Oh, I agree, but with a couple snags- 1) We all know how the courts are going to manage a civil suit against the government - or how they are going to view a suit against an airline who is 'following regulations'. 2) Do you think a civil suit with monetary damages is going to influence government policy? What is the probability of success of a case asking for court-ordered policy changes?
The essential problem I see is that government will be given grace in whatever misapplications due to the impetus of the war and by the time such grace period is ended the situation will be viewed as 'normal', something you just have to tolerate.
Does the government make any effort to protect my privacy when they wish to insure I am a capable driver? Surely there are ways to maintain my anonymity and accomplish this - I think I'll sue < smirk >
"Midwest Express either found hotels for those who missed their flights or provided transportation home.
Bailey says that screening the names against the list is standard operating procedure. "Everyone who travels is now cleared through this list."
Where did this list come from?
One U.S. Marshal said the FBI compiles the list, and an FBI agent said it "comes out of headquarters."
The law empowers Magaw to "establish policies and procedures requiring air carriers to use information from government agencies to identify individuals on passenger lists who may be a threat to civil aviation and, if such an individual is identified, to notify appropriate law enforcement agencies and prohibit the individual from boarding an aircraft."
The TSA has taken that power and run with it.
Turk adds that he doesn't know how large the list is, "and if I did, I couldn't tell you."
VOA, you then go on and state in your reply:
But...until I read/hear of a lawsuit, I'll just guess it was a bunch of granola-munching hemp-vest peace activists who set off some alarm and prompted the detainment."
You have to wait until you "read/hear of a lawsuit" to know if their constitutional guaranteed rights were not violated?
First the stockholder's of the airlines 5th amendment rights were violated because the airline was required to pay the expense of motel and travel expenses because of the hardshipped caused by their government to their customers.
Second, the "list" and all government actions using the "list" violates the 4th amendment.
It is your lack of knowledge of the Bill of Rights and as well as way too many other citizens, that our government can blantantly violate our rights and it is so nonchalantly dismissed by a statement, "until I read/hear of a lawsuit."
One day you will wake up to a violation of a right that is important to you and you will wonder how it happened.
At the risk of hyperbole, that is what happened to the Jews in Germany.