A few years after 9/11, watching the shoe rituals, liquid bans, and endless lines, I asked a simple question: did the terrorists win by turning us into this? Back then, it felt uncomfortable. Now, twenty-plus years and hundreds of billions later, there’s no debate. This isn’t security—it’s institutionalized absurdity. A system that fails tests, collapses under pressure, and treats citizens like suspects while delivering little real protection. Under Donald Trump, that illusion is finally being challenged. Good. Because if we’re serious about safety, we need results—not rituals that make us feel safe while proving nothing.
I watched a mother and her daughter get rejected by TSA because the daughter had just turned 18 and just gotten her driver’s license, but the license she had was a temporary paper version for her to use until the real one comes in the mail. TSA refused to accept it. They missed their flight. It was awful. They CLEARLY were not terrorists.
My 21 yo stepson has been on some kind of TSA/DHS list since he was 11 yo that requires him to get a pat-down and extra luggage screening every time he flies. He was put on the list because when he was 11 he took a photo of a friend’s toy weapon collection and snapchatted it to a group of friends. One of the members of the group was a girl, who showed it to her mother, who reported it to their school (this was on a weekend, mind you), the school called the police, the police called the FBI, the FBI called DHS. Nothing ever came of it, except that the very next time he went to the airport, pat-down, questioning, and extra luggage screening. And it has been like that ever since. My stepson is now in law enforcement! Insane.
Last year, my daughter tried to fly with a temporary paper license. TSA had her talk to someone on the phone who apparently had all of her personal information, including everywhere she has lived. They asked her stuff like what was her mother’s parent’s street address. She didn’t know! She’d never paid attention to stuff like that. Her trip got canceled. It was awful. My daughter is a red head with a fair complexion. Small. No threat to anyone. Clearly not a terrorist.
I could go on! Abolish the TSA. All due respect to the human beings who work for the TSA, but this BS needs to STOP.
What an amazing point of view! We are too entrenched in letting the Government attempt to take care of our problems! I am all in for trying this! It can't be any worse!
That makes sooooo much sense economically, efficiency wise all around great idea. Does anyone really think this Congress would ever do anything to actually help the US?
PATRIOT Act, Homeland SECURITY, Transportation SAFETY Administration: All euphemisms for Government overreach and security theater sold as public safety.
Excellent analysis and propositons, as usual, Alex. Very clear, logical process. Well done!
For sixty-five years I've carried a "Camper" model of Swiss Army Knife in my right front pants pocket at all times. There is a slight but permanent bruise on my right thigh where the knife rides agains it in my pocket. Patterned injury, we call that in forensic science. Folding main blade less than 3", and for forty years, it was legal aboard commercial airliners, and I flew occasionally. Subsequently when flying more frequently for work, and through my own failure to remember to pack it in checked luggage on occasion I lost two copies of the knife in TSA screenings. Into the trash can it went. Replacement was not painful, about $35 dollars, as I recall. But the insult to my law-abiding personal, ethical and patriotic self smarted intensely. Had I been aboard a hijacked airplane, I would have liked to have had that minimal weapon! And apart from airline travel, it is always with me. It cuts tape, opens boxes, pulls corks, opens cans and bottles, and can saw through small limbs, trunks and branches. Today at my regular biweekly infusion appointment the administering RN forgot to use her scissors to cut off my plastic barcoded wrist ID bands before I left. On the way out I as passed a technician I requested that she cut off my bands. But she could not, only RNs are armed. So to her surprise, I used my knife, after stepping away a short distance for safety. I could see that she was appreciative of my careful technique, and she held out her hand for the remnants to dicard them after my knife was back in my pocket.
100% agree. I knew in 2001 that security did it's job. I routinely carried a knife that was legal on an airplane as I flew 40+ weeks/year for work. I saw the establishment of the TSA as a federal power grab that could only end in failure. For 25 years, the testing rate of TSA's security failed regularly and spectacularly as Mr. Muse noted. It is beyond time to end this failed experiment of federal power grab.
