Now that I’ve humiliated you, have a nice day.
Apparently bored with leering at airline passengers they find attractive following full body scans, agents of the Transportation Security Administration are now focused on harassing disabled flyers. During 2012, a total of 26 complaints were filed on behalf of disabled airline passengers at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport alone, accusing TSA agents of conducting inappropriate and humiliating screenings.
One complaint was filed by an 82-year-old woman in a wheelchair who was reportedly required to take out her prosthetic breast while passing through a TSA security checkpoint before boarding a flight to London. In a separate incident, a breast cancer survivor complained that an agent ordered a pat-down of her prosthetic breast and refused to conduct the search in a private area.
Nationally, there were 920 complaints filed against the TSA between October 2009 and June 2012 from people alleging discrimination on the basis of disabilities and medical conditions, according to a Government Accountability Office. One complaint came from a Marine who lost his legs in an explosion in Afghanistan. He said he was asked to remove his prosthetic legs so that agents could check his wheelchair for explosives.
And these are only the people who have filed complaints. There is probably a far greater number of disabled folks who, despite being upset about their treatment at airports by TSA agents, chose not to go through the hassle of filing a report.
Yes, we obviously need to have security at our nation’s airports. The 9/11 terrorists proved that we were lacking in that area and we don’t want a repeat. But the key word here is “terrorists.” How about if we focus on them and not harass clearly innocent civilians, especially those who have life difficult enough due to their disabilities?
Have you ever been treated rudely or subjected to an unnecessary search by a TSA agent? If so, I’d love to hear about it.
I HAVE BEEN MOLESTED BY A TSA GESTAPO TWICE AND I WILL ONLY FLY AGAIN IF IT IS AN EMERGENCY. ONE OF THEM HIT ME IN THE CROTCH SO HARD I ALMOST PUNCHED HIM BACK. IF I HAVE TO FLY AGAIN I WILL WEAR A BURKA!!!!!! THEY WOULD NOT DARE TOUCH ME!!!!!!
The TSA is nothing more than a welfare program for morbidly obese morons with a room temperature IQ, perverts, degenerates and child molesters.
Number of TSA agents arrested and convicted of theft, drug smuggling and other various illegal activities: over 400
Number of terrorists caught:0
More than $7 billion/year spent
Still feel safe and free?
Anyone who continues to support this bunch is stupid beyond words.
Shut down the TSA, DHS, CIA, FBI, DEA just for starters. America would be much safer and enjoy more liberty without these morons.
My wife had to fly fairly often for her job with a major company with locations in CA, WA and Canada. She is a blue-eyed, grandmother and almost every time she was pulled over for “extra” attention. One of the last times she had them paw though her carry on at the initial airport and then when she had to change planes she got all the way to the gate and then they were pawing though her carry on at the gate pulling out under ware. In the mean time at least 3 Muslim women if full body cover were just let onto the plane with no additional examination. This was BEFORE 9/11!!!
We have flown ONE time in the years since then. Partly due to the TSA and the major delays, partly due to not liking being packed in like sardines by the airlines, plus when we drive we are masters of our destiny. We can leave on our trip when we want, stay extra days or leaver early to return home. We can take what we want when we travel and no one is poking though our stuff. Yes it can take more time, but we get to see more of the country and most of the time it is cheaper than flying.
Another thing that was interesting, I had to do some business flying after 9/11 and I was always amazed at how the airport cleaning staff appeared to be able to push their cleaning carts though the security area WITHOUT actually going though any scanning or examination. I always thought that it would be trivial for someone to place a weapon or device in the bag on the cart and then after the cart was on the gate side distract the cleaner and retrieve the weapon. I saw this several times at different airports. That kind of reduces the whole TSA screening effort when you have a hole in the process. At least in my opinion. Of course we haven’t been near an airport in years so perhaps they have plugged that potential hole. But I doubt it.
As an example of how wonderfully efficient the government is and why you are foolish to think that bigger government is the answer.
I had requested 6+ months ago details of what the Social Security amount for my account would be if I started taking it at age 69 and also age 70. I could NOT get this info on line since I was taking spousal SS benefits. I was told they would EXPIDITE it and I would get a call from my local SS office in two weeks. That didn’t happen so I called again and they put another request in.
Today (5 months later) l finally got a voicemail from the local office saying they would call me back later today with the answer.
So as you can see the TSA is just one very visible part of government that is falling down on the job.
