[aneth4]

Why is this always brought up? I fly several times a month. While the TSA is an annoyance and has silly policies, they have always been curteous and efficient. The only consideration I have for the TSA is that I can't bring knives on the plane and I need an extra 15 minutes for the line. Other than that they are innocuous to me.

[kevinpet]

I do not fly, and I have no intention of flying until I can do so without getting treated like a criminal.

You may have a different opinion. It gets brought up because not all of the world shares your opinion.

[aneth4]

I don't find the experience of the TSA remotely like being a criminal. It's rather clear you have no idea what criminals are treated like.

Generally the TSA x-rays my bags looking for weapons and makes me walk through a metal detector, then I go on my way. Sometimes the line is 15-20 minutes, though usually it's less than 5. Sometimes there's a millimeter wave body scanner that some might find intrusive - personally I couldn't care less if a TSA employee sees my junk, and those that object can opt for a pat down. Those that object to being touched might be better served by a therapist than a plane ride.

This objection to flying because of the TSA is a psychological problem on your part and has nothing to do with reality. Unless you are carrying prohibited items - knives, liquids, etc - you will almost never encounter a problem with the TSA. Sure, the rule may be arbitrary and ridiculous, but they are not particularly onerous or oppressive either. I certainly make comments on bad policies and advocate for change. The system is nowhere close to the gestapo crazies seem to make it out to be.

Of course, you're likely psychotically obsessed so this will mean nothing to you, but get some help.

[jlgreco]

That's nice for you that you don't mind an invasion of privacy and think that those who do need to see a therapist. I love how you pretend to diagnosis mental health issues over the internet, maybe I should get into that game...

Your claim that they do not treat people as criminals because you don't mind or encounter trouble is laughable. Some of us don't have a case of Stockholm Syndrome to sooth the abuse.

Of course as someone who sympathizes with and advocates for your aggressors you won't understand where I am coming from, but get some help.

[kevinpet]

I can only extrapolate how criminals are treated from how we dealt with "detainees" in Iraq. The biggest difference is that at ECP2 in Fallujah, we only stuck our hands down the pants of people who we were detaining.

[marshray]

> It's rather clear you have no idea what criminals are treated like.

"I'm going to feel with my glove inside your waistband now..."

[aneth4]

Indeed, and I'll repeat:

"It's rather clear you have no idea what criminals are treated like."

[marshray]

Is that really the relevant issue here? How actual criminals are treated, or the degree to which I personally understand it?

[aneth4]

You represented that TSA treats you like a criminal, which implies a vastly different type of treatment than what actually occurs.

TSA have always treated me and everyone I know decently. Airport security is basically the same as it was 30 years ago. It's really disgusting and irresponsible to attack the TSA for carefully and respectfully enforcing regulations. I have no problem attacking idiotic regulations and regulators.

[duaneb]

I have a lot of anxiety about being trapped—once you enter security it's difficult to justify leaving before your flight, which is inevitably delayed, and all along you have to pay hand over fist just to get the same bottle of water you could have bought for a tenth the price at the gas station outside the airport. Oh, and all of this is on top of the stress of being mistakenly identified as a criminal.

And, of course, there's the taxpayer money wasted—if we're going to employ that many people it may as well be doing something useful rather than attempting to stop all possible methods of bringing down an explosive tin can tens of thousands of feet in the air.