Comments on: The arrest of a physicist for possessing a model aircraft. https://habitablezone.com/2011/09/29/the-arrest-of-a-physicist-for-possessing-a-model-aircraft/ Thu, 23 Apr 2026 21:07:28 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: ER https://habitablezone.com/2011/09/29/the-arrest-of-a-physicist-for-possessing-a-model-aircraft/#comment-6441 ER Fri, 30 Sep 2011 02:21:02 +0000 http://habitablezone.com/?p=4063#comment-6441 Remember, one of the goals of terrorism is to not only cause damage and casualties, but to force governments to embark on expensive and disruptive countermeasures to prevent or mitigate those damages and casualties. I'm sure the dollar cost of our air travel security program probably exceeds the cost of the aircraft actually lost due to terror attacks. And there is also the hidden costs to the industry, public resistance to the program, and lack of confidence in it, political consequences (such as real or perceived civil liberties issues) and general drag on the economy. For example, I have refused to fly anywhere since 9/11, not because I'm afraid of terrorism, but because I do not want to put up with the security hassle. I am not opposed to or upset about the security, I know it is for my protection (even "profiling" does not bother me), I just don't want to deal with it. I'll avoid traveling if I can, or drive or take the train if I have to. So far, I haven't had to go anywhere far away in a hurry. Does that mean the terrorists have won? Remember, one of the goals of terrorism is to not only cause damage and casualties, but to force governments to embark on expensive and disruptive countermeasures to prevent or mitigate those damages and casualties.

I’m sure the dollar cost of our air travel security program probably exceeds the cost of the aircraft actually lost due to terror attacks.

And there is also the hidden costs to the industry, public resistance to the program, and lack of confidence in it, political consequences (such as real or perceived civil liberties issues) and general drag on the economy.

For example, I have refused to fly anywhere since 9/11, not because I’m afraid of terrorism, but because I do not want to put up with the security hassle. I am not opposed to or upset about the security, I know it is for my protection (even “profiling” does not bother me), I just don’t want to deal with it. I’ll avoid traveling if I can, or drive or take the train if I have to.
So far, I haven’t had to go anywhere far away in a hurry.

Does that mean the terrorists have won?

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