As the furor and outrage boils over TSA security measures, it is interesting how the left and the right are in agreement over perceived intrusion and invasion of privacy. It doesn’t matter that the controversy is a conservative fabrication, it just matters that there is a reason to rail on the Obama Administration.
The Right is anxious for a terrorist to bring down an American jet so they can blame the President for not doing enough to protect America. In lieu of that, they have whipped up outrage over security measures that may prevent an attack so they can blame Obama. Whatever their motivation, it is working to the Right’s advantage and the Left is reacting the way the Right wants them to.
The public outrage started when a man recorded himself telling a TSA agent that, “if you touch my junk, I’ll have you arrested.†His comment went viral on the Internet and main-stream media ran with the story. Since then, conservatives made an issue over the x-ray machines by propagating the idea that screeners are taking nude pictures and passengers are subjected to dangerous radiation, and that TSA agents are “feeling up†travelers who opt out of the x-ray scanner.
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The idea that machines are irradiating travelers is nonsense, and in fact, the scanning machine gives as much radiation as two minutes in a jet at cruising altitude. But the right is using fear and misinformation to encourage passengers to forgo the machine and have a physical search instead. The physical searches are causing as many problems as the scanning machines, and TSA agents are taking heat for doing their jobs.
Suspicious people have rightly suggested the controversy is playing into the Right’s narrative, and it turns out that conservatives are behind the whole mess. A story in The Nation lays out the sordid details that implicate none other than Koch Industries, and before the Southern California man published his recording and put it on the web, a female operative faked an outrageous account of harassment and cruel treatment by TSA inspectors. The woman’s story turned out to be totally false, but by the time her lies were exposed, the damage had been done.
Fear mongers on the right accuse the TSA of taking nude  or pornographic pictures, and morons like Mike Huckabee and Fox’s commentators say President Obama should let the TSA “feel up†his wife, mother-in-law, and daughters. The right makes up controversies and fake issues to stir up anger and discontent toward President Obama, but the Left’s cooperation is puzzling.
No one appreciates security measures travelers have to go through to arrive safely at their destination, but the alternative is dying in an explosion at 35,000 feet or crashing into a building. Most people would rather go through any security measures to guarantee their safety than die. So the outrage from the Left is not just misguided, but it plays into the right’s game plan, and allows conservatives to control the narrative…again.
Does the Left really believe their civil rights are being violated? Are they even thinking that their tacit endorsement of the Right’s privacy invasion narrative will help the President? Why is the left so gullible on such a simple matter of security and safety? It makes no sense, and it is the reason that conservatives control the narrative and the government.
Most intelligent people would think critically and not buy into attacks on the Administration’s policies. It is bad enough that the right fools its ignorant supporters with fear and lies, but it is astounding that Republicans have enlisted Liberals and Progressives to aid in taking down President Obama. A good rule of thumb for Liberals and Progressives is, if the Right supports something, it may be a good idea to do the opposite, or at least do some research to find the truth.
Perhaps it’s because President Obama has not satisfied every little whim of the left. But whatever the reason, it is disappointing to watch Liberals join Republicans as they try to take down President Obama. The truth is, that it is time for the Left to grow up, learn and understand how governance works, and support Obama so he can eventually solve every single Liberal’s pet problem.
This whole issue with the TSA appears to be instigated by Koch Industries to erode support for the President, and on a secondary level, enact racial profiling at airports so Middle Eastern people will stay out of or leave America. There is no perfect solution to prevent a terrorist from blowing up a packed airliner, but using scanners was supported after the failed underwear bomber’s attempt to blow up an airplane.
It is incumbent on Liberals to be smarter than the Republican lying machine. The President is doing everything possible to protect Americans, and if it takes having an x-ray or being patted down, so be it. Conservatives are liars, and for the Left to buy in to their lies is disturbing and not productive. Instead of being outraged at having an x-ray, spend two minutes to find out the risks of standing in front of those scanners. Just be smarter than conservatives and don’t fall for their lies. It may protect your life, and prevent you from becoming another weapon conservatives use to defeat Obama.
Audio engineer and instructor for SAE. Writes op/ed commentary supporting Secular Humanist causes, and exposing suppression of women, the poor, and minorities. An advocate for freedom of religion and particularly, freedom of NO religion.
Born in the South, raised in the Mid-West and California for a well-rounded view of America; it doesn’t look good.
Former minister, lifelong musician, Mahayana Zen-Buddhist.
