uuhhhh

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TRAVEL/02/28....ap/index.html

gypsy

now, THAT'S scary...

bob_brown

We are going to wake up dead. Just like Germany did one day and a man with a moustache reigned supreme.

Lola

What is scary to me is waking up on an airplane hijacked by someone who could have been stopped if they knew he was on the plane.
Being innocent and wishing to arrive at my destination alive, I will be glad that they are doing anything they can to watch out for us.

Tess

I'll probably get all kinds of flack for this but why is this such a horribly scary thing? I hardly think George Bush is going for the Hitler scenario. Come on, when are people going to realize that there are nuts out there trying to KILL US????? Fine. Profile me. If it saves a bunch of innocent lives my wounded pride will be worth it.

Faina

Will all monkeys get red light?

AAFrequentFlyer

Lola and Tess,
One of our founding fathers said this:

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety

Benjamin Franklin - 1759

NotMe

I wonder what the people who flew into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the Pennsylvania countryside would say about something like this after their experience. Personally, after seeing our government take away so many of our freedoms during the past 50 years, this seems almost mild in comparison.

Tess

AA,
I'm sure Ben would be proud that his quote was distored in such a way. Chances are he wasn't thinking possibly atomic destruction of life as we know it when he penned that thought in 1759. Also, please don't pull the 'I'm a better patriot than you are' thing with me. I have a teenage son who will be fighting this war if it drags on. In addition (note Fodor's censors--travel-related!), I love to travel and refuse to be afraid and stay home.

gypsy

I don't mind being profiled in the least IF it is ONLY used get me on a plane - in fact, i've had a dossier in fbi files since i was a child (my uncle 'worked' for the fbi in certain cases...). it's just that i don't know if i can trust EVERYONE who will have access to this info -

Quinty

Wouldn't bother me - I have nothing to hide.

Lola

Thank you AA,
I doubt even Ben Franklin would want to put civil liberties ahead of an airplane full of peoples safety. Having seen first hand the result of lax airport security, I will be happy to be profiled. As Quinty says, if you are innocent, you really have nothing to worry about.

rb_travelerxATyahoo

Orwell mis-estimated by about 20 years ("1984").

lindam

What am I not understanding here? Anyone who flies should be thrilled that this is starting to be done.I would rather be safe than worried about offending someone by profiling them. If you don't have anything to hide, what is the problem?

AAFrequentFlyer

Tess,
First of all, allow me to say that I have nothing but respect for all the women and men of our armed forces, but this discussion has nothing to do with them.
Every time a government uses a tragedy to engulf us into more laws and protection, it scares me. Today it may seem like a harmless tool to protect us against the 'evil'. We let it slide, becuase it seems like a good idea. Tomorrow, who knows how this 'harmless' law will be used. I'm a student of governments and the power it yields. All I'm saying is that we must at all time think about the future not just today and how the new power could possibly be used against the citizens.
We pride ourselves on the fact that we live in a free society. If we want to keep that, we need to realize that occasionally freedom comes with a price. I for one am willing to take that chance, because I want to live in a free society.
I don't want to live in some 'bubble' that supposedly protects me from wackos, but controls every move and thought I have. Sorry, if that was the case, I will just move to North Korea.

ladyfirefly

Your key phrase is you want to "live" in a free society. There are people out there who do not especially want you to live at all and would use you as a tool of destruction for their own means.

I am glad for this security measure.

Tess

AA,
You know (again, I'm ready for the flames), I'm probably one of the more conservative people around and am all for less government. But, these are trying, abnormal times and different measures are called for. Hate it, but would hate learning to call Saddam "Oh great leader" even worse.

Diana

Anyone who travels frequently should have absolutely no problem with this.
Anyone who is interested in ensuring travels are as incident-free as possible should have no problem with this.
Anyone who has nothing to fear from their background being looked into should have no problem with this.
Anyone whose loved ones, relatives or friends fought or died fighting for what is right and just (most likely most of us) should have no problem with this.
AAFrequentFlyer, I probably have enough miles available to get you to North Korea if you'd like - if they'll let you in...

Traveler

Ben Franklin was exactly correct, but he was speaking in terms of liberty as a fundamental right.

Profiling people who fly is vastly different. Flying is not a right, it is a choice. If you disagree with being profiled, you can choose not to fly.

I'm all for this and can't wait until I carry a "trusted flier" card of some sort in my wallet.

DavidDJ

AAFrequentFlyer, I really do not understand how increased security at airports will "control every move and thought I have." The Government is merely trying to protect us from people who want to do us harm. As others have said, if you have nothing to hide, what's the problem? As far as I'm concerned they can search my luggage, and me from head to toe for all I care. If they scrutinize everyone who boards a plane, we can avoid another 9/11 disaster. It's too bad that we did not have a system like this all along.