GORDON wrote: And I know much of the "necessary" business flights could be handled with a day of travel in a rental car, and would likely be cheaper for the company. But nah... It is different when someone else is paying for your air travel, you get to pretend like you're outside the problem.
Oh, you take a personal shot, but us folks who travel for work aren't allowed to respond because you're so "right"? Did they teach you that when you attended Berkley?
You're leaving out some details in your argument that are kind of important. You don't punch a clock, so it's easy to tell other folks, who do, that they just need to spend more time traveling. But it's not realistic.
First, at face value driving might seem cheaper, but you're not factoring in mileage, gas, more food stops, more need for hotel visits, etc. Don't forget about who is paying for the car. Wear and tear isn't free! Even pizza delivery guys get paid wear and tear allotments.
Second, who's paying for the employee's additional travel time? Do you expect them to do that for free? Either the employer is paying for it or you're fucking over the employees.
Third, fuck his/her family, right? I mean, who gives a shit if their kids ever see them?
Fourth, what do you do for those guys who need to be in multiple cities in a single day? Fuck their business or you allowing them to fly?
Fifth, compare road deaths annually with airline deaths.
And since you want to call us boot lickers, allow me to point out that you're not being a good example. Are you boycotting something to stand up for your beliefs? Yes, and that's great. However, is your protest insanely ineffective, and probably weird to others? Yes. "Son, I don't fly anywhere because 'The Government'! They won't have me licking their boots! Now excuse me while I obey laws and pay taxes."
Listen, we get it. The folks here get your boycott and it's commendable. However, if you think that gives you some sort of moral high ground to shit on those of us who still fly, you're delusional.
End of the day, you're doing
nothing to correct what you see as a problem, which isn't a big deal, until you start insulting other people who cross your imaginary line in the sand. See, there are other ways you could be fighting the TSA, but you're not. Start a change.org petition. I'll sign it right now! Write your representatives! Write opinion pieces for MSM outlets. That's the system. That's the only way to get the change you want, but you're not doing any of that. You think your solo, unannounced boycott will deliver results to an industry that's 5.1% of the U.S. GDP.
And if you want to get technical, you're not boycotting those you're fighting against, you're boycotting airlines. Airlines aren't the TSA. Airlines have nothing to do with the TSA. If you wanted to directly attack the people responsible, instead of the innocent people caught in the crossfire, you'd be boycotting paying your taxes. That's where the funding for the TSA comes from.
Or you could start supporting airports that have dumped the TSA. That'd send a far bigger message than not flying.