Unlawful Search and Siezure

I am sitting at the gate at the Hartfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. At least I made it to the gate, but I'm really having to try hard not to scream! I am sitting here blogging, having paid $9.95 for three months Wi-Fi access (a steal for something that should be free, but almost never is when you're traveling) primarily so that I can keep at least some of my sanity.

The thing that is driving me nuts is what should frustrate, indeed enrage, every citizen of this country. In order to travel to Atlanta, where I have been for the past four days to protest at the Boy Scouts of America National Meeting, I had to have my Fourth Amendment right to unlawful search and seizure violated. In order to return home to Denver, the same thing happened. This has been going on as long as I remember, but it has gotten more and more extreme since September 11th. In case you don't remember, the Fourth Amendment states:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

No warrant was issued. No probable cause existed to search me, supported by Oath or affirmation. Yet I was searched, and twice, I had something seized. In Denver, I had my aerosol container of sunblock siezed (there is a new limit of 3 oz for liquids, gels, and aerosols - don't even ask what this crap is about). In Atlanta, I had a bottle of water seized. Water! It was over 3 oz.

So how is this not considered Unconstitutional? Simple. Contrary to popular belief, it was not a government agent that screened me and took my highly dangerous sunblock and water. It was a private citizen, employed by a government contractor, at least this is the way I understand the relationship. In fact, the TSA (now officially part of the Department of Homeland Security) does not get directly involved with a search until one of the private citizens has probably cause to ask for them to search you. This, though technically a Constitutional arrangement, clearly violates the spirit of the Bill of Rights.