The question isn't whether the child is a terrorist but whether he's being used by the parents as a convenient way to get explosives on a plane (ie. it's actually to check if the parents are terrorists). If America wants to have as high a level of security as they seem to then they can't make exceptions.

They could have at least put him into the Rape-O-Scan. This molestation is unexceptable!

They're going through standard procedures on a child! HIT THE PANIC BUTTON!

All they want to do is take us to the FEMA camps, its not that big a deal. I mean I hear they have water slides and stuff... common guys who cares. 

It's not paranoid so much as not bothering children on a holiday flight to florida would be seen as racism and stereotyping in the selection process.

Outside which it's not like a terrorist wouldn't use children as a decoy or weapon either.  Look at Palestine for example where there have been child suicide bombers, or "freedom fighters" in africa.

Or for that matter... the numerous babies they have been used for smuggling before.

http://www.hispanicallyspeakingnews.com/notitas-de-noticias/details/spain-busts-gang-that-hid-drugs-in-babies-diapers/12080/

Kinda shows how America centric this site is though...

get a thread on this.  So far as I can tell... no thread about the shooting at a French school.

I don't understand why people insist on the TSA using a "brute force" approach rather than an intelligent approach to stop terrorism. Comprehensive profiling would be able to eliminate 95% to 99% of people from being considered potential terrorists without (strictly) depending on racial profiling. Essentially, a person's age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, education level, career, religion, ethnic background, ownership of a home, holding an insurance policy, and travel history (and many other criteria) make someone more or less likely to be a terrorist; and you should be able to accurately predict potential terrorists without depending heavily on one (or even a few) factors.

The only realistic reason I can think of for such a moronic approach by the TSA is that this is nothing more than PR. If they search grandmothers in adult diapers and children in wheelchairs it gives the impression that they're doing something without leaving them open to accusations of racism.

That tsa guy is freaking derp

The "terrorist" won pretty much, doesnt matter if we kill one of the most wanted "terrorist." They already install fear and terror into us, which was their plan all along. To let Americans know that they aren't safe in their perfect little bubble country.

That would be my responsive if I believe 9/11 was caused by terrorist, but we won't get into that.
Basically, we are all afraid so we put up with this. Also, it's the man's job. He can't make exceptions.

Looks friendly to me.

More alarmism hereabouts, i see. We could have an effective argument about whether the TSA is financially efficient compared to available alternative methods (such as a non-race-based profiling system), but on its face, there is nothing objectionable about TSA conduct on the whole.

And yes, that kid didn't look scared at all. The only thing i was scared of as a little kid was stuff that i knew would hurt (like inoculations. Hell, i'm still kinda scared of needles, but that's aside the point), it's not like this is some life-altering trauma, and the parents are just grubbing this for a political agenda...

Really they should disallow the taking of photos and videos anywhere in the security queue, as they are only utilized to make trouble, it seems.