Stupidity, Not Security
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I understand that neither bureaucrats nor authoritarians much stand to profit by interacting with intelligent people who have engaged sufficiently with the issues. Furthermore, I understand that bureaucrats in particular spend their time thinking not only about their ostensible mission but their unpublished mission: remaining in their present position.
Even so, this is nonsense.
Yes, bags make good places to hide things that go boom. Yes, people noting that something is amiss is a good way to avoid having things that go boom succeed in creating the intended havoc. (One is reminded of the heroic actions of Richard Jewell in 1996.) In general the advice to be aware of unattended bags is sound.
What is not sound is to make universal application of such guidelines. Some awareness of context can go a long way here. The baggage claim area, for example, is by definition full of unattended bags. Shall we really flood the local E911 system with calls reporting on each bag traveling down the conveyor? In fact what would happen to such a person who diligently followed the instructions blazing from the lighted sign overhead?
Security people often complain that they're not given due attention. They have only themselves to blame in many cases. Someone who wants to be heard should speak only when having something to say. Signs like this serve only one purpose: training people to ignore security instructions.
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Do Not Disturb
