Does anyone else get angry when walking through airport security? I see those douche-bag TSA agents pulling out peoples water bottles, droning on about 3 ounce plastic bags, and making me take off my damn shoes. I know that it’s not really making us any safer, any terrorist with half a brain will find a way around their stupid restrictions- the rules just end up making life miserable for those of us without designs on mayhem. The terrorists win when they change our lives with their actions and it seems to me that the TSA and other government agents play right into their hand with each new restriction.

Well lo and behold, there’s new evidence that all those stupid loops we have to jump through don’t make a lick of difference in making air travel safer.

They also found no evidence to suggest that making passengers take off their shoes and confiscating small items prevented any incidents.

The US Transportation Security Administration told research teams requesting information their need for quick new security measures trumped the usefulness of evaluating them, Eleni Linos, Elizabeth Linos, and Graham Colditz reported in the British Medical Journal.

“We noticed that new airport screening protocols were implemented immediately after news reports of terror threats,” they wrote.

“Even without clear evidence of the accuracy of testing, the Transportation Security Administration defended its measures by reporting that more than 13 million prohibited items were intercepted in one year,” the researchers added. “Most of these illegal items were lighters.”

The researchers said it would be interesting to apply medical standards to airport security. Screening programs for illnesses like cancer are usually not broadly instituted unless they have been shown to work.

“We’d like airport security screening to be of value. As passengers and members of the public we’d like to know the evidence and the reasoning behind these measures,” Linos said in a telephone interview.

“Can you hide anything in your shoes that you cannot hide in your underwear?” they asked.

That’s one of the biggest frustrations for me when I’m flying. I have to give up my nail clippers but get to keep my laptop- which I’m sure I could use to wack the crap out of anyone on the plane. How about a leather belt with a metal belt buckle, that’d make a pretty good weapon. Or how about just training in judo for a few years, are you going to make me put my deadly hands in the trash before getting on board?

It’s time Americans reclaimed their freedom lost in the war on terror and the airport is a good place to start.

If you hate the TSA as much as I do, you might be want to buy a “Fuck the TSA” shirt at the shop. You can smile to yourself in line flashing those 1’s and 0’s to the yellow shirted thugs confiscating your shampoo.

Link [The Age]