Wow-
I guess it's time for me to be offended, I got the search of a lifetime on both of my recent flights. And I look like a white-supremist. (bald head and a goatee) You are all missing the point...it was that security was being turned over to an entity that has failed miserably at everything it has attempted other than war for over 60 years. I don't mind the search or the lines much but I would prefer that us federally background checked (not just state) people be allowed to carry firearms on the plane with us. I promise that if my plane was being threatened by a boxknife weilding group of thugs we would land safely and more than likely on time. I've never met anyone who would not like the opportunity to defend themselves.
As to profiling, I'm all for it. I've been profiled and it didn't hurt a bit. I don't care what the criteria are. Send your whitebread suburbian teenager out to hilltop Tacoma in the Volvo some friday night and see if he gets pulled over by cops looking for drugs. Looking out of place happens to everyone. Skin color, eye shape, hair color, hair texture, accent, clothing or demeanor are but a few telling characteristics that could lead to better security. My view is that the only time we can prevent such things is during the planning stages. The CIA, FBI and Secret Service are the only security force that have a chance with this group. Hell, they couldn't stop Ted Kuzynski, Tim McVeigh or the Columbine kids. Well, I'm off to catch a flight to Vegas for the weekend. SHOT show 2002 here I come!