Defending The Skies Against Congress And The Elderly

theodp writes "After watching a burly airport screener search her lymphoma-stricken father, forcing the frail and faltering 78-year-old to hand over his oxygen meter, stand at attention with arms spread for a wand search, take off the Velcro strap shoes that he'd struggled to put on, and strain to keep his balance as his belt was tugged repeatedly, a Newsweek columnist wonders: have we lost our common sense when it comes to passenger screening?" An anonymous reader writes "CNN reported that Kennedy wasn't alone in being listed in the airport watch list as reported in a Slashdot article. Rep. John Lewis, D - Georgia, a nine-term congressman, has been stopped many times because his name appeared on an airline watch list as told to Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on border security. He contacted the Department of Transportation, the Department of Homeland Security and executives at various airlines in an effort to get his name off the list, but failed. Instead, he received a letter from the TSA indicating he has cleared an identity check with the agency even though he might still be subject to extra security checks."

Comments

Let that be a lesson to you all

[Anonymous Coward]

If you are a terrorist, it will not help your case to use the names of political figures as your aliases thinking that nobody would stop a Mr. Kennedy on his way to blow up JFK airport....

Plane hijacking still IN?

[usefool]

Where can I find information about the number of hijackings (around the world) since Sep11?

I just don't think it's still a feasible tactic by terrorists, whether to use it as a weapon or to make a statement/request (like releasing prisoners).

Re:Visit the U.S.

[BiggerIsBetter]

And me. I've got no desire whatsoever to visit the US now. Thought it might be nice for a look once, but not any longer. Might go to Canada and Mexico though, if I can arrange flights that bypass the US.

I finally figured it out...

[Anita Coney]

Former lawyers for the RIAA are now working for the Transportation Security Administration. It's a small step from suing children and the aged to strip searching them.