I must respectfully disagree with you assessment of a police state. We still have the freedom of air travel, however, the rules have changed. You have the choice of flying and enduring the new security measure or, you can choose not to fly.
As to the woman with the underwire bra, when she went through the checkpoint and the alarm went off, there was no way to discern what she had on under her clothing without a check. She had the choice to wait for a female guard and miss her plane or allow the male to pat her down . She had a choice, not the best one in the world, but a choice none the less.
In a true police state you have no choices what so ever.
Yes, it is random, we have all been warned that we will be subject to random checks. Again, if you don't want to risk the random checks, you don't have to fly.
I do, however, totally agree that airports should be more consistant, however, this is all new and I believe some time should be allowed to "get all the ducks in a row" and I also agree that some people are on power trips. If they do their job, then fine let them power trip all they want. Who knows, they may thwart something someday.
No one can say with any conviction where the next attack will happen, if it will happen, who will do it, and how. I am not in a state of panic, but, in my usual cautious state. I also refuse to allow people with a cavalier attitute to bully security into giving in because of some misguided perception that our civil liberties are being trod upon. That one I will fight.
We heard all this civil liberties tripe when many states enacted the seat belt laws and the child restraint laws. The fact is those laws save lives, I truly believe the same applies for airport security. JMHO
