Not only that, but it's getting you used to having an intrusive government agency regularly invading your privacy. Watch it expand...we already have the VIPR teams on trains and other transportation, soon they'll have guns, and then maybe they'll even be at roadside checkpoints. It will happen so gradually that the majority of Americans won't even bat an eye, because they'll hype some random incident in the media to make you think that you'll be better off with them unconstitutionally prying into every aspect of your life.

I think your point is more salient. Once citizens accept that it's OK for a TSA agent to fondle their wife and kids in an "official manner", "for 9/11", they'll submit to almost anything.

Much easier when ~35% of citizens work for state/Fed govt.

During roman rule, those 35% would be called the praetorian class. They would be obeying the ruling class's demands to intimidate the proletariat class. It seems history is repeating itself, just with different wording.

Interesting. But maybe it's simpler than that; history is the same today as it always was, rewritten by the victors.

There are periods in history with lower amts of war, hopefully we can get back there, then move beyond it all together.

We're in the end of the Pax Americana, IMO. We've had the Pax Romana, Pax Mongolica, Pax Britania, etc. Those times of peace were always followed by a time of conflict. It's the natural way of balancing out an unnatural global balance of power. It's a utopian perspective to think that we as a limited species will ever accomplish an eternal peace on earth.

All of these peaces were attained by decades of brutal violence and repression, what we're seeing now is simply the chickens coming home to roost.

It's a utopian perspective to think that we as a limited species will ever accomplish an eternal peace on earth.

They said the same thing about slavery for thousands of years. We're not there yet, but close.

You are probably right. Acclimatize us to being no more than "cows" into a paddock.

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Well that's a shitty way to go about it. I say fuck them...let em try. I don't do illegal shit, but when they bring the fight to my doorstep I'm gonna tell em to fuck themselves. Untill my rights are no longer existent, I won't submit.

Well, good luck getting on an airplane or crossing a border with that attitude.

I dont plan on it. And if you plan on living in a world like that then your a fucking coward. If you dont stand up for your rights, you are just as bad as the people that take them away. The constitution doesn't give you rights...it reminds you that you already had them. But that's ok cause you don't need those pesky freedoms anyway. Go on...roll over...good boy!

le sarcasm

I try. :-)

So, armchair warrior, what are you doing to stand up to the system other than posting stuff online?

Minding my own business, how about you?

TSA Agent, "We saw Bitcoin in your bag and need to check."

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Not sure if sarcasm

It is just Hitler/Stalin with 2010s technology.

Have you only just realised?

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Good on you for posting here. While you may not be the first to notice what's happening, you are nowhere close to being the last.

I personally think it was more about selling those fucking machines to the government. Kind of like pork barrel spending in budget bills. That and they had to look like they were doing something about 9/11 even if they knew it wouldn't be terribly effective.

That being said, the main new thing they can control with the new machines is money smuggling, which could defeat metal detectors but not the x-ray machines.

Think about it, they were already controlling the movement of people pre-9/11.

Michael Chertoff had a large financial interest in machines that were designed to look in peoples' panties and lo and behold . . . the government sets up the underwear bomber.

Soon TSA will be at all sporting events, shopping malls, subway stations, train stations, and it will keep going from there. Of course this is about subjugating the people and not about security. I thought that was common knowledge.

But it's "for your safety" so you cannot dare question this or else you want the "terrorists" to win, you freedom-loving hippy. Now get back in line.

Good thoughts!

Most people are unknowingly programmed emotionally with the "fear gene" and believe big brother will always be there when in fact the public can take tare of itself.

Sponsored black projects have been testing and studying the human mind for a long time understand how to control the masses through conditioning the human while sprinkling a hint of fear through the mass media news loop with endless distractions.

Just look at how many people in prisons within the US. Look at the attack on Whistle blowers that try to expose any inside hidden agendas. The news makes these people look like extremists when in fact they are trying to inform the public.

Conditioning (programming) for the "hypothetical fear" is the magic tool.

I watched Hawaii 5-0 last night. I realized its ok to show the police shooting and killing the bad actor on TV but its NOT ok to see a naked person or hear any bad language on TV.

That is programming!

This is exactly what I have thought.

The security measure aren't meant to protect us but to train us and scare us.

Just look at how illogical they are. And they vary from airport to airport but they won't tell us exactly what the rules are (for security reasons).

I remember going through Houston or somewhere and there being a sign that said 'please put your ticket and wallet in the bin . . .' yet when I got up there they demanded my ticket and wallet. I was selected for extra screening because I followed the sign.

the fact is that there are over 100 handguns confiscated at airport security daily in the usa alone. i am fine going through a securtiy checkpoint that causes zero nuisance at all to have the security that people cant bring guns and bpmbs on planes, the threat is real, by saying that a few succesful terrorists hijackings in the past ten years as well as many failed attempts is not worth placing preventative security measures is paranoid and not even logical. would you feel better if noone had to wait in line and everyone could just immediately board without being checked?

Yes I agree these check points have stopped whatever people want to label it (to stop weapons, dangerous water, shoes and underwear) but when you really think about it there are people walking all over the planet with these weapons everyday.

Then you have to start thinking why would people think or want to bringing a weapon on a plane in the first place. What is going on in the mind of these people and what are they trying to prove?

theres 7 billion people on this planet, that creates endless possibilities of why's or what's. It could be everything from terrorist plans, to a bad childhood, to hate, confusion or ignorance. there is always the possibility of a person to snap and do something bad and we protect that possibility by securing entrances to areas where there are large groups of people and potential for large casualties... pretty basic stuff, not really conspiracy just the most appropriate action given the world we live in

I agree with you - it's a primer for unreasonable searches, seizures and basic 'we own you' ness. It's also making someone somewhere a boat load of money.

My favorite part is how useless this system is as they've prevented nothing. Most of their time seems to be spent firing their own agents for stealing from passengers.

I was also at the airport this weekend. Did not feel over militarized at all.

Then you weren't looking around. If you would have walked through an airport in 1984 compared to 2014 the differences would be startling.

At least 10 times the security personnel.

Aw look at you getting downvoted for not tightening the strap on your tin foil hat!

This is getting a little crazy if you ask me. There are plenty of things to worry about with our government but this random thought is just that...a thought. Because like you, the last few times I have been to the airport (2010,12, and beginning of 13) it was not militarized. Took about 10 minutes to go through security and that was because I refused the scanner so they had to do a pat down. I dont like the TSA as much as the next guy but this post I think it too sensationalized and extrapolating much too far with very little to go on.

Michael Chertoff had a large financial interest in machines that were designed to look in peoples' panties and lo and behold . . . the government sets up the underwear bomber.