The Manchester Union in New Hampshire ran an interesting news story recently.
Apparently Russell Kanning protested the government's airport security measures, believing them to be overly intrusive, police-state tactics.
His wife said: "We want people to think about it: Do you want to give up all your rights and live in a police state? I don't think they can make us secure if they're bombing other countries... To be perfectly honest, I'm in far more danger from my own government than from any terrorist."
It will be interesting to see how this protest plays. Will it resonate with the people of New Hampshire, and the country?
My gut tells me No. I suspect people don't like the increased security at airports, post 9/11. I'm one of them. The top-down approach seems excessive, and I'm not at all sure that it actually increases security. There are horror stories about some of the excesses of airport security in recent years.
On the other hand, given that terrorists have struck the US using commercial jetliners, is it sensible to at least make it a lot harder for them to employ this terrorist tactic?
Most, I believe, would say Yes, and I agree with that, too.
Had the government not stepped in with beefed-up security at airports, would the airlines have instituted similar measures? Again, my gut says, very likely. Airline terrorism is very bad for that business.
If one wanted to publicly protest the "Homeland Security" aspects of the "war on terror," there may well be more sympathetic means to do so. Some of the financial disclosure requirements in the Patriot Act, for starters, might be a more resonating, effective area to explore.
Public protest is certainly a legitimate way to get people's attention. But, it can backfire. Witness what happened when Vietnam War protesters spat on returning vets or when Jane Fonda mugged for the cameras in North Vietnam behind a machine gun...I believe it's fair to say that those tactics were counterproductive. Time will tell if Kanning's admittedly courageous approach elicits the desired goal.
-Robert Capozzi