Maybe our descent into totalitarian moonbattery is all an elaborate joke, intended to make a point about the perils of political correctness. This couldn't possibly be for real:

A doll caused a security alert at an American airport because its two-inch plastic gun was considered a dangerous weapon. Judy Powell, 55, from Walton on the Hill, Surrey, bought the GI Joe toy in Las Vegas and packed it in her hand luggage. But security staff at Los Angeles International Airport refused to let Mrs Powell on board the plane with the replica rifle.

At least Mrs. Powell still has her sense of humor:

I was simply stunned when I realized they were serious. Security examined the toy as if it was going to shoot them and looked at the rifle. I was really angry to start with because of the absurdity of the situation. But then I saw the funny side of it and thought this was simple lunacy.

A grim spokesman for LAX was less inclined to levity:

We have instructions to confiscate anything that looks like a weapon or a replica. If GI Joe was carrying a replica then it had to be taken from him.

Meanwhile, across the pond:

Brad Jayakody, 30, from London, said he was stopped from passing through security at Heathrow's Terminal 5 after his Transformers T-shirt was deemed "offensive."

The shirt featured a cartoon robot holding a gun. Jayakody was forced to remove it.

You would think authorities would focus on young Muslims with scraggly beards and ticking luggage. But that would be racial profiling. Imposing moonbattery appears to be more the point than security.

On tips from Lyle. Cross-posted at Moonbattery.