By Matt Holdridge
The TSA has struck again. This time, they detained a 22 year old college student at the Philadelphia International Airport and questioned him about his religion, his views of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and a foreign policy book he was reading.
What was it that prompted the TSA to lead this young man, Nicholas George, around the airport in handcuffs and keep him in a holding cell for hours? He had Arabic language flash cards in his possession. Clearly, something that could cause a disaster on a plane or harm to other passengers.
Mr. George has filed a lawsuit in regard to his treatment by the TSA and police.
Read more here.
The TSA is rapidly becoming everyday people’s most direct encounter with the federal government. Lucky for us, most don’t enjoy the experience.
Unlike your friendly neighborhood postmaster, a TSA agent may greet you or your grandmother with accusations, or if you’re not so lucky, a more intimate and embarrassing search.
It’s often useful to draw analogies between newly proposed government programs and current failing efforts to make abstract ideas relevant to people. For instance, long lines at the DMV with health care rationing under a nationalized plan.
What current proposed government programs could we make analogous to the TSA to paint a picture in people’s mind of the cold, intrusive nature of one-size-fits-all policy?