Own goal? Hardly.
I can not beleive that the obvious has been missed here,
DONT BRING CLIPPERS OR TWEEZERS ON BOARD!
Funny old thing, but on the aircraft I fly, "on board" includes the holds.
Now if you meant "on the flight deck", you should have said so...
More to the point, you completely misunderstand the problem. It isn't about authority, or a response to it, but about the complete futility of the measures being employed. Not to mention the stupidity shown by some security staff, such as the one that confiscated a three inch model rifle from a GI Joe toy on the basis that it was a "replica weapon"...
There was absolutely no chance that security could have detected the Sept 11 hijackers. What possible clue could there have been? Even now, NONE of the security measures now in force could stop a repeat attempt- not until the reinforced doors are mandatory next year- and in any case, with a key available in the cabin, the efficacy of a strengthened door is moot.
In fact the more I read your post, the more convinced I get that you aren't a pilot at all- you clearly have no appreciation of the situation.