I've heard the same arguments. Sadly, I have no good answer for how the TSA should do their job. However, treating someone rudely and, to an extent, inhumanly, doesn't fit the bill.
The point to realize that America is not fucking Israel. We are not under threat the way Israel is. That is a country that is struggling for its existence; in missile range from Iran; surrounded by hostile forces on all sides.
In America, things are different. Sure the borders are porous; sure there is a low probability that the muslim guy down the street is a terrorist, sure there is a possibility that the war of 1812 could be repeated by the Canadians.
However, is the country really going to live its life based on insignificant probabilities? It has been 12+ years since 9/11. Surely, there is a time limit after which this insanity can mellow down.
Problem is affirmative action rentacops that the TSA has become. Israeli security personnel are highly trained, intelligent folks. The ethnic profile of such a TSA would be > 90% white. Cry racism, and there goes your competent force.
As someone who has had a harrowing experience at an Israeli airport, I would dispute the claim that they are highly trained or even intelligent. I don't even want to recount my experience at Tel Aviv, its much milder than OP's but it spoils my mood just thinking about it.
Competence in pattern detection is pretty much an IQ test. When you go higher on the scale, the number of non-whites, non-asians, and non-jews drops precipitously.
I wouldn't bet my house on this prediction, but I would bet a few hundred $. For one, maybe the competence required is not that high.
But you are surely wrong about Special Forces. They are overwhelmingly white. See here: http://e-ring.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/05/10/budget_watc...
> Sadly, I have no good answer for how the TSA should do their job
Shouldn't we be "profiling" based on assessed risk? And isn't the NSA making those assessments? It should be a simple as submitting the user's identity and circumstances and getting a guided response back: "no likely threat", "detain immediately", etc.
Not that I'm a fan of the NSA, but isn't that what they are ostensibly there for?
