Could our hobby be illegal? (secretely)
 

Steven Aftergood
Secrecy News
Federation Of American Scientists

Last month, Helen Chenoweth-Hage attempted to board a United Airlines flight
from Boise to Reno when she was pulled aside by airline personnel for
additional screening, including a pat-down search for weapons or unauthorized
materials.

Chenoweth-Hage, an ultra-conservative former Congresswoman (R-ID), requested a
copy of the regulation that authorizes such pat-downs.

"She said she wanted to see the regulation that required the additional
procedure for secondary screening and she was told that she couldn't see it,"
local TSA security director Julian Gonzales told the Idaho Statesman
(10/10/04).

"She refused to go through additional screening [without seeing the
regulation], and she was not allowed to fly," he said. "It's pretty simple."

Chenoweth-Hage wasn't seeking disclosure of the internal criteria used for
screening passengers, only the legal authorization for passenger pat-downs. Why
couldn't they at least let her see that? asked Statesman commentator Dan
Popkey.

"Because we don't have to," Mr. Gonzales replied crisply.

"That is called 'sensitive security information.' She's not allowed to see it,
nor is anyone else," he said.

Thus, in a qualitatively new development in U.S. governance, Americans can now
be obligated to comply with legally-binding regulations that are unknown to
them, and that indeed they are forbidden to know.

This is not some dismal Eastern European allegory. It is part of a continuing
transformation of American government that is leaving it less open, less
accountable and less susceptible to rational deliberation as a vehicle for
change.

Radioman390 wrote:

This is not some dismal Eastern European allegory. It is part of a continuing
transformation of American government that is leaving it less open, less
accountable and less susceptible to rational deliberation as a vehicle for
change.


dxAce will be by momentarily to tell us all that this is a GOOD thing.
It has to be, as he voted for it.


mike

m II wrote in message news:mpWmd.105958$VA5.105877@clgrps13...
Radioman390 wrote:

This is not some dismal Eastern European allegory. It is part of a continuing
transformation of American government that is leaving it less open, less
accountable and less susceptible to rational deliberation as a vehicle for
change.


dxAce will be by momentarily to tell us all that this is a GOOD thing.
It has to be, as he voted for it.


mike

So as a security agent at an airport, it is now legal and of
top-secret sensitivity to fondle and grope what ever law-abiding
citizen you wish? I don't think so - they're full of baloney. I find
it hard to believe that anyone, anywhere in the poli-spectrum, could
like this turn of events. This sounds like it is worth a bombardment
of letters to Homeland Insecurity.

Bruce Jensen

"bpnjensen" wrote in message
om...
m II wrote in message
news:mpWmd.105958$VA5.105877@clgrps13...
Radioman390 wrote:

This is not some dismal Eastern European allegory. It is part of a
continuing
transformation of American government that is leaving it less open,
less
accountable and less susceptible to rational deliberation as a vehicle
for
change.


dxAce will be by momentarily to tell us all that this is a GOOD thing.
It has to be, as he voted for it.


mike

So as a security agent at an airport, it is now legal and of
top-secret sensitivity to fondle and grope what ever law-abiding
citizen you wish? I don't think so - they're full of baloney. I find
it hard to believe that anyone, anywhere in the poli-spectrum, could
like this turn of events. This sounds like it is worth a bombardment
of letters to Homeland Insecurity.

Actually this very thing happened to my daugher when going through customs
in NY. They scared her half to death. She was happy just to escape their
grabbing hands. There was no one there to help her. What could she do?
Freedom is only an illusion!

DeWayne


Bruce Jensen

bpnjensen wrote:

So as a security agent at an airport, it is now legal and of
top-secret sensitivity to fondle and grope what ever law-abiding
citizen you wish? I don't think so - they're full of baloney. I find
it hard to believe that anyone, anywhere in the poli-spectrum, could
like this turn of events. This sounds like it is worth a bombardment
of letters to Homeland Insecurity.


You can't win. If you complain, you get put on a list. The road to
hell is indeed paved with 'good' intentions. Most, if not all, secret
police in history, eventually get the people to spy on themselves. Out
of fear, they do it and the police state becomes very easy to
maintain. That's how it worked in Russia and Hungary and Poland and
Germany and countless others.

Human life means nothing to the power hungry.




mike

m II wrote:
bpnjensen wrote:

So as a security agent at an airport, it is now legal and of
top-secret sensitivity to fondle and grope what ever law-abiding
citizen you wish? I don't think so - they're full of baloney. I find
it hard to believe that anyone, anywhere in the poli-spectrum, could
like this turn of events. This sounds like it is worth a bombardment
of letters to Homeland Insecurity.



You can't win. If you complain, you get put on a list.

Incredible -- is there also an "Un-American Activities Committee"?

--
M2

Michael Moore wrote:

You can't win. If you complain, you get put on a list.


Incredible -- is there also an "Un-American Activities Committee"?



You are learning fast, grasshopper. McCarthy is back with a
vengeance...except THIS time, it's an INVISIBLE enemy and NOT centered
in Hollywood.

Praise the god of indeterminate and vague enemies. The less we know
about them, the longer the war goes on. Quixote has found a
government willing to supply his every knightly need.




Shaolin mike II