The attempt by Texans to resist the controversial TSA security measures, including groping adults and children, has resulted in an astonishing threat by U.S. Attorney John E. Murphy who is threatening to turn the entire Lone Star state into a no-fly zone if a bill passes the legislature. HB 1937 allows for “prosecution and punishment for the offense of official oppression by the intrusive touching of persons seeking access to public buildings and transportation; providing penalties.” With the return of stagecoaches to Texas, you may want to book now — seats are scarce and there are a lot of blackout dates.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has steadfastly supported the intrusive searches that have appalled citizens and parents across the country while TSA refuses to heed calls by scientists for the need of new tests on the possible harmful effects of body scanners.
Now, Murphy is threatening to shutdown flights to Texas:
“If HR 1937 were enacted, the federal government would likely seek an emergency stay of the statute. Unless or until such a stay were granted, TSA would likely be required to cancel any flight or series of flights for which it could not ensure the safety of passengers and crew.”
It is an extraordinary threat, particularly given the strong arguments that can be used in court to bar the enforcement of the laws as a matter of federal preemption.
Kudos: Alpha Dog
Jonathan Turley
Did I happen to miss the newly published book on terrorist ethics?
I mean, is there some given terrorist rule that only allows them to set off their bombs on passenger jets?
Is there a certain altitude a jet must reach before a suicidal bomber actually becomes suicidal?
If this is all due to 9/11, then why are we looking for bombs, lighters and lotion. Did someone fail to tell them that “Baby Boomers” is just a figure of speech?
After all, the primary things that supposedly allowed 9/11 to happen revolved around unsecured cockpits and box cutters. Does anyone actually believe that a few box cutter wielding clowns can take out 300 pissed off passengers?
Exactly how many idiots outside of the TSA, believe that a terrorist pulled aside for a grope and stroke at a TSA Radiation BBQ would just say “ah shucks ya got me, I give up”? If anything, I”m more concerned that they will take out the lobby, because of the TSA.
Why would a terrorist even bother to risk flying, when they can just stroll across our border and walk right into the nearest airport, and blow it up at a TSA checkpoint?
Texas is like every state, a sovereign Republic with the right to make its own laws. And it’s no one else’s business other than the citizens of Texas, which laws they choose to enact for their own protections.
Last but not least, how can asking someone for an ID be deemed outrageous, while allowing a complete stranger the right to stick their hands down my child’s pants is deemed Okee Dokee?
It’s clear to me now that it is the Government, and not the States that are seceding from the United States this go round.
Well said, Mike S.
And I concur.
My experience forces me to be sympathetic towards the Texas attempt for the following reasons:
1. The Patriot Act and its resultant mutations that imperil our constitutional rights, is an abomination.
2. The most serous threat of domestic terrorism comes from ship containers and only 2% of those are even cursorilly checked. They could contain nuclear weapons that could destroy major cities.
3. Passenger railroads, trucks and even large vans can supply dangerous terrorist attacks, yet there is nothing done to inspect them that evenly mildly compares to TSA
inspections of flights.
4. The airport inspections are mere window dressing to assure the public that something s being done, when in fact as explained above, airplanes are only a minor threat. If terrorists are indeed planning more attacks I
doubt that they will try to duplcate 9/11, which even in its terrible effectiveness was an anomaly.
5. I say this from experience as in the past number of years, having flown many times I see what inconvenience
and futile protection these methods offered. From 2005 to 2110 I had a pacemaker in me that prevented me from gong through an X Ray. Each time I flew I had to undergo a very thorough pat down that included not only my crotch
but the bottoms of my thinly socked feet. While experiencing this I had to desperately watch my carry on items, which included my shoes, laptop, bags, keys and wallet from a distance of perhaps 15 feet. If you see my icon, I am a mild looking man in his 60’s, who hardly matches anyones terror profile. Meanwhile, there are non-metallic weapons availiable, more dangerous than nailclippers that can easily be concealed in carry on luggage.
6. I have ridden the auto train many times without any luggage inspection or inspection of my car. Since this train generally contains two engines, 16 passenger cars,
16 Auto cars and 2 lounge dining cars, I would assume that it would be an excellent terrorist target.
Schumer’s bill though, is absurd since there are literally so many ways terror can be inflicted domestically, that to guard them all would make this country a police state. Were that to happen then what are any of us living here for?
Fear has historically been the despotic method to control a people and allow those in power to remain there. The US Constitution, imperfect as it may be, remains the sole reason this country can claim greatness. The Patriot Act and the other atrocities of fearful reaction following 9/11 have served to diminish our liberty and violate our constitution. Texas has responded in its usual absurdist manner, yet while the law is a silly response, the concept behind it has much
merit.
Texas should have stuck to its guns and let the sexual perverts make good on their “no fly zone” threat. Then maybe the American people would wake up to how evil the federal government has become.
I believe government perverts would have lost in the long run.
Bravo on this attempt at nullification. Evil doers on the left wish that the 10th wasn’t in effect, but that is because they are fascist pigs.