I flew from Salt Lake City to Fresno about 3 yrs. ago. For some reason I was pulled out of the check in line and taken to a private room by 2 female TSA agents. I can only guess that this was a random check, because I was a chubby, 5 foot 3 in. 66 year old grandma, informally but nicely dressed, and certainly didn’t look threatening in any way. ( I think profiling is a much more sensible idea!) Anyway, the ladies were very nice and respectful. It actually felt good having them rub/pat down my back and feet! My only complaint is that I literally had to run in order to make my plane. So – maybe the agents in Salt Lake City are nicer. Surely the majority of TSA agents are just folks trying to do their jobs the best they can. Too bad the others have made so many of us reluctant to fly.
The last time I flew was near the beginning of the TSA terrorist reign. While my fanny pack was being scanned the TSA agent(s) stole 2 checks from my checkbook and tried to kite a check. They were so stupid they wrote it for more than in the account, and it bounded! I don’t know if the bank followed up and prosecuted, but I hope so. I’ll never fly again until the TSA is disbanded and outlawed.
I don’t believe a word you said.
For the most part, I haven’t had trouble with the TSA. However, one wanted to check my arms after I went through the scanner. I was wearing a T-shirt! Another time, after I went through the scanner, one of the agents, a female, just had to squeeze my arms because I had a sweater on. She did it so hard it hurt me. When I was in Denver, after I went through the scanner, they swabbed down the chair (I needed help to get around) for explosives. It was a chair from the terminal! So, yes, they are sometimes nuts. It is such a joke and some of them are thieves besides.
I had severe polio and cannot walk without a power wheelchair. When I was in Denver, a person tasked with getting me from one gate to another would not do it AT ALL unless I gave her a BIG TIP! Believe IT! I don’t ever want to go back through Denver.
When I was in Atlanta, I was outside the area where the first plane came in and tried to get someone to push me to the next one. I was waving a $10.00 bill!
What does it take to get handicapped people assistance. I am 70 years old. WHY DON’T THEY PROFILE?!!
I only fly Southwest and I pay the additional $11 to go through the fast line. I’ve never had a problem and I fly through Denver all the time.
TSA stands for The Stupid Assholes … and they certainly live up to their name.
It would be great to see a 30 day boycott of the airlines because of the TSA. If you must fly, go on a private aircraft. While I have never had the issues with the TSA that others report, I have seen what I felt was excessive searches being done. Considering who the TSA agents tend to be, I have to wonder if the TSA is an attraction for bullies, and for people looking to make life difficult for others, because they feel they have been unfairly treated by society. By all means, boycott the airlines. They, and the airports will suffer financially.
I can only walk with braces on both legs and those lightweight crutches I’m sure you’ve been seeing around. I also wear a bladder pad. That ladder pad eliminates me from the impersonal whole body scan; it creates an anomaly on their screen. So my remaining choice is to remove my braces and shoes and socks and stand with my feet aligned with my shoulders and my hands locked behind my head for about ten minutes while they put their hands down my pants and rummage about inside me. Can you get the vaguest idea why I don’t travel anymore? When I told TSA that I cannot stand without the braces and crutches the response was, Then don’t travel. I date myself I’m sure but I can remember when passenger trains ran steadily and flights were for the very rich and some buses were appearing for the very poor. But there is no mode of public transportation I can use without this abusive routine being forced upon me. I had always thought travel between the states was a basic right. But now I learn that it is a privilege apparent reserved for the fully abled.
Virtually every time my wife and I fly she gets a pat down she is breatcancer survivor and has a prosthetic breast several time she was forced to remove it right there without the use of a privacy room. These goose stepping hoodlums many of who did not even get background checks think ( sex offender, perverts , ex cons ) now getting paid by our government to feel up women and Harass disabled people I worked at the phoenix airport and daily got to see this it is really disgusting that we as Americans have no recourse or action we can take other then complain . The head of the TSA Jei johnson condones the bad behavior and does absolutely nothing to change it. He says to change it would cause a security risk. For a service that had caught 0 read that zero terrorists since it was instituted I believe that our rights have been violated enough. And a class action suit be filed on behalf of all those people accosted by the TSA. Perverts with special attention brought to cases of egregious abuse that have been noted. The government had gotten out of control and we need to take back that control our constitution ensures us that right, it is time . I am going to pop inside out the face of the next TSA creep who feels up my wife. She has to walk around with her disfigurement showing when we travel now because she won’t wear her prosthetic for fear of these perverts. It is time to Mr Johnson (Heinrich himmler) and his Gestapo thugs down. This experiment had proved to be useless. I have traveled all over the world and no other country abusers their passengers freedoms like the USA. And other countries have stopped terrorists. Does that tell you something..