This function should have been privatized from the start. Considering the low level of skills needed, or at least deployed, these people do no fit into the Federal Government workforce.
TSA, like the COVID shutdown, were governmental psyops to increase obedience to government in the general public. That’s it. These expensive exercises in mass control were of no demonstrable benefit to the general public. If highjackings were a credible threat, an intelligent approach would have meant a combination of deep profiling, random sample inspections and interviews, and improved, unobtrusive security threat surveillance. El Al airlines shows how it’s done. We already have an institution which knows how to do all these things. It’s called the FBI. But, no, instead we got a malevolent theatrical production which satisfies no one. The only way the TSA makes sense is to see it as a psyop designed to groom the population through fear and submission. The terrorists won, because our craven behavior proves that we treasure our freedoms so little.
To be perfectly honest, the TSA came out of the Patriot Act due to 9/11. 9/11 was an inside job by our own government. As have been many acts against this country. We don’t have a terrorist problem, we had a terrorist government. Screening was never required prior to the World Trade attack. Since then, the Patriot Act has been used against US Citizens. It was never meant for that. It’s all been to control the people. Just like the Real ID act, allowing people to be tracked and keep them from exercising their Constitutional rights. This is a minuscule issue in a bigger picture. I for one hope that when this is all said and done , we will once again be free to travel, free from illegal searches. And that’s what TSA was first, coverup of crimes and illegal searches. I say let it fall and let’s move on to those freedoms.
It becomes quickly apparent to anyone who has gone through TSA screening that it is a government make-work program.
This is emblematic of nearly every single government program in existence.
Created to last forever without ever having to account for itself based on any metric.
“I’m from the government. I’m here to help.”
The eight most dreaded words in the English language.
Without a doubt
A few years after 9/11, watching the shoe rituals, liquid bans, and endless lines, I asked a simple question: did the terrorists win by turning us into this? Back then, it felt uncomfortable. Now, twenty-plus years and hundreds of billions later, there’s no debate. This isn’t security—it’s institutionalized absurdity. A system that fails tests, collapses under pressure, and treats citizens like suspects while delivering little real protection. Under Donald Trump, that illusion is finally being challenged. Good. Because if we’re serious about safety, we need results—not rituals that make us feel safe while proving nothing.
Excellent analysis of another government program in need of termination and should be driven by the private sector to ensure reliability.
I watched a mother and her daughter get rejected by TSA because the daughter had just turned 18 and just gotten her driver’s license, but the license she had was a temporary paper version for her to use until the real one comes in the mail. TSA refused to accept it. They missed their flight. It was awful. They CLEARLY were not terrorists.
My 21 yo stepson has been on some kind of TSA/DHS list since he was 11 yo that requires him to get a pat-down and extra luggage screening every time he flies. He was put on the list because when he was 11 he took a photo of a friend’s toy weapon collection and snapchatted it to a group of friends. One of the members of the group was a girl, who showed it to her mother, who reported it to their school (this was on a weekend, mind you), the school called the police, the police called the FBI, the FBI called DHS. Nothing ever came of it, except that the very next time he went to the airport, pat-down, questioning, and extra luggage screening. And it has been like that ever since. My stepson is now in law enforcement! Insane.
Last year, my daughter tried to fly with a temporary paper license. TSA had her talk to someone on the phone who apparently had all of her personal information, including everywhere she has lived. They asked her stuff like what was her mother’s parent’s street address. She didn’t know! She’d never paid attention to stuff like that. Her trip got canceled. It was awful. My daughter is a red head with a fair complexion. Small. No threat to anyone. Clearly not a terrorist.
I could go on! Abolish the TSA. All due respect to the human beings who work for the TSA, but this BS needs to STOP.
What an amazing point of view! We are too entrenched in letting the Government attempt to take care of our problems! I am all in for trying this! It can't be any worse!
All that, and……..you are demeaned, yelled at, and have to deal with nasty government workers on a power trip with no possible recourse.
