Update: I plead the Fourth

I figured out why I was upset about that search. It was completely unwarranted. The other times I've been wanded or patted down, I had set off the metal detector more than once, usually by leaving something in a pocket and then forgetting I had a belt on. This time none of that happened. I didn't set off the detector once. I didn't have anything suspicious in my bag. Yet I was still searched.

I plead the Fourth

Going through security at Tucson airport just now I was "randomly" selected for a pat-down. I say "randomly" because, as I was in line, I did not see any female passengers selected. The guy in front of me was selected, his wife behind him was not, I was selected, the Army guy behind me was not, but the guy behind him was.

*to be updated later, we're boarding now*

Update 1700:
I'm sitting at LAX now waiting for the evening flight back home. So the screening *could* have been every other person, but I don't remember the person four ahead or behind me being screened, only +/- 2 around me. Either way I am annoyed at the search. I've been selected before, so I'm not sure why this search bothered me. Maybe it's that I've been reading a lot of articles by (and about) Bruce Schneier lately. I understand that there are implied consent issues, but I'm not really up on the law. Nothing was improper about the search (other than my misgivings about its legality), but for the first time I actually felt like I was giving up a right and I don't think the security I get is worth it anymore. It also bothered me that the guy two behind me remarked, "Whatever you have to do" to the TSA officers about his search. He seemed very flippant about his Fourth Amendment rights.

I've got a few posts about my trip (restaurant reviews), but I'll do those later.

Health Care

I'm tired of people saying that because I am a Christian I should support the national health care plan. As a Christian I have an obligation to care for the poor, widowed, outcast, and generally downtrodden groups. What I do not have is an obligation to do is insist that government do my job for me. If I see someone in need it is my job to help them, not get the government to steal money from the rich (who already bear more than their "fair share") and do my job. If churches and charities have neglected their jobs, the solution is to light a fire under them and get them to do those jobs.

I understand why people say that government plan is taking care of those groups so I should just support it. Just because something is easy, letting government take over, does not mean it is right. Is it much easier to support this plan (or any other national health care plan or welfare program) and say that I have done my part, fulfilled my moral obligation? Yes. However, the right thing to do is give money and other support to churches that fill this need and where they do not exist, to start them. That is much harder and requires taking money out of my pocket and giving it away. (Let's just forget that national health care will be funded by the government forcibly taking money from me, people seem to forget that).

I have to go to work so I've left my arguments about the constitutionality of these types of programs for another day.