TSA Shock Bracelets: The Madness of King George

According to a variety of mainstream media sources, the TSA is contemplating mandatory shock bracelets for passengers. Equipped with GPS, they will enable the government to follow your every move before during and just after a flight. And they will also be equipped with a taser -- which can be activated by a crew member to shock you until you are paralyzed (temporarily.)

Apparently the controversy was started a Washington Times story. The WT is a major DC newspaper much beloved in conservative circles. So you can't call me a bleeding heart for bringing this up.

The company developing the product, Lamperd Less Lethal (no I did not make that up, the company's slogan is "Keeping the situation under control.") features a vid on their web site talking about how most consumers are sure to love this magical idea. This is an excerpt taken from the YouTubes.



An open sentence to current partners, coworkers, clients, prospects and future prospects:

The day I am required by law to strap on a GPS taser to gain permission to be crammed into a filthy, crowded tin can to be hurtled across the country at 500 miles an hour is the day I will NEVER fly again.

How absurd is this? I may now have a device strapped to me that, at the discretion of a flight attendant (no disrespect to flight attendants -- but it is not as if you get Secret Service training) can be made to shock me until I am paralyzed.

Meanwhile, millions of 10x10x40 foot containers stream into the US uninspected. But opening the lids on those would hurt profits of a certain big box retailer that I'll refrain from naming here. Much better just to shock airline passengers that grumble because their kneecaps are fracturing their ribs.

I guess this is the ultimate form of police power privatization. Torture with my peanuts indeed. Oh wait, torture with my...nothing.

Thanks for reading, and don't forget to write to the TSA to tell them how ridiculous you think this is.