''This is like the Boston tea party for people that decided, let's say, I don't know, two and a half months ago, that they didn't want to pay taxes anymore. The tea party is just a metaphor [on screen: a Fox News reporter pointing to boxes at one of the tea parties containing a million tea bags]. Let me get this straight. To protest wasteful spending, you bought a million tea bags. Are you protesting taxes or irony?''
—Jon Stewart, on the tea party protests
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Jon Stewart, on the tea party protests
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The TSA, pat downs, security, flying, and stuff
To me, although I am sure this is un-American to a lot of people's minds, no amount of security or violation of privacy is too much. I would rather be cavity-searched than dead.
I've been searched plenty of times. When traveling with small children, though, they have *never* been searched. Even so, I would go so far as to prefer that every single person in close proximity to every single airplane, from ground crew to the food-preparing kitchen personnel off-site, be strip-searched every single time they come into contact with anything at all that will ever go near a plane. It'd be far too easy for certain people to use children or luggage or food carts or anything to hide explosives or other weapons.
To me, no amount of privacy is worth the risk to human life. Obviously, many disagree with me. But the fact is that we have a choice to fly or not to fly. I sincerely believe that choosing to fly implies acceptance of the rules and regulations thereto applicable. And further, for those who object, I would say that they can choose to travel otherwise, that every choice has natural and logical consequences, and that, just because *they* wouldn't do X, Y, or Z, doesn't mean that nobody else would.
Finally, I would tell them that they have the right to object, to refuse, or to take other means of transportation, but that their said rights end where mine begin and that I want to live more than I am embarrassed by a scan or a search or a wand or a pat-down. In certain circumstances, it is up to each of us to weight the pros and the cons and to govern ourselves accordingly, with full knowledge of the fact that certain privileges impose certain sacrifices.
I also, un-popularly, agree with the idea of obligatory DNA testing for *everyone* in cases of violent crime where DNA has been left behind.
In both sets of circumstances detailed above, to me, myself, and I, I don't see why anyone who has nothing to hide would care. civil liberties are all well and good, but so is living and so is not imposing your values and ideals onto anyone else.
p.s. I am not intending to offend, but simply to present my perspective, that is, a different viewpoint on an issue that potentially concerns all of us, and not just one side or the other.
I've been searched plenty of times. When traveling with small children, though, they have *never* been searched. Even so, I would go so far as to prefer that every single person in close proximity to every single airplane, from ground crew to the food-preparing kitchen personnel off-site, be strip-searched every single time they come into contact with anything at all that will ever go near a plane. It'd be far too easy for certain people to use children or luggage or food carts or anything to hide explosives or other weapons.
To me, no amount of privacy is worth the risk to human life. Obviously, many disagree with me. But the fact is that we have a choice to fly or not to fly. I sincerely believe that choosing to fly implies acceptance of the rules and regulations thereto applicable. And further, for those who object, I would say that they can choose to travel otherwise, that every choice has natural and logical consequences, and that, just because *they* wouldn't do X, Y, or Z, doesn't mean that nobody else would.
Finally, I would tell them that they have the right to object, to refuse, or to take other means of transportation, but that their said rights end where mine begin and that I want to live more than I am embarrassed by a scan or a search or a wand or a pat-down. In certain circumstances, it is up to each of us to weight the pros and the cons and to govern ourselves accordingly, with full knowledge of the fact that certain privileges impose certain sacrifices.
I also, un-popularly, agree with the idea of obligatory DNA testing for *everyone* in cases of violent crime where DNA has been left behind.
In both sets of circumstances detailed above, to me, myself, and I, I don't see why anyone who has nothing to hide would care. civil liberties are all well and good, but so is living and so is not imposing your values and ideals onto anyone else.
p.s. I am not intending to offend, but simply to present my perspective, that is, a different viewpoint on an issue that potentially concerns all of us, and not just one side or the other.
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