Anything to Declare?

There is probably some genetic connection between those who staff TSA and the people who 'guard' the borders.

Actually the genetic connection might be this: an implicit knowledge that if you look too closely at likely individuals, you get canned.

This bit of DNA was inserted into the genome by the peecee Mandarins from the MAP Axis (Media, Academe, and Politics)...

I love paranoia, especially when it's true.

Posted by dymphna at June 8, 2005 10:27 AM

Well ... it wasnt an airport. And we all know that the Canooks are such reasonable people!

Posted by mdmhvonpa at June 8, 2005 11:39 AM

Exactly what happened to the world I used to live in? When did it become something from a community theater "Waiting for Godot" rehearsal session?

Common gd sense was at one time the rule rather than the exception and I am hopeful that it will return. Soon.

Guard the borders against terrorists? Have you no sensitivity, man?!

Alleged insults against a book of fiction resulting in the deaths of scores of people. Three thousand innocent people are murdered by terrorists and the killers are held in higher regard than the victims. Enemy soldiers are held as POW's and the gd ACLU wants to sue the US for mistreatment of civilians. The same gd ACLU insists that the symbol of peace and honor for veterans of the US Military must (MUST!!) be struck down so as to fulfill the separation between church and state.

This sh&% had better stop pretty soon or a we will have a Constituition re-written by the supporters of Chairman Mao, Uncle Ho, Castro, and the gd Taliban.


Dan Patterson
Arrogant Infidel
The Holy City of Winston-Salem, NC

Posted by Dan Patterson at June 8, 2005 12:07 PM

That is certainly sobering. I thought that, at least post-9/11, border guards were empowered to do more than that. Now, if it had been Canadian guards, on the other hand...

But on following the link and reading the article, I learned that at least the border guards knew something was up and tried their best to detain him. It's unbelievable, though, that with all that evidence there wasn't probable cause to do so. Hmm--I guess the Patriot Act isn't so draconian after all.

Posted by neo-neocon at June 8, 2005 12:30 PM

I don't know . . . who wins the scary contest?

Gregory Despres or Richard Reid (AKA the shoe bomber)(see link for picture --> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1731568.stm)

Posted by Charles at June 8, 2005 7:51 PM

Left out of the story is the Border Patrol now being under Customs and Border Protection. That means new-organization disfunction, the ever present 'civil service' attitude, too many vaguely defined responsibilities given (with not enough authority delegated) and the vast inflow of PC bureaucrats, opportunists, and incompetents that accompanies the start of any new bureaucracy.

Oh, there's about 1000 total agents to cover 4000 miles of northern border; maybe 250 agents per shift. Factor in new agents, supervisors with limited authority options, increased duties with no additional allocation of resources, and lowered morale. We're lucky it's just a psycho with a bloodstained chainsaw this time.

Posted by P.A. Breault at June 8, 2005 8:07 PM