cough into your sleeve and stay home. http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1241615110532.shtm
In addition, they couldn’t get enough vaccines manufacture. http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/11/02/prl11102.htm No need for death panels here, they can’t even get to that point.
Don’t blame the TSA agents, I’m sure they’re looking to get 60,000 new union members.
Nearly all terrorist attempts have been a breakdown in Intelligence… But we are all held hostage by an incompetent administration and idiotic congressmen, who’re treating us like children. Just waiting on our next lecture from the messiah… What a winner! And this includes Jim Moron.
I’m amazed that there are a few liberals who still have faith in this administration. Can’t wait until 2012 when we can get a few more out of office. They threw their blue dogs under the bus last election but they don’t have anywhere to hide now.
Thanks, I feel better now…
TSA forces guy to pee on himself:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40291856/ns/travel-news
And William, if TSA agents cause your wife’s or daughter’s breasts to fly out in front of everyone and laugh about it. Then act untouchable…..unfortunately you’ll be forced to just stand there and take it. To do otherwise, would send you to jail and likely as a felon if you reacted like most red blooded Americans would want to.
The arguement for security might be a little better if the system was fool proof. The TSA doesn’t do body cavity searches……yet. Did you hear about the prisoner (not a TSA matter) that was stripped and cavity searched, but still smuggled a pistol under one of his many flabs of fat that they didn’t bother to lift up? He turned the gun in after the fact. You can find ways to get weapons past the TSA.
William, with all due respect sir, the TSA isn’t just groping your genitals. You’re also being psychologically castrated by the state. It won’t stop terror, but it sure as hell will make you a compliant little bitc……erm……baby.
Give me Liberty or give me death, William. To quote the John Kerry looking guy from the movie Pet Cemetery,”Sometimes……dead is better”.
Americans have sat in torture camps, soldiers and civilians give their lives in the name of freedom and our government is committing sexual assault in the name of safety.
In an interview Friday, Joe Liebermann suggested we get a doctor’s note if you have prosthetics or some other health issue to get through checkpoints easier. We’re being treated like children.
This situation reminds me of Napolitano’s incompetence last year with the H1N1 debacle. This epidemic was returning in fall for the second coming of the black plaque. Napolitano’s cure for the plague was wash your hands, cough into your sleeve and stay home. They couldn’t manufacture enough vaccines.
Nearly every terrorist’s attempt has been a result of a breakdown in Intelligence… But we are all held hostage by an incompetent administration and idiotic congressmen, who’re treating us like children. And this includes Jim Moran.
I love how constituents complain about feeling violated and these politicians explain that they do not feel that way, so it must be you. I’m amazed there are a few liberals who still have faith in this administration.
Thanks, I feel better now…
the best thing which is also the most unlikely thing to happen is to turn over security to the airlines. that way each airline can innovate and learn from one another at a much faster rate than the govt resulting in making air travel safer and more efficient.
William – I presume you wear a helmet when you go to the end of your driveway for mail. Have a good life.
Valentinus – there’s nothing inherently wrong with the existence of DHS (or TSA). What’s wrong is the expansion of their powers (and methods) in a way that conflicts with *our* individual rights. And if you want to take a look at the “pork barrel” spending under the guise of security, I think you’ll find that to be a pretty non-partisan activity.
The problem is that those in power tend to try to preserve that power. It isn’t really a function of party, *especially* when it comes to the BS “it’s for security!” explanations. Christ, Murtha (Dem) is probably responsible for the military spending of 10 Republicans. It’s just not an ideological issue, if you’re looking at it in practice. So when we attack one party or another when stupid things like this new TSA policy get dropped in place, we’re just helping the misdirection. Stop it, instead.
Amit – You want to be charged $10 for your half-assed hand job by United? ($8, if you fly Virgin America.)
MB: Not that it matters but I’ve worn a helmet for over 17 years… 20 additional if you consider my military service.
Don’t worry I have a great life. I hope you enjoy the freedoms and safety I’ve given you for 37 years.
YOU have a nice life…
@Amit
Totally agree… just image all the tax payer money that’s being flushed with additional manpower. Airlines would have an invested interest, competition like best practices and would do it far more efficiently.
@MB, I have frequent flyer miles!
@Amit I have doubts concerning turning security over to airlines. Remember when aitlines did screening before TSA. I remember two Air Tran fools doing a “special” search on two NY City detectives. Give me a break.
Then I remember boarding Air Tran flight 45 minutes late because a passenger was arrested on in coming flight. Within 5 minutes of my boarding the plane, Air Tran was threatening to arrest three more people on that flight. I watched the second incident. The problem was the Air Tran people, not the passengers.
Since I have a beard and a darker complexion, I can very easily pass for a middle east terrorist; therefore I have very mixed feelings about all of this.
@Hawkins, that’s the beauty of the Free Market, don’t fly AirTran anymore and let them go out of business. others who are willing to pay $10 less to go through the experience you had are free to do so.
So it’s no surprise that Israeli airport security expert Rafi Sela calls the imaging machines “useless”:
“I don’t know why everybody is running to buy these expensive and useless machines. I can overcome the body scanners with enough explosives to bring down a Boeing 747.”
Israel gave up on centrally-planned security in 1995. Instead, private contractors with money on the line compete for the job. Scanners are not used. The government can fire the worst and pick the best. Would prefer to use private contractors rather then the airline people. Still Free Market.
Gave up on Air Tran which was bought out by Southwest waiting for federal review.
William, given the quality of your contributions to this discussion, I’m pretty comfortable saying that I don’t think you’ve actually contributed much to my freedom, either. But, uh, thanks anyway.
Amit – sorry, no miles can be used on brownout dates.
~
And ahh, the Imaginary Free Market appears again. Bin Laden has more money than everyone here. So clearly, he should win.
The only real way to beat terrorists is to refuse to be terrorized.
(Although the contribution of the drones in Afghanistan is greatly appereciated as well).
MB: You sumed it all up with your comment “I(you) don’t think.” I couldn’t agree with you more…
The best part of having actually contributed to freedom and security for our citizens is knowing all Americans (including morons) benefit from the effort and task. As they say, it is a thankless job…but somebody has to do it.
We need to stop being so Politically Correct,take lessons from Israel on security and implement Israel’s same security systems immediately. They work.
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