TSA: Turning Romantic Moments into Dystopian NightmaresBy TJ Martinell An article on the early days of commercial aviation offers a visual description as to what Americans have lost since the creation of the Transportation Security Administration following 9/11. The days of rushing to the gate to stop your unrequited love from boarding a plane to Europe are long gone. Before airlines tightened up their security policies, friends and family were free to walk up to a gate without restriction, either to bid their loved ones farewell or greet them the moment they stepped outside. Today, hopeless romantics better hustle it to the airport before their sweetheart passes through security. A loss of a potential romantic moment might seem somewhat trivial, especially in light of other federal injustices. But its indicative of just how the feds have changed ordinary life for Americans. In the past, they saw loved ones and friends off right before they set out to freely travel the world. Today, they goodbye as those same friends and relatives line up like prisoners in a jail or internment camp at the security checkpoint. From there, passengers must prove to a federal agent they are innocent before they are allowed to get on board the plane. As part of that process, they must take off clothing and subject themselves to all sorts of intrusive searches, no matter how absurd or unreasonable. Even then, they can be kept from boarding due to a no-fly list. That whole time, badged federal agents can detain and question passengers at their discretion. This shift in images from romantic to dystopian is emblematic of how Americans have gone from a free people to guilty until proven innocent wards of the state in the eyes of the federal government. The TSA isnt just a costly, bloated government bureaucracy that fails to achieve its intended purpose. It is a form of societal control and treats airline passengers like temporary convicts. Its also entirely unconstitutional. Its time to bring back the romance of flying and end the dystopian nightmare by abolishing the TSA. Also, missing many memorable family experiences. Remember family and friends waiting at the gate? Upon disembarking from European flight in late 90s, was immediately greeted by daughter and small grandson. I whisked the 3-yr-old up, walked back up boarding ramp, and he was graciously allowed to see cockpit and visit w/ flight crew. We used to be a country of loving human beings, instead of just security risks. NOPE IT STILL works JUST FINE if YOU only travel by PRIVATE JET. Eliminate the TSA entirely. It appears to be the most useless of all the useless US agencies. If airlines want to screen their own passengers, that is up to them. The TSA isnt just a costly, bloated government bureaucracy that fails to achieve its intended purpose. It is a form of societal control and treats airline passengers like temporary convicts. This statement is an assumption that the TSA has a more benevolent reason for being alive; that assumption is absolutely false. Stated purposes are worth less than the ink and paper used to jot them down while the actions are actually the indicators of the intent. What good are a bunch of child GROPERS and granny TERRIFIERS when - How long before they are coming over the Mexican border that they REFUSE to seal, to a civilian airport near you? I like the writers statement that we are now a nation of the guilty who must prove our innocence. We have entirely lost the foundation of our criminal justice system, innocent until proven guilty. When the FBI and DHS run tests of TSA, TSA wins/succeeds 3% of the time. Any agency getting an F minus, minus minus needs to be disbanded. As a person flying since the 1960s, I have many wonderful memories of airports and flying. All gone. I cannot tolerate having some strangers hands inside my underwear. I cannot tolerate having some stranger tugging on my hair. We truly are a nation of prisoners being processed, getting us used to life in the detention facilities and shake downs. This will only STOP when we all refuse to fly. I Have! Or we could began with a no fly day once a month or once a week. If word got out and the number of passengers dropped off on designated days Im betting airlines and pols would take notice So its okay to allow yourself to be a conscripted sheeple most of the time, just not all the time? This is the kind of thinking that is causing us to lose our freedom and liberty. Why fly? boycott airlines and drive to area parks and beaches. Who needs to see crappy places like Europe anyway? There is plenty places to visit in this country. Airlines can go bankrupt for all I care. Ditto for cruise ships, they are cracking down on security like airlines. Boycott the bastards folks. You got it , put myself on the Aint Gonna Fly List long ago . Dont forget public rail transport, including Amtrak, as these government bodies and agencies are now making a big push toward TSA security control too. Europe is most certainly not Crappy except perhaps to insular, provincial xenophobes! It is a glorious continent to visit in happier times. My wife and I are so happy we did so a few times recently, because we most certainly wont go again anytime soon. We too refuse to fly under this dictatorship. Airports are the belly of the beast. Commercial jet fuel is 99% kerosene, 0.5% antifreeze, 0.5% additives it did not take down the WTC. 