# Would a bomb going off in a TSA line put an end to the ridiculous security theater? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 11, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323 "2010-11-11T16:55:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Baboonanza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f475e1/32.png) [@Baboonanza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baboonanza)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/41 "2010-11-12T14:51:12Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Sure. I’d just as soon not have every street corner monitored they way they do in England. I would just like to point out that you have been greatly mis-informed. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/42 "2010-11-12T15:27:22Z")
I’m with you Sam but there is no going back now. When you step into an airport these days you must give up any dream of civil rights. If you don’t do as you are told by any and all authorities you will be treated like a criminal and you can’t just get your money back and leave if you don’t like it. Don’t go in there. Take a train or drive. It helps if you look at the TSA as sort of an axillary terror cell. The bad guys put a bomb in a shoe, the TSA implements 100% shoe inspection. The bad guys put a bomb in their underpants, the TSA has to check underpants. We can only wait and see what the bad guys will have the TSA do next or we can stop going to places where the TSA holds power. There are two interesting and competing forces here. One is the TSA. Given the chance they will keep tightening the screws until we no longer even have the right to assemble. It’s for our own good. They would divide the world into two classes - those with security clearance and the rest of us: the potential terrorists. The other is the airline industry. They serve a function that the TSA interferes with. Eventually, I hope, the business interest will win out, this is American after all, but so far the TSA seems to be ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/43 "2010-11-12T16:14:22Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > It is time to end this nonsense, and send the TSA workers back to McDonald’s, or the welfare rolls, or wherever they came from. Is there any chance we can come to our senses? The only way to accomplish this would be to have a national strike by all people planning to fly. Nobody flies until this crap is done away with - period. The TSA’s sole function in life is to harass the paying passengers. They do not do one goddamn thing to make our travel safer. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/44 "2010-11-12T16:42:00Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > TSA lines hardly ever have more than a hundred people in line. Far less than the thousands at a mall, sporting event, or such that you just mentioned. It’s just small potatoes. Wha? Ever flown out of Tampa? There may only be a hundred people in line, but there’s probably a dozen lines all weaving next to each other. I’ve seen two or hundred people in those lines easily, and I try to fly at non-peak times. People with a bomb don’t need to sneak anything or do anything complex, all they need to do is load up a bunch of explosives in a bag - and it can even have wheels so they can make it a bigger bomb. Hell, I remember a couple years back when I was sitting at the gate waiting for my flight and they forced everyone to leave and come back through security because a metal detector was unplugged. How many flights took off between that happening and them noticing? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![acetylene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@acetylene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/acetylene)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/45 "2010-11-12T16:42:53Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Why haven’t jihadists driven a semi-trailer filled with Amphol into a major tunnel in New York and detonated it? Just wondering what Amphol is. I’ve never heard of it. Did you mean ANFO? ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2010, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/46 "2010-11-13T02:19:39Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > The only way to accomplish this would be to have a national strike by all people planning to fly. Nobody flies until this crap is done away with - period. > > The TSA’s sole function in life is to harass the paying passengers. They do not do one goddamn thing to make our travel safer. It’s just not gonna happen. People who have to fly – are going to fly, no matter what. And I count myself among those. ---
**Author:** ![Peeta\_Mellark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Peeta\_Mellark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peeta_Mellark)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/47 "2010-11-14T18:48:57Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Sorry, I mean John Allen Muhammed. I did get him confused with John Walker Lindh. > **joebuck20** : This has already happened. A terrorist used an ass-bomb to get close to and attempt to kill the head of Saudi security recently. He succeeded in splattering everyone around him with terrorist bits, but the Saudi official escaped with minor injuries. That’s the problem with cavity bombs - your own body becomes a diffuser/absorber of energy, and the bomb can’t be that big. So the odds of doing a lot of damage to something else are somewhat reduced. It’s not a reliable way of blowing things up. Sure it is, if you’re on a plane. Go in the bathroom, remove said bomb. Your body as an absorber of energy is no longer an issue. The terrorist only needs to get it on the plane in his body. It doesn’t have to remain there. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/48 "2010-11-15T06:55:40Z")
Experts agree that stronger cockpit doors are awesome. As for everything else… > [@Markxxx](#): > > You’ve missed the point, terrorists do not want to blow people up. This is easy to do… > The idea is to bring down a plane, not kill people. Killing a bunch of people is easy anyone can do it. It wouldn’t inspire much terror. … > Walk in and shoot people up at random. People we scared but life returned to normal pretty fast. You missed a trick. Send a dozen well-armed maniacs into various shopping malls across the country and you will get panic. But you will also get survivors. Worse from the bad-guy perspective, you will have heroes, who will be the subject of much international coverage. The advantage of air disasters is they leave nobody for the media to interview, except the usual telegenic but vacuous commentators. Al Queda doesn’t like the human interest angle. The fact that aircraft fall from the sky also helps, as it makes the threat immediate to everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/49 "2010-11-15T21:46:51Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Try leaving your car by the door of a terminal and see what happens. A grumpy-looking guy with a flashlight waves at you, and then waves at you slightly more emphatically, and then prods over to you and waves REALLY emphatically while actively frowning? ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/50 "2010-11-16T00:52:01Z")
I’m not sure what the argument is here. Are you saying that there should be no screening at all? Or that they should just go back to metal detectors and x-raying luggage? If there were two airports, one with no screening at all, and one with the new back-scatter, show you nude and silver on screen, or submit to a pat-down, I know which one I’d fly out of. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/51 "2010-11-16T02:42:59Z")
> [@](#): > > If there were two airports, one with no screening at all, and one with the new back-scatter, show you nude and silver on screen, or submit to a pat-down, I know which one I’d fly out of. I know which one I’d fly out of, too. Except I suspect that my answer is different from yours. ---
**Author:** ![audit1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@audit1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/audit1)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/52 "2010-11-16T12:20:07Z")
What is needed is legislation. Said legislation would have a clause saying if an incident happens under the reduced security, the victims can not sue the airlines arguing the reduced security makes the airlines liable. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/53 "2010-11-16T13:11:31Z")
> [@audit1](#): > > What is needed is legislation. Said legislation would have a clause saying if an incident happens under the reduced security, the victims can not sue the airlines arguing the reduced security makes the airlines liable. Say that hypothetically, you run a reduced-security airline. One of your flights is hijacked and crashed into my office building. Are you saying I shouldn’t be allowed to sue you? And if you’re saying I can’t sue, why not? The people who fly on your airline may have been comfortable with the lower security, but I wasn’t given any say. This is a security issue more than it’s a liability issue. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/54 "2010-11-16T13:15:02Z")
> [@audit1](#): > > What is needed is legislation. Said legislation would have a clause saying if an incident happens under the reduced security, the victims can not sue the airlines arguing the reduced security makes the airlines liable. Any victim, or just those who have agreed to fly that airline? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/55 "2010-11-16T17:29:26Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > At the time, we were surprised, but they were also surprised about people fighting back. Today their plans would include that. Yes – their new plan would be **don’t bother trying a hijacking again; do something completely different**. Duh. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/56 "2010-11-16T17:30:26Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > Yes – their new plan would be **don’t bother trying a hijacking again; do something completely different**. Duh. I don’t think trying to blow up a plane counts as “completely different.” ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/57 "2010-11-16T17:35:53Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > It’s just not gonna happen. People who have to fly – are going to fly, no matter what. > > And I count myself among those. The number of people who **have** to fly is not enough to sustain the airline industry. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/58 "2010-11-16T17:38:47Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Say that hypothetically, you run a reduced-security airline. One of your flights is hijacked and crashed into my office building. Are you saying I shouldn’t be allowed to sue you? Say that hypothetically, you run an enhanced-security airline. One of your flights is hijacked and crashed into my office building. Are you saying I shouldn’t be allowed to sue you (on the obvious grounds that the enhanced security reduced the passengers’ ability to carry tools suitable for the tenderization and perforation of the terrorists)? The argument works both ways, and thus cancels itself out. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/59 "2011-01-24T23:30:30Z")
Well, now we’ll find out. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323/60 "2011-01-24T23:36:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, now we’ll find out. Wait, what? Was there such an incident today? Any news stories on it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-bomb-going-off-in-a-tsa-line-put-an-end-to-the-ridiculous-security-theater/560323.md?page=4)