While I can understand the anger over TSA pat downs, especially with children, we need to remember why we got to this point.
Terrorists grabbed FOUR aircraft in a singe day, flying them into the Trade Centers buildings, the Pentagon, and a field because we had low key airport security protecting those aircraft. Our enemies will exploit any vulnerability. If that means a bomb in a child's plush toy, or C4 in their huggies, THEY WILL DO IT.
Before we eliminate our airport security for the sake of comfort and convenience, lets figure out how we will continue to protect our assets from future hijacking. Else we need to accept that this WILL happen again and that if it does, it is not the governments fault for eliminating that watch post known as TSA. Even if TSA is not very effective, it is better than what we had and its all we currently got. To make it better, we'd have to ramp security up, not down. Then we'd have cavity searches, not just crotch groping.
If you do not like your children being groped for security, don't fly. Rent a car. Leave a day early and go see this great country of ours on your way to visit grandma. Trains are nice too. Otherwise, I suggest you buy a ticket on "Take your chances airways", a new airline I made up that has no intrusive security measures and may actually be cheaper to fly. Sit next to that angry Armenian looking guy, who did not go through a security check before boarding, and think about how safe you feel now while checking his waist band for fuses.
