Liberty Maven

Obama has now made some comments regarding the thwarted terrorist that hid a bomb in his underwear. Naturally, he’s rather misguided with his choice of words.

He said the following (from CNN):

“A systemic failure has occurred and I consider that totally unacceptable,” Obama said, adding that the breakdown was “a mix of human and systemic failure.”

What he’s describing are the symptoms of a disease called government.

Rather than look down upon the “systemic failure” why not consider what did work? Once again, individuals on the plane were successful in thwarting the attack. This has happened many times in the years following September 11th, private citizens acting in their own self-interest working together to fight terrorism.

When it comes to these terrorist attack attempts, for every government failure there is an individual (or group of individuals) success. The fact that these successes occur in an era when the government promises us protection, gives us a false sense of security, and then disarms our ability to defend/protect ourselves should be all the evidence we need. The best path to security is more individual freedom, not less.

We now must submit to rather ridiculous security measures in order to board an airplane. We have to take off our shoes, make sure our toiletries are in government-approved containers and sizes, and so on. The TSA is working toward placing “strip search” security machines at many more airports. This means your friendly TSA agents can see you and your wife or girlfriend naked as they walk through security. Why is this acceptable in a supposedly free country?

Now, In response to this latest incident the TSA now plans to forbid movement during the last hour of flight:

Two foreign airlines, Air Canada and British Airways, disclosed the steps in notices on their Web sites. The airlines said the rules had been implemented by government security agencies including the T.S.A.

“Among other things,” the statement on Air Canada’s Web site read, “during the final hour of flight customers must remain seated, will not be allowed to access carry-on baggage, or have personal belongings or other items on their laps.”

As is so often the case when government gets involved we become less safe. These new restrictions would prevent airline travelers from standing up and fighting any potential terrorist during the last hour of flight. I thought we were supposed to be making it harder for terrorists not easier! At this rate, five years from now all airline passengers will have to be handcuffed to their seats during the entire flight.

Isn’t it time we realized that all of these idiotic reactions to attacks only serve the terrorist’s purposes? Terrorists are winning the war on terror and they are using our own laws and rules as the weapons against us.

Obama, Janet Napolitano, and the TSA need to take their blinders off. The most effective way to fight terror is through maximizing individual liberty not minimizing it.