Whooshing down that slippery slope

The TSA apparently appeared at two downtown city bus stops in Indianapolis on August 2nd in order to perform what they termed a "VIPR" operation, checking passengers for "weapons and suspicious behavior".

VIPR supposedly stands for "Visual Intermodal Prevention Response". In other words, the goons in the black uniforms show up and strut around, intimidating private citizens who have done nothing wrong. They should really call it "Violating Individual Passengers' Rights".

So what if the bus passengers had weapons? It's perfectly legal to carry a handgun with a permit, whether concealed or openly, in Indiana. It's no business of the federal government's if the local peasantry chooses to utilize their right to carry in public in their own home city. Frankly, if I had to ride a bus in downtown Indianapolis, I'd be armed too, as my permit is recognized in Indiana.

And just what is "suspicious behavior", anyhow? Sounds to me like a catchall term that lets the officers corner anyone they feel like, just because they were scratching the wrong area or bitching about the bus schedule. I'll wager money that none of the smelly homeless people sitting at the stop talking to themselves were labeled "suspicious" and searched. Wouldn't want the agents to get their hands literally "dirty", like they are so willing to do figuratively.

"TSA said the searches were “by-permission,” meaning patrons could decline to be checked. Those who did would not be turned away, an official said, unless they otherwise appeared to be a security threat."

That's awfully generous of them, allowing private individuals to assert their right to be left alone by their government to go about their daily business. Again, one wonders just how many times people who told the goons to shove off were then labeled a "security threat" and given the full cavity search.

Come to think about it, I'm not sure whether the TSA has jurisdiction over the Indianapolis city bus system at all. It's not interstate commerce or transportation, or even outstate transportation, as the buses only serve the city, so how does this fall under their umbrella of "Federal transportation security"? The bus isn't even on an interstate highway. The local and state police would seem to have all of the authority here, and the feds none, according to that pesky Constitution again. If this is allowable, then there's absolutely no difference between what they did in Indy and them stopping and hassling anyone walking down the street. After all, walking is "transportation", too. How about bicyclists? One can imagine them setting up one of their Checkpoint Charlies on a bicycle path, and challenging all of the Lycra-clad wheelers. "An inner tube wrench? Put your hands behind your back."

Let me save the TSA some time. It'll be a cold day in hell before I submit to an airport-style screening for wanting to walk down a street, or take a bus across town. Move on to the next sucker.

I'm going to look into this further. Stay tuned.