Tuesday After

Today is the day fliers are encouraged to ‘opt out’ of the new x-ray scanners deployed at the nation’s airports. The effort organized by Brian Sodegren through the creation of National Opt-Out Day web site to protest the use of scanners may have merit but will ultimately have little impact. While the cause is laudable the individuals impacted are those already impacted by the intrusion on their constitutional liberties from the TSA. Already delayed due to the higher volume of travelers; opting out only risks missing a flight that they will be charged a premium to reschedule.

The current draconian measures are successful only if we as a population continue to allow an overbearing government to trample our liberties in the false pretense of increasing our security. If we research the reasoning put forth to justify these measures, the shoe and underwear bombers, we can quickly conclude the measures would have no impact as these individuals were screened in foreign airports. TSA has no authority over sovereign nations and consequently cannot protect us from these sources (my interpretation). Indeed, it can be argued ‘opt out’ for screening may be having little impact. So what are we left to do in the fight to retain our constitutionally protected liberties?

The solution is simple, albeit a little painful. In a market driven economy you have to adversely impact a market segment – impacting the segment leaders – to raise the issue and bring about change. Many of the draconian measures we currently accept were in part driven by the aviation industry to get their planes back in the air after the attacks on 9/11. It can be argued that their failure to put in place adequate security measures contributed to the incarnation of what we now surrender ourselves to. To reverse this trend we must opt out of ANY method of transportation that requires us to submit to unlawful search (guilty until proven innocent or “your papers please”) as a condition of travel. When the financial impact starts to manifest in the market segment the leaders in that segment will use their influence in the corridors of power to force change.

The very acceptance of the measures we currently submit to hands victory to those who would see us destroyed. There are many forms of destruction they can force on us. The destruction of the liberties we hold to be true and valid to our society are a fate worse than death. We can sacrifice an extra day or two necessary to use another form of transportation and still complete the trip in question. We can retain our liberty by refusing to submit to PSA (Police State America). Perhaps it is time to rethink the entire Department of Homeland Security. They have failed to live up to the ultimate protection, the freedoms enumerated and presumed in the constitution.

It is helpful to consider the quote often attributed to Benjamin Franklin.

Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.