I have sat quietly since Sept. 11 and watched as elements in our government have used our security as an excuse to strip the citizens of this country of personal liberties and invade our privacy. I was heartened by our state government’s stand against “random” searches at SeaTac. However, the feds’ immediate reaction was that the searches were constitutional and eventually SeaTac would have to fall in line.
Now comes CAPSS II, Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System, (Associated Press, Feb. 28, 2003; Leslie Miller, AP writer). Under the guise of security your bank accounts and activity and your credit history will now be checked prior to the issuance of an airline boarding pass. Delta Airlines is now doing this at three undisclosed airports and the rest of the airlines will be required to follow suit soon.
If the government so chooses you will be denied boarding or labeled a security risk based upon your credit history. If so labeled, the government will maintain your status for 50 years. We are, of course, assured that the information will not be misused and that only government security staff will have access to the records. Have you ever tried to get an error on your credit report corrected through a private credit reporting agency? Imagine when the feds make a mistake or receive erroneous information. You’ll be branded for life. And of course no other agency (IRS), knowing that this information is now available will find a compelling reason why they should have access.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Department of Homeland Security have usurped many of the responsibilities of the FAA and have bypassed the normal rule making procedures to implement new regulations bearing directly upon your freedoms as an American citizen. I have heard too many times on local newscasts people being interviewed when confronted about yet another intrusion or limitation state. …”Well if it’s for security I guess I’m for it…”
Wake up America, once a liberty or freedom is gone you won’t be getting it back.
Our government has bent over backwards to avoid “profiling,” i.e. looking for the people most likely to present a security threat. Frequent flyers and 80 year old women are not a threat. All of the 9/11 hijackers were middle eastern, all of the identified terrorist threats are of the middle eastern origin. What does our government do? They require all U.S. airline pilots to be fingerprinted. I do not believe that there has ever been an instance where an airline pilot has ever hijacked a passenger aircraft. They place restrictions on general aviation, which has never presented a threat. Anything but deal with the real issues.
The Sept. 11 events represented a dismal failure by the intelligence services and the INS, not the public, not the airlines. Showpiece measures such as CAPPS II and their like will only serve to delude the public into a false sense of security while providing the government the opportunity to record every aspect of your life.
Let’s target the real problems, INS, border security and security agency coordination. Ours is supposed to be a “government of the people, by the people and for the people…” OK people, speak up while you can! Write your congressmen.
Mike Lauver
Coupeville
