Orange. Yellow. Red. No longer as these colors found in a box of Crayola crayons. Instead, many children today are recognizing them as levels of threat to our country. (There are still a few of us out there that can remember a time before bagging up gels in 3oz. increments at airports and extra fees added on to transporation tickets.)
I applaud the attempts our government makes at providing information before the fact; however, at times I wonder how much of it is delivered simply to cause a media frenzy. Having the opportunity to travel outside of the US to countries where no threat levels are posted - I also question how effective they are. Does a change in the level indicate that you'll be groped more at the airport as you remove your shoes and go through the air blast to detect incendiary devices? (Keep in mind that major European airports require no shoe removing, but instead rely on the "hands on" method of searching.")
It's one of those chicken and egg concepts for me. If we know of the threat, will it then not happen? What's the percentage of Americans that change their habits due to the threat level?
It's one of those chicken and egg concepts for me. If we know of the threat, will it then not happen? What's the percentage of Americans that change their habits due to the threat level?
I by no means want any innocent person injured in a calamity. If our government is providing accurate information and is being proactive in its dissemination...then deliver it in a sensible fashion as information, not as hysterical gossip used to get adrenaline rushing through our veins.
Reasonable people will know how to react accordingly. There's no need for hysterics. Unless of course the man in the speedo has made it through the TSA checkpoints, but you who is fully dressed and late for your flight can't make it through step one.
Passengers who are complacent and expect additional security measures may not balk at TSA selecting one passenger over another. I, on the other hand, am still on the fence about profiling. A UK tv show put a unique spin on the theory...having been detained for over 3 hours, it's easy to laugh but I am quick to worry where their airport is - no security check whatsoever? What year was this?
