I'm guessing the NSA, in its relentless combing of phone and database records, is probably looking for some Middle Eastern terrorists who might be a threat to our country.
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| Could bad airport working conditions and wages lead to crime or terrorism? Workers want higher wages. Photo by Dave Sanders/SEIU |
That threat might be real, but the New York Times and other news agencies might have indirectly uncovered another threat to our security, especially at airports.
Airports have substantially cut the pay of already low paid airport workers, deny them vacation time or days off, all in the name of cost cutting, according to the Times.
Upon reading this Dan Savage in his blog raised a good point. The Powers That Be, who slash airport workers' wages, who make them work without breaks or time off, who willfully lower there standards of living because, Profits! might be opening the door to a domestic attack.
Some of these workers will get so resentful, goes Savage's reasoning, that they might resort to illegal activities. Drug running, even helping terrorists.
I think Savage is right.
Of course the airport workers, no matter how lousy their pay and working conditions, have a moral responsibility to not help criminals or terrorists. But resentment sometimes overcomes morals, like it or not.
Airlines might be saving some cash for their bottom lines (not to mention their executive pay) But are they increasing the threats to our security at the same time?
Yeah, we can't all be millionaires, but maybe treat the workers a teensy, tiny bit better, and maybe give them an occasional pay raise, especially if they do a good job?
It could be a better investment than you'd think.
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