I know this is probably an old post, but I’m just wondering, has the TSA ever stopped a domestic terrorist? And if not, why do we still have them harassing american citizens in our own country?
I was forced to go thru the scanner at the Akron-Canton airport even though I had a note from my Doctor that I have a pacemaker and no scanners.
I just flew out from Birmingham to Boston and the TSA was fine. I have IBS and I have to wear an adult diaper and take medicine to control things (since bathrooms are at a premium on a flight). They didn’t force me to show my diaper and didn’t question my portable medicine cabinet. This was my first flight since 9/11 so I was nervous because of reading so many stories about the TSA. Logan was incredibly easy. This article is from 2012, so it’s possible they have made changes over the last 3 years. But then again, wasn’t it recently the head of the TSA was removed because 95% of the airports didn’t catch devices they tried to pass through? So maybe they tightened things up again, but really, it wasn’t as bad bad from Birmingham to Boston and vice-versa.
They probably missed things going thru the scanner because they were more concerned about frisking and grouping passengers, then looking at carry-on baggage.
And this folks is why my wife and I will not fly again. My wife has several back and spine conditions and has to use a walker with wheels to get around. We took a flight to Australia in 2008 and we were treated like terrorist. Separated at the check point, striped searched and even body cavity searched, missed the flight and had to wait another 16 hours to leave the US. No accommodations or anything for our inconvenience and delay. By the way the foun nothing. The ONLY flight we will make is to leave our current location never to return.
Only this administration could be soo ignorantly cruel, and enjoy it.
I am 73 years old and a stroke survivor. I also am a mother of a 38 year old autistic son. I will never fly again because of the shameful way I and my son were treated when I had to fly with him.
I have only flown twice since 911 and both times I was with a church group of more than 27 people and we were all but rushed right through the check points as a group. I did have to remove my shoes at one check point but even with that it did not take more than 5 minutes to check us all and get us to our plane. As a veteran I do not think what they are doing to the general public is necessary and is totally uncalled for.
Disabled as I am , I just won’t fly anymore because of the idiotic screening procedures to get on a plane. Excuse me, get in a plane.
Obama isn’t a Muslim. The DHS was created during the Bush Admin. Try not to turn ugly rumors into facts it takes away from the point you’re trying to make.
There’s no question the TSA is out of control, they have been for more years than Obama has been president.
The Isreali (spelling?) airlines uses profiling for their airline security and they don’t apologize for it. They firmly believe that’s how to catch potential terrorists getting on a plane. They have no TSA but they do have highly trained and highly paid agents that do the profiling.
I believe that’s what the US needs too.
That type of change could come from your State Senator or Congress person.
If you’re really tired of it all get your friends and neighbors to push for legislation to change this.
I believe that’s how our democracy is supposed to work.
I won’t fly anymore either unless absoluetly necessary. I almost missed my sister’s funeral in FL because the TSA decided I was a flight risk. Why? They wouldn’t tell me! But we’re figured it was because I had gotten a single ticket, without much notice (she died suddenly) and I was wearing a baseball cap and had sunglases on? I was a white female in my late 30s, 5’3″, 120 lbs, a real threat!
My husband was about to kill someone I swear he was more upset than I was. He asked to speak to a supervisor and they let him.
They finally let me on the plane. I was an emotional mess. Just lost my sister in an early death ( she was 48) and the turmoil at the airport was not helpful.
We used to enjoy flying, but now we drive everytime we can.
The TSA has ruined it for EVERYONE except those who truly mean to do us harm.
Of course Obama is a muslim, what does that have to do with disable people and TSA????? You need to read the new book that just came out about him. 1300 pages proving who he is and that he’s a muslim.
I have been harassed, searched and insulted by the TSA at large airports several times for absolutely no reason at all. So I decided to do two things: I now fly out of a small airport frequented by many many rich people, and I deliberately take on an unassuming, snobby air. I also dress very, very well. No harassment anymore, but one particular TSA agent always looks frustrated, which I think is hilarious.