This reached a whole new level when TSA officers were mask monitors.
That makes sooooo much sense economically, efficiency wise all around great idea. Does anyone really think this Congress would ever do anything to actually help the US?
PATRIOT Act, Homeland SECURITY, Transportation SAFETY Administration: All euphemisms for Government overreach and security theater sold as public safety.
Excellent analysis and propositons, as usual, Alex. Very clear, logical process. Well done!
For sixty-five years I've carried a "Camper" model of Swiss Army Knife in my right front pants pocket at all times. There is a slight but permanent bruise on my right thigh where the knife rides agains it in my pocket. Patterned injury, we call that in forensic science. Folding main blade less than 3", and for forty years, it was legal aboard commercial airliners, and I flew occasionally. Subsequently when flying more frequently for work, and through my own failure to remember to pack it in checked luggage on occasion I lost two copies of the knife in TSA screenings. Into the trash can it went. Replacement was not painful, about $35 dollars, as I recall. But the insult to my law-abiding personal, ethical and patriotic self smarted intensely. Had I been aboard a hijacked airplane, I would have liked to have had that minimal weapon! And apart from airline travel, it is always with me. It cuts tape, opens boxes, pulls corks, opens cans and bottles, and can saw through small limbs, trunks and branches. Today at my regular biweekly infusion appointment the administering RN forgot to use her scissors to cut off my plastic barcoded wrist ID bands before I left. On the way out I as passed a technician I requested that she cut off my bands. But she could not, only RNs are armed. So to her surprise, I used my knife, after stepping away a short distance for safety. I could see that she was appreciative of my careful technique, and she held out her hand for the remnants to dicard them after my knife was back in my pocket.
Life goes on. Thanks again for your work.
100% agree. I knew in 2001 that security did it's job. I routinely carried a knife that was legal on an airplane as I flew 40+ weeks/year for work. I saw the establishment of the TSA as a federal power grab that could only end in failure. For 25 years, the testing rate of TSA's security failed regularly and spectacularly as Mr. Muse noted. It is beyond time to end this failed experiment of federal power grab.
This function should have been privatized from the start. Considering the low level of skills needed, or at least deployed, these people do no fit into the Federal Government workforce.
Airport security was privatized for years, but then we panicked after 9/11 and brought big government into it.
TSA, like the COVID shutdown, were governmental psyops to increase obedience to government in the general public. That’s it. These expensive exercises in mass control were of no demonstrable benefit to the general public. If highjackings were a credible threat, an intelligent approach would have meant a combination of deep profiling, random sample inspections and interviews, and improved, unobtrusive security threat surveillance. El Al airlines shows how it’s done. We already have an institution which knows how to do all these things. It’s called the FBI. But, no, instead we got a malevolent theatrical production which satisfies no one. The only way the TSA makes sense is to see it as a psyop designed to groom the population through fear and submission. The terrorists won, because our craven behavior proves that we treasure our freedoms so little.
Absolutely FKN A , kill the beast now before it has a chance to grow again.
TSA was a mistake caused by our post-9/11 panic.
Absolutely no reason for the government to control airport security.
To be perfectly honest, the TSA came out of the Patriot Act due to 9/11. 9/11 was an inside job by our own government. As have been many acts against this country. We don’t have a terrorist problem, we had a terrorist government. Screening was never required prior to the World Trade attack. Since then, the Patriot Act has been used against US Citizens. It was never meant for that. It’s all been to control the people. Just like the Real ID act, allowing people to be tracked and keep them from exercising their Constitutional rights. This is a minuscule issue in a bigger picture. I for one hope that when this is all said and done , we will once again be free to travel, free from illegal searches. And that’s what TSA was first, coverup of crimes and illegal searches. I say let it fall and let’s move on to those freedoms.
The preponderance of evidence that 9/11 was an inside job is too great. Read Judy Wood's book What Happened to the Twin Towers?
George Bush still has blood on his hands but he did get the war in the Middle East that he pushed for years to get.