Out of JFK comes a story of overreaction. It’s really no surprise given Big Sis’s “See Something. Say Something.” campaign the current state of heightened alert, then again I think since 9-11 the status has never been decreased. So I guess we are safer now than 9-11 *sarcasm*. Not really, Napalitano just needs the reassurance she has made the situation better, when in reality it’s turning into nothing more than a police state at US airports.

So how can individuals overreact today? Allegedly a passenger on a plane bound for the Dominican Republic “waltz” (the Port Athority words) passed TSA. I could see this, do you REALLY expect them to catch every piece of contraband? Considering this is a “make work” program and those individuals are nothing more than governmental “rent-a-cops” I don’t expect much at all, least of all feeling “safer” when (which is never) I decide to fly.

Upon boarding the Jet Blue flight, Eusebio D. Peraltalajara was asked to store his carry on bag. Upon moving it, the flight attendant saw “box cutters” fall out of the bag. This is where the TSA campaign failed and the situation was blown way out of proportion.The pilots were notified, which then set off a chain of event that included Jet Blue Security, the PAPD Emergency Service Units, the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the FBI. The report states the plane was “evacuated” and swept by canine units. These events also required passengers to be re-screened before they re-boarded the flight.

The passenger (thankfully) was not charged or arrested, explaining he used the “box cutters” in question at work and simply forgot to take them out of his bag.The TSA stated, “…a number of additional security layers that have been implemented on aircraft that would prevent someone from causing harm with boxcutters…and a more vigilant traveling public who have demonstrated a willingness to intervene.” Someone please fill me in, just how much did this dog and pony just cost the American taxpayer?

I think this just goes to show airline security is no more improved than it was before 9-11. Things will slip by the “make work” security guards at the airport and the result will be one over overreaction by a flight crew. I see this incident being blown way out of proportion because of a simple mistake by that of a passenger.You can read about the overreaction, here.