Time and again we see dead or alive ole Osama F$^%#%^G with our heads. We beat the Japanese, the Germans, the Italians hell really even the Soviets but OBL and his little group has messed this country up in ways I don’t know if we will ever really recover….As far as the TSA and Texas goes….I don’t have any love for the TSA and I think what they do is asinine but Texas can leave the union any time it wants and good riddance to it…
Can anyone remember this little thing called “The Patriot Act”. These procedures were author as a security measure in reaction to 9/11. When we let them take away our liberties with that act we signed on for gropings or nude silver surfer pics of ourselves. Please stop bitching about the enforcement of the act that Republicans thought was a necessary measure. Or how about this for a novel idea, let’s just repeal the Patriot Act altogether and go back to normal!!!!
Why not enough votes to pass?
One of the local U.S. attorneys is claimed to have said he’d have sought an immediate injunction against the law (that would be a Bush appointee) because it would prevent TSA from doing its job. Sec. of Homeland Security Napolitano said she’d instruct TSA not to allow any flight to go if they could not assure the safety of the crew and passengers.
Texas is home to American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Continental (which isn’t yet absorbed into United), with at least three hub airports.
I wonder what the lobbyists for the airlines and airports said?
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2011/05/25/protestors_try_to_storm_senate.html?fb_ref=homepage Patrick took the bill down as it did not have the votes to pass.
i’m not pro-tsa but if obama backs down and reins in tsa and something happens on a domestic flight, those shouting don’t touch my junk will be the first ones screaming for obama’s head for not protecting them.
http://www.danpatrick.org/ The author of this bill has been for every piece of bad legislation that Texas has passed. He has authored much of it including the intrusive sonogram bill that just passed. Look at his website.
We can’t take Paul seriously until he gets his constipation problem cleared up, can we?
And perhaps pigs will grow wings, and fly Texans to where they can catch a flight, say, Oklahoma City, or Baton Rouge.
I am sure that most U.S. citizens welcome a game-stopper to these TSA X-ray/pat down intrusions with regard to potential danger to our health and oppressive touching of our private parts. I have NEVER met someone who isn’t infuriated by the cancer risks and personal humiliation from the gropings. TSA arrogantly will provide the public NO TEST RESULTS to prove the efficacy and safety of the X-ray equipment – but the Fed ACTIVELY is CRIPPLING the private sector with over-regulation by the EPA, FDA, OSHA, DOE, etc requiring trillions of $$ in testing, infrastructure, paperwork and oversight. WE WILL NOT ACCEDE our 4th Amendment rights to the Federal Government’s double standard.
Seriously, does the Obama Administration think it can smash Texas with a no-Fly Zone? Atlas is gonna Shrug. Hard to believe New Yorkers, Californians, Tennesseans, Michiganders, New Mexicans and all foreign entities who crowd Texas airports will not roar when their shipments to and from Texas are suspended. If it wasn’t coming from this administration, it would be impossible to fathom that the Federal government would even entertain shutting down flights to/from Texas. The DOJ’s threat will no doubt cost Obama the 2012 election = and GOOD! Businesses in 49 other states who do business in TEXAS are SICK OF the Federal destruction of their profit-making rights. This is NOT a Texas issue – it is the Federal Government’s usurping of All American’s 4th Amendment-guaranteed rights. Anyone who doesn’t stand with Texas and everyone else who will fight the tyranny of the Federal Government is a pissant. And you can strain your little pissant necks to look up to us who will continue to fight for your pissant rights!
These are your Texas flight options:
The Eyes of Texas are Upon You
All the Livelong Day
The eyes of Texas are upon you
You cannot get away
Do not think you can escape them
At night or early in the morn-
The Eyes of Texas are upon you
‘Till Gabriel blows his horn
Or:
The Hands of TSA are Upon You,
Up and Down They Play
The Hands of TSA are upon you
You cannot get away
Do not think you can escape them
Each flight or early in the morn-
The Hands of TSA are upon you
‘Till Napolitano blows her horn
____
I side with Texas. No Groping Allowed by Creepy People in Silly Uniforms
In my humble opinion, this discussion of groping is way overblown. I have flown many times since the new procedures have taken effect and have never been touched by a TSA officer. The only people who get the physical pat down are those who refuse the scanner or those where the scanner identifies something suspicious.
If you down want to be scanned, don’t fly. End of story.
Otteray Scribe
1, May 25, 2011 at 9:37 am
Texas: Charging headlong into the nineteenth century.
—————-
Acutally, if you pay attention to what Texas Representative Ron Paul proposes, it’s more like an Eighteenth Century government for a Twenty-First Century America. (I really think that should be Paul’s presidential campaign slogan!)
I have a lot of the same issues with the absurdity, pointless intrusiveness and theatricality of TSA screening as most people here, but let’s try to remain calm here. The Texas legislation is absurd, on the one hand, and the current TSA procedures and approach are over the top, on the other. Let’s take this as an opportunity to meet a little closer to the reasonable middle.
This is the PERFECT message for a petulant texas everything and their bbq-infested, dim-witted population. Coming from a Federal court – “SIT DOWN AND SHUT THE FUCK UP” is absolutely the right thing for the feds to tell these clowns.
HOO – RAH !