I didn't declare that "various TSA policies are 'pointless'", I said that searching my luggage for explosive residue was pointless in view of the fact that I had simply declared a firearm, not said, "I've got a bomb"or anything about explosives... I think you mean "aviation security", rather than "aviation safety", the former having to do with preventing criminal acts, the latter having to do with not crashing the plane, and, I guess I know as much, and maybe a little more about it, as any civilian who can read and understand the published rules and regulations, and who can ask a few questions... As far as I can tell, TSA doesn't require much of it's employees beyond the capability to fog up a mirror, and to show up most of the time... No, it frankly didn't occur to me that TSA might have some policy requiring them to swab any bag they may have opened, because, as far as I know, there's no reason to open every, or any bag, containing a declared firearm, and this is almost never done --- usually, they use their "X-Ray" devices to examine the luggage, and I've never been requested by TSA to open the hard case containing my firearms (untrained, unqualified ticket agents occasionally do, as previously mentioned...) (I once asked a TSA "official" why they cared to give checked firearms any particular scrutiny, since after all, you've announced that you're checking them, they're inaccessible once checked, and of no use in committing a hijacking or the like --- the plausible reply was that a (steel) firearm itself might render some other contraband, an explosive, or etc., invisible to their "X-Ray" equipment, rather than any particular interest in the firearm itself...) His "standard procedure" answer was "good enough" for me in terms of our neither snide nor condescending dialogue --- I hadn't told the poor TSA guy that he was conducting a pointless search, or asked him to contravene what he evidently understood, if perhaps erroneously, to be a policy directive. I didn't argue, just asked.My post was simply intended to illustrate that there are inconsistent, illogical, seemingly idiotic policies in place, that improve neither our security, or our airline travel experience. I recommend some form of exercise other than leaping to conclusions ...
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