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They aren't cops, any more than the guy at the front gate into your neighborhood is a cop. They aren't trained, sworn law enforcement officers, they don't carry weapons, and they don't have arrest authority. I don't have a problem with those folks, until they start acting like they have cop authority, but that's pretty rare. Most of them just want a job where they just stand there.

The inspection system isn't perfect - NOTHING IS, and criticizing any massive system for not being perfect is disingenuous. Perhaps their presence is mostly theater, but it's useful theater. A major point of the system isn't just to catch threats coming onto the plane, but discourage people from using the airports or airplanes for whatever nonsense they're planning. In fact, that may be the bigger point. In this era of mass shootings, we can attribute the fact that we haven't had a maniac shoot up a plane to the presence of TSA, and the entire inspection system, and thank them. Who knows how many incidents they discourage every day?

Finally:

Terrorist attacks on planes are incredibly rare,

This reminds me of Trump whining that we had to abolish the Clean Air & Water Act, because our air and water is perfectly clean, this is just useless regulation. What it doesn't take into account was that when it started, our air and water quality was terrible due to decades of industrial pollution, leaded gas, and environmental neglect and abuse. That Act cleaned it all up, and had kept it clean. He just sees the successful result, and declares it useless. You're doing the same thing with TSA.

Before TSA, hijackings and airport attacks were common, all over the world, finally culminating in 9/11. We have not had a major incident like that since then. A couple of dipshits tried to light their shoes and underwear on fire, but both passengers and flight crews have adopted a different attitude, and beat the crap out of those guys, and TSA adjusted. Now we take our shoes off, and we get our naughty bits x-rayed. Some guy tried to sneak in water bottles with explosives, so now we can't have water bottles.

As for tiny shampoos, that has nothing to do with terrorism, just weight. You're going off for a long weekend, you don't need a giant bottle of every hair product you own. I don't want my plane going down because everyone had to bring a full 36 oz bottle of their backup hair conditioner.

The system was planned and implemented, and had evolved to address emerging threats, and the result has been far fewer incidents both in-flight and in the airports, and that is a direct result of TSA and the program that they operate.

I don't worry about flying at all these days, but if TSA were to leave, I don't think I would fly anymore. I don't mind driving, I kind of like it, looking for little local BBQ joints along the way.

Yeah, I've done ALL of that (well, maybe not traveling while brown), but never so dramatically as you describe, nor have I ever witnessed it. ALL of your situations are greatly exaggerated, or were provoked. Nobody has EVER "screamed"at me about touching my bag, that's just silly. I've never seen anyone scream about anything in a baggage inspection line in my life.

These people are doing an endless busy boring job, and they generally do it standing up all day, so I don't doubt they don't have the greatest job satisfaction in the world. I don't expect them to kiss my ass for the privilege of serving me, just be professional and efficient, and they are always that.

I often travel with specialized equipment in my carryon, and I EXPECT it to be pulled out for inspection. I have definitely been inspected FAR more than most other passengers, and in fact, I am surprised when they don't. Sometimes I see them all gathered around the screen, peering and pointing, and I'll call over "You're probably gonna wanna inspect that," and they all turn to look at me, and then they pull it off the belt, and bring it over for inspection, but not always. I once asked why NOT one time, and an obviously very experienced agent told me what all the items were just from the X-ray. I told him I was impressed he was so accurate, and he just smiled.

Perhaps your TSA problems aren't with TSA, they're with you. They are always polite and understanding when they inspect my bag, and let ME re-pack it right there at the inspection station. Are they smiling? No, they tend to be stiff at first, because they are anticipating a passenger like you, but they relax when they see I hold no animosity for another American worker, just doing their job. I often walk away with both of us smiling, because I give them a rare moment during the day when they aren't under attack.

These TSA workers are our neighbors, our friends, even our family members. They are doing a difficult job, without a lot of pay, and people like you giving them a hard time all day, every day. If you aren't getting the TSA experience you think you should have, maybe try a friendlier approach. It also tends to succeed in a lot more circumstances than just airports.

America is in a weird place right now, and these government workers are stuck on the middle. They aren't responsible for anything, they're just a cog in the wheel, doing it for a paycheck. They are exactly like the rest of us. Our beef isn't with them, it's with the psychopaths at the top. Beating up on our working colleagues doesn't do anything but drive our collective morale even lower, and it isn't even satisfying.

Save your animosity for those who deserve it, and support ALL American workers. They're the Good Guys.

I fly frequently and have never seen any of these scenarios. And wtf...a woman did try and bring an explosive liquid onto a flight in the early 2000s, it's why they have the liquids rule.

Fuck travellers and their outrage at mild inconvenience. The world is not safe, and if you don't like safety measures, please stay the fuck home.

the rest were bad dragon dildos

I've seen other posts of people buying those specifically to fuck with TSA like that. Such a good idea.