Making no sense is a feature of the police state, not a bug.

[phantom power]

Everyone's written about this "don't touch my junk" story, but this new development is so sadly in line with my thesis about these things that it's almost a cliche. When i wrote about it over the week-end, I pointed out that this was the latest in a series of steps to a police state --- the building of a police bureaucracy, the intimidation and the incoherence of security theatre designed to confuse citizens and indoctrinate them to the idea that they should unquestioningly submit to absurd directives from authorities. It's how you control a populace.

...

The incoherence and absurdity part is that the TSA authorities, including several "supervisors," told him he had to leave the security area and escorted him out. This is pure Kafka (or perhaps more aptly, Joseph Heller.) It's how you train a citizenry to follow orders that make no sense.

For instance, the body scanners are designed to see things that the metal detectors cannot see, including things hidden inside the body. But you are allowed to opt out of that to get a pat down --- which doesn't include a cavity search (yet.) This makes no sense unless you think that terrorists are so stupid that they can't figure out where their bodily orifices are. In other words, the only way this makes any sense is if they require you to go through the scanner or get a full strip and cavity search.

Making no sense is a feature of the police state, not a bug.

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2010/11/welcome-to.html

[Zenlitened]

1. See also: Brazil (1985, Terry Gilliam)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088846/

Sam Lowry: My name's Lowry. Sam Lowry. I've been told to report to Mr. Warrenn.

Porter - Information Retrieval: Thirtieth floor, sir. You're expected.

Sam Lowry: Um... don't you want to search me?

Porter - Information Retrieval: No sir.

Sam Lowry: Do you want to see my ID?

Porter - Information Retrieval: No need, sir.

Sam Lowry: But I could be anybody.

Porter - Information Retrieval: No you couldn't sir. This is Information Retrieval.

[dixiegrrrrl]

2. they are counting on us to be frozen while we try to make sense of it.

One thing I have learned about crazy making behavior: walk away. do not engage.

I cannot believe the airlines put up with this.

Ironically, no small planes, private planes are included in this TSA crap.
Which goes to prove what this is really about.

[glitch]

4. Not to mention cargo screen. Or even port security. It's all theater, some people make lots of money

on it.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. Yeah, rumsfield for one. He owns the scanner company

or major part of one, according to earlier reports here on DU.

[felix_numinous]

3. K&R

Great point! These policies are made for a cowed/ fast asleep populace who cannot/are forbidden to think. I hope enough of us can stand our ground.