The terrorists win when we bog ourselves down and erode our own souls by lining up like shoeless cattle to add EVEN MORE indignity to the extraordinary rendition that is modern air travel.

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I'm not arguing that some of the TSA's security policies aren't ridiculous, but the answer isn't to get rid of airport security. The answer is to come up with less ridiculous policies! Personally, I don't think x-rays and luggage inspections are all that ridiculous considering the fact that dozens of airplanes have been blown out of the sky with luggage-based bombs in the past. If they want to search my bag, so be it. As long as they do it respectfully, don't steal any of my stuff and don't break anything.

As for the shoe thing, I mean I'd call that ridiculous myself if a guy hadn't been caught within 10 seconds of blowing up a plane with his shoes. I mean I wouldn't have believed it was possible either if it didn't really happen.

The liquid thing is ridiculous as currently enforced. I do think it should be pretty obvious that someone could easily bring a bottle of nitro on a plane and blow it up, so I understand the restrictions to that extent. But I don't see how allowing as many liquids as you want as long as they're under 3 oz and in a clear plastic bag is helping anything. You may as well just not have any restriction at all. What's to stop someone from bringing 15 little bottles of nitro and combining them into an empty wine bottle or something he's got in his carryon?

I don't agree that just the idea of having security is "letting them win". I think like anything else, it's a question of degree and common sense. There's obviously a limit. But to say no security is acceptable is frankly ridiculous. Why not just get rid of the police and military too, then, while we're at it? Nobody needs protection from anything. Just let anarchy rule.

If you believe in some security, then it's just a question of where you draw your line in the sand. And that's different for everybody. But there are no absolutes. It's just about having practical policies that actually are necessary and that work in the real world.

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It's not the rules, it's the a-holes. The rules are completely fine, though cough cough horse? barn door???

But making a big show of forcing someone to throw out an expensive lip gloss because it is STICKING OUT OF the plastic bag is just being an a-hole who resents people for having an expensive lip gloss. Tell me how this helps keep us secure. While I was being screamed at for having a protruding lip gloss, five guys with Semtex could have strolled right by me, and I'm not kidding.

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