This is actually a laugh: I flew from San Diego to Salt Lake with a pretty much used tube of toothpaste just fine. A whole week later, on the return flight, TSA agent confiscated my used toothpaste. Reason: the tube said it was over 3oz. when any idiot with two eyes could tell there was probably less than one ounce left.
Liberal Political Correctness or just Communism?
It’s better to screw with everyone than to Racial Profile Individuals who would most likely bomb a plane. Then again is it all just a lie perpetrated against us by those in power? It’s all about control. Your free to do what they allow you to do…and free to follow the Law …The rules! Conform or fight that is what needs to be done!
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Sure, it’s all a lie. So was Viet Nam. So was the Holocaust. That kind of thinking scares me more than the TSA does. Deny, deny, deny and never learn a thing.
Well, I am flying to San Francisco tomorrow. I haven’t been on a plane since 2010. It will be interesting to see what happens. I do know that the airport in SF does not have the TSA, but a private security company. I’ll let everyone know how that turns out.
The answer is simple, though nobody will do it. Except for emergencies (such as a death in the family, or to see an out of town doctor), NO ONE FLY ANYWHERE FOR THIRTY DAYS. Let the airlines know why you are boycotting them. Than stand back and watch the fur fly at TSA. The loss of that kind of revenue will send the airlines into a total panic. Who knows, maybe the airlines might treat their customers with some respect for a change.
The true facts are this will never happen, because to many people are sheep at heart, and will give up their freedoms for a false feeling of security.
Great idea, I have not flown in the last 15 years, if I can not drive there or take the train, not going. Everyone stop for the next 30 days, that will put their faces into the mix.
We should do that with gas, Electric and Tv too. We the people have the power to change the world. Were the 99%!
Shortly after 9-11 my husband and I were traveling to Hawaii with our 4 kids. On 3 of the 4 flights we took on our trip our entire family was chosen to go through the search of ourselves and our luggage. Somehow, pulling a family with children to search did not make me feel like they were making the skies any safer. Wish getting from one end the the country to the other via plane did not mean being forced to deal with TSA.
The whole thing is a joke, just one more way to little by little take away our rights under the guise of “protecting” us.
I quit flying all together, if I cant drive I won’t go. If more people did this we could should down the airlines, and TSA. Without billions coming in they would be forced to make changes. But there are to many people that complain, but all short to help solve the problem!
JL, your comment is typical of ones I’ve read in a number of blog responses over the years. We, too, have quit flying anywhere. And yet the airlines still fill the planes up and terminals are (still) a circus. And the skies (according to main-stream media (MSM) have gotten as dangerous as the freeways at quitting time! I’d really like to know some rough figures on the drop in ticket sales, airline passengers, etc.
One of our friends works for TSA. He believes he is a hero. They are told they are searching not only for terrorists but for “mules” smuggling drugs. He defends the inapproapriate pat downs of little children and the elderly and disabled. And he said they are not allowed to profile. It’s crazy how people act when they get a little bit of power over someone else…..
NV Lady, thank you for your story. I wish I could remember my sources better, but, isn’t there something in the Hebrew Bible (the Old Testament) about how inappropriate it is to give power to fools? From what I’ve seen on the rare occasion when we had to fly somewhere, these TSA people are generally ignorant, arrogant, poorly prepared wanna be’s – a terribly, terribly low-level clerk with FAR too much power and FAR too little supervision.
To begin I am disabled. I was flying to my Daughter’s wedding in WV. I have knee replacement, a metal rod in my spine and and metal in my neck all from a workplace injury. My Doctor provided me with a card that the TSA agent tore up in front of myself and my wife. After setting off the metal detectors I was “subjected” to a so called “patdown” By a six-foot tall agent that informed me that “anyone” could make those cards on a computer. I WAS INFORMED I HAD TO COMPLY and he also informed me he would be “touching me in places that men don’t normally touch men”. If that wasn’t bad enough, a “woman” (or whatever) in a burka was allowed to go around the machine AND the agents, without as much as a scan OR a “patdown” . “it could have been a man, woman, terrorist, whatever. This person was allowed to board our flight “unmolested” like myself. Is THIS what OUR Country has become?
Unless this changes, I will NEVER fly again.
I’ve flown through hundreds of airports all throughout the world, and the only place I hate, absolutely hate, to fly inside, into or out of is the USA. San Francisco, Atlanta, Washington Dulles are horrible …. but LAX is the worst.
I just refuse to fly or do anything to involve the TSA.
