The system worked

Dear Janet Napolitano (Big Sister),

The terrorist, who was on a watch list, paid cash for a one way ticket with no bags and got on a plane with no Identification. He flew in to the United States and was able to detonate his device. It was only for fellow passengers that he was subdued and the system worked. His own father called to warn U.S. officials about his son's terrorist plot to which no one was able to stop him. The system worked.

Which system worked? The one where 90-year-old grandmothers are searched before entering flights? The one where families who bought round trip tickets by credit card in advance are pulled out of line to be screened? The system worked.

Maybe it was the system that says that my 3oz of hand sanitizer cannot travel with me. That I cannot bring in outside food or drink and have to pay prices at airports. Because would be terrorists do not watch the news. We are on the lookout for anyone with a 6oz tube of medicated skin cream. Because it is the item that identifies those who wish to do us harm and not the individuals themselves. The system worked.

The system worked after passengers subdued the “suspect”. The TSA sprung in to action and notified all of the other planes in the air that airport screeners, federal agencies, and who ever is in charge of the 500,000 name list wasn't doing their jobs. Pilots and crews were made aware to look for suspicious activity; by I am sure a 90 yr old grandmother because ethnic profiling is wrong.

Now you want to bring the terrorist to a U.S. prison. Read him his rights that you have just given him. Rights that he did not have before he tried to kill U.S. citizens. Take him to a city in the U.S. with the highest Muslim population and people who cheered the 9/11 attackers and give him a trial by his peers? Are you going to ensure that he has a jury of 12 anti-American terrorist sympathizers so that he can see that the system works?

How about keeping us safe? How about using that list of 500,000 names to restrict travel? How about the system that let's us know that while we sleep at night, work to support our families, and travel someone is protecting us.

No, the system that did work was politics as usual. When you appeared and made a stupid statement. Then you had to retract your statement. Then Robert Gibbs made a stupid statement. Then President Obama had to make an appearance because he was on vacation, again, when the incident happened. Then the president had to act upset. Which I am sure he was upset. He was on vacation and left idiots in charge. Now the final step in the system will be to blame Bush. The system worked.

Maybe if the terrorists claimed that they wanted to stop healthcare reform you would be more likely to stop them. Until you are willing to protect us, I suppose we will have to continue to be vigilant citizens and guard ourselves. Hopefully we will remain on watch in the 2010 and 2012 election and vote out those who want to do us harm.

Thank you for your service to your country,

Now Please Leave.

Jason Sanborn
From the soon to be former State of Texas