nightmares at the airport

[Tim Curry]

Lets blame the people who are to blame. They are (usually) from the middle east, young, male, Moslem and full of hatred. This is not to say that anyone who meets the above qualifications is a terrorist, but the profile fits and should be the first indicator of a search. Unfortunately, due to the A.C.L.U. and some like minded courts in the U.S. profiling is no longer legal. This lack of common sense will be costing dearly in the future, as it already did on 9-11.

Blaming Ashcroft for this problem shows a lack of understanding of the legal system, the nature of the threat and liberals in general. I went through the search on the way to and from the LF gathering in Monterey and am glad it was a thorough search. I'm glad we're finally becoming aware of the problem. Too bad people have become so complacent about the ease with which we move, work and live in this country since 2800 people (civilian non-combatants) lost their lives to these sub-humans.

Wake up and smell the coffee, the world has changed, we need to change with it.

[David R Munson]

Changing with the changing world need not include giving up personal freedoms or wrongly impinging upon the rights of individuals simply because they fit into some preconceived idea of what a terrorist supposedly looks like. I refuse to accept that making the system bigger and clumsier is a better solution than working smarter and more efficiently. I understand the legal system, the threats, the attempted solutions, etc - and I maintain that we're barking up the wrong damn tree.

[Frank Petronio]

Airport hassles were an important factor in tipping me towards "going digital." Between security and carry-on requirements, taking large format on any pleasure trip is getting harder and harder. I did order a modified 110b from Dean Jones - I think the entire 4x5 outfit with 20 Readyloads will fit into a small Domke 803 type bag - and from now on I'm just feeding my film (100ASA) through the carry-on X-Ray. I think that the USPS, UPS, and FedEx X-Ray our packages with much stronger radiation than any domestic airport scanner. At least I have never seen an absolutely clear and 100% solid statement that the shipping services don't...

[Robert C. McColloch]

I send my film FedEx to my next destination.

[jnantz]

TC -

"They are (usually) from the middle east, young, male, Moslem and full of hatred" seems to a bit simplistic. Were these folks responsible for the OK-City Bombing?

There are plenty of angry jerks who are white and from America.

[Francis Abad]

It may be simplistic and it certainly is unfair to talk about profiling but it is a fact that the biggest killings of this century (so far) have been perpetrated by those types of individuals. There are a lot of other criminals out there but these times, these terrible, incovenient, annoying, worrying times was exacerbated by the intentional targeting of innocent tourists, office workers, friends, etc. The rules of the game has changed. Why continue to work under the premise that human beings are inherently good - that we live in a safe world. Keep an eye out for your kids and be thankful that money is being spent to secure our airports, highways, buildings, etc. Should we wait to find a perfect solution, should we wait while the powers that be hold debates and talks and conferences to find the most efficient, uncumbersome method for securing their citizens. It is easier to learn by doing. I agree that perhaps the security measures are clumsy at best but I rather that they work on the premise that practice makes perfect than go about it diplomatically (i.e. all talk and no action). I lost friends in WTC and Bali and it is not fair that they were targeted. I lost a box of film in an airport and that is not fair too. But I can always buy another box. I cannot bring my friends back.

[chris jordan]

Hey guys, let's pull our claws in and return to the topic, shall we? This is a large format photography forum, remember? and the topic of this thread is getting through airport security with boxes of undeveloped large format film. If anyone has something to contribute on this specific topic, then please chime in; otherwise we all hopefully have better things to do.

~cj

www.chrisjordan.com

[Francis Abad]

From the very first reply it was already off topic.

[James Driscoll]

This topic did go way off base.....and all it seemed to prove is how short minded some people are.

If we were to use the logic that "the biggest killings of this century were perpetrated by men from the Mid-East" as a basis to profile possible threating individuals ......than how does that logic hold up to the past two centuries....where the biggest killers in the world were white men....from the western world.

If you feel the need to argue that point....you really need to sit down and read.

I am off my soap box....

[Frank Petronio]

I say let it go off-topic, as it is a life and death discussion. Photosgraphers are people with opinions, beliefs, etc. - must we always be so politically correct even on this forum?