A senior official within the Department of Homeland Security has recommended that airline passengers wear what amount to electric dog collars containing their personal and flight information. The taser-like shock function of the bracelet, to be worn over the wrist, would be activated remotely, by a flight attendant or offsite agent. The offsite agent would most likely be a TSA employee. In order for the stun feature to function, these wristbands would have to be able to send and receive communications during a flight. My ipod being on during takeoff and landing is a threat to the safety of everyone on board, but a mobile device sending and receiving signals indicating my exact whereabouts is fine? This is an idea which even the American public, which has been largely desensitized to Statism thanks to the Patriot Act and the wars on Drugs, Poverty, Iraqi civilians, and tasty food, may object to as being too invasive. I was going to say that this sounds rather Orwellian, but then remembered that even “The Party” in 1984 didn’t go to these extremes to control the population. Having the power to remotely subdue anyone for any reason is a power we should not wish anybody, especially the government, to have. Although people will be aghast at being treated like animals, many will conclude that the benefits of flying outweigh the costs, and put up with the new device. As Ben Franklin said, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither.” We are not animals, and a state which believes that it is within their rights to force people to be subjected to torture at the whims of their agents is not one which may preside over a free society.