Amanda Ripley wrote a great piece in Time the other day about how we're all being trained to count on the TSA and other governmental agencies to protect us from threats like the Christmas Day plane bomber. Her point is that, while they might be helpful, we are quite capable of keeping an eye out for ourselves. In fact, they should be further encouraging and empowering us to do so. Of course, that would diminish their own role, so it won't happen.