The "Happiest Place On Earth" May Truly Become Orlando
For me, that place is the place we have our civil liberties. Where your 2-year-old is "profiled" to be a 2-year-old, whose danger of creating an explosion is greatest if she's had too much applesauce, and who is not treated equally with some guy who spent his summer vacation in Al Qaeda training camp.
Absolutely great news out of Orlando, via Alex Jones' InfoWars. Paul Joseph Watson writes of an airport president who grew a pair and is applying to tell the TSA to fuck the hell off. (Disturbingly, you need to "apply" to have people's civil liberties respected.):
One of America's busiest airports, Orlando Sanford International, has announced it will opt out of using TSA workers to screen passengers, a move which threatens the highly unpopular federal agency's role in other airports across the nation."The president of the airport said Tuesday that he would apply again to use private operators to screen passengers, using federal standards and oversight," reports the Miami Herald.
With Sanford International having originally been prevented by the TSA from opting out back in November 2010 when the federal agency froze the ability for airports to use their own private screeners, a law passed by the Senate last month forces the TSA to reconsider applications.
Larry Dale hinted that the move was motivated by the innumerable horror stories passengers have told of their encounters with the TSA, noting that the change was designed to provide a more "customer friendly" operation.
The agency has been slow to reissue the guidelines on the the rule change, prompting Republican Representatives John Mica of Florida, Darrell Issa of California and Jason Chaffetz of Utah to press TSA head John Pistole to implement the mandate.
Appearing at Orlando Sanford International yesterday, Mica said he had written to 200 airports advising them of the opportunity to op out of using TSA screeners.
Write to the head of your local airport to pressure him or her to follow suit. And your city council and your (useless in our case in LA) mayor.
via @Iowahawk
Orlando Sanford "International" Airport isn't one of America's busiest. And it's not the actual Orlando International Airport, which is the impression the author of the article is giving. Sanford is the next county over from Orlando and their airport is more like a small regional with delusions of grandeur (hence the Orlando in its name).
Nolo Contendere at March 14, 2012 6:23 AM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/03/the-happiest-pl-1.html#comment-3069187">comment from Nolo ContendereThanks -- still, it's a start.
Amy Alkon
at March 14, 2012 7:27 AM
Reserving judgment here. I'm no happier with private-sector molest^H^H^H^H^H^Hpatdowns than with government ones...
silverpie at March 14, 2012 7:31 AM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/03/the-happiest-pl-1.html#comment-3069200">comment from silverpiePrivate sector security, I'm guessing, will be more security than "security."
Amy Alkon
at March 14, 2012 7:35 AM
It's entirely possible that the airport will steal some business from the larger airport if people don't have to put up with the same amount of TSA BS. I'd drive a little farther to the suburban airport for that. Even if the type of search is madated by the government, I think private security would behave better... they're more likely to be fired than a federal employee.
Alex Jones led a charge into the TX Capitol last year after the state legislature neglected to pass the anti-TSA-groping bill. He put the call out on his radio show, and an hour later he had 50-plus people in the Capitol Rotunda, trying to get into the gallery, chanting "Treason!" and "Cowards," etc. It was awesome. He's kind of a conspiracy-theory whack-job, but he's right fairly often.
http://www.texastribune.org/texas-legislature/82nd-legislative-session/radio-host-storms-texas-capitol-over-tsa-bill/
ahw at March 14, 2012 8:06 AM
their airport is more like a small regional with delusions of grandeur
Actually, not. Take a look at their route map: http://www.orlandosanfordairport.com/routemap1.asp . A small regional doesn't have flights to Europe.
I R A Darth Aggie at March 14, 2012 11:00 AM
We'll have to see. I heard last year that TSA had suspended this program. The reason given is that TSA "sees no advantage". Indeed. The truth seems to be that too many airports wanted to apply - a huge disadvantage for TSA, though a great advantage for the travelling public.
If the program has been reinstated, I haven't seen the announcement...
a_random_guy at March 14, 2012 11:06 AM
They are getting sued by Canadians:
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/3-canadians-accuse-u-border-guards-molestation-234643973.html
This isn't airport, but it's the same crap.
Chrissy at March 14, 2012 12:29 PM
"I heard last year that TSA had suspended this program. "
Apparently some bill that passed last month contained a provision ordering the TSA to resume it. Whoever snuck that in, my hat's off to them.
Cousin Dave at March 14, 2012 4:47 PM
I live les than an hour away from Sanford Orlando International. Total passengers through Sanford is a tiny fraction of the Orlando airport. Daytona Beach used a have a regular flight to Europe, but they're still a smallish regional, just like Sanford. A large regional would be some place like Cincinnati.
However, I'm happy to see a push back against TSA idiocy anywhere. May see if I can fly out of Sanford for my next trip.
Nolo Contendere at March 15, 2012 12:09 PM
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