Be afraid, Chapter Way Too Many Now

The spreading use of arbitrary, useless security theater, practices that serve less to "protect" than to advance the ability of the state to invade the privacy of citizens at its whim, has again come to self-parody.

A Kentucky couple said Wednesday that they want the Transportation Security Administration to change how it screens children after their 6-year-old daughter was frisked at the New Orleans airport.

Yup: They patted down a 6-year old, including the fingers-in-the-waistband treatment, leaving the girl crying in its wake. If that doesn't seem idiotic to you at first glance, add the fact that

Martin Macpherson, the director of the London-based Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, said he is not aware of instances when terrorists have used children as young as 6 in an attack.

Which means the pat-down was pointless and stupid by any standard.

Here's what got me, though: The TSA says the officer followed proper procedure. However, Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Subcommittee on National Security, says the search was "in clear violation of TSA's explicit policy not to conduct thorough pat-downs on children under the age of 13."

Hey, TSA: How can someone acting "in clear violation of ... explicit policy" be following "proper procedure?"

Footnote: The TSA claims it's "reviewing" its procedures - which is always the line we get in response to the latest nonsense to keep us compliant until the next nonsense.