Here Here. I have said the same things encouraging people not to fly for their own sake and I have gotten resistance big time. Just the idea you are just another sardine doesn’t deter them. Well if they want to be fools I’ll just let them.
I wonder if anybody makes clothes with metal fibers that will set off detectors, we could all wear them an drive TSA absolutely nuts!
Be realistic. Airport TSA screeners re poorly-trained, $17/hour, put in your time workers. They care not about Passengers as people, and would just as soon make you wait longer. I have never seen one of these “walking dead” smile or say a kind word.
That’s what happens when such “Mass Hiring” occurs with the only requirements being a non-criminal Background Check and the ability to scowl and be nasty.
That’s what happens when mental midgets at the top hire the mentally challenged morons from the bottom. Training – – – Hell, the only training these TSA agents get is, “don’t get caught stealing.” The only thing worst is to hire security guards-what-to-be-cops as TSA agents.
We the PEOPLE are getting fed-up with being pushed around, insulted with piss poor manners or no manners at all or no consideration at all. Everyone expects to be treated with respect, dignity and compassion; not to be treated as if they were an enemy combatant, or like some sort of low life that doesn’t deserve common decency, respect or personal rights. They look at it this way, if you want to fly then you must surrender your Constitutional Rights for the safety for all concern. Personally I tell them to stick it where the sun doesn’t shine. Where I go I maintain that my GOD Given Rights Remain Intact – At All Times. When these buttheads try to shout me down, and they try, I whip out my military voice and yell back and louder than they are. It usually makes them back down and think twice that try to bully me or my family. And, I refuse to step aside. I am perfectly willing to settle the situation right there and then. I give these TSA agents a dressing down like they have never experienced before. I tell them things about themselves and their duties that most people don’t know. As I walk away, winning my argument I get other passengers patting me on the back and asking me how I knew that kind of stuff. I just tell them that I have educated myself and I won’t take their BS and neither should they. If you roar like a Lion people will know that you will fight back and it will hurt if you take a big bite out of their asses. Just make sure you know that you are right. Walk that white line and don’t veer or deviate. Stand your ground when you are wronged and make sure you have witnesses too, recording witnesses.
I was flying to Florida on vacation and went through security in a wheelchair due to being permanently handicapped. They made me walk through and be x-rayed. When I could not raise one arm high enough due to a rotary cuff problem, I had to have a pat down before I could board. I am a 73 year old great grandmother. When the enemy comes in like a flood God will raise a standard. No fear, he sees all. Alice
So why do we continue to fly? Why continue to put up with this? If flying is unsafe because of a terrorist attack stay away form the airport. They can’t search you if you are not there. This is the only way anybody is going to be able to change things. If you want to restore sanity fly only when you absolutely have to.
I have steel in my right tibia and two full hip replacements. And despite my telling them and showing my cards as proof, they still put me thru the demeaning, embarrasing full search. The TSA has ruined my luggage twice eventhough I left them unlocked. I’ve gotten my luggage back with severyal zippers broken and all my belongings just tossed back into my luggage, all hanging out, with duct tape wrapped all around it. And of course, they always have to leave their ‘calling card’. It’s as if they’re enjoy making people suffer the indignities, especially disabled people like me. They’ve forgotten their reasons for being there. They remind me of the bullies in high school that enjoy demeaning smaller people then themselves. When I complain to them, it’s to their face. And though I may look ‘menacing’ at best, they still just smile at me. All this extra securitty makes me feel a lot less secure in knowing that my govt. knows even more about me than I do them. “Those who trade freedom for security, deserves neither.” B Franklin.
I have never been groped by a TSA agent because I have never flown. If I ever do fly I might end up in jail because the groper is going to find him/herself trying to get up off the floor after he/she is knocked on their ass
You are my kind of woman.
all this stuff base on what happened on 9/11 — How does 3 buildings fall ” straight ” down when only ” 2 ” planes hit ” 2 ” buildings ? ? Did I miss-count something ?
geraldc, I guess you did miss it. Two planes took out the twin towers at the World Trade Center. Another plane severely damaged the Pentagon and the forth plane was on its way to the White House when the passengers took over the plane and it crashed in Pennsylvania.
What you really missed is that security failed to catch any of the hijackers as the boarded the planes. They were carrying weapons that the metal detector should have caught.
Because this had occurred, people in power started to freak out and demanded tighter security for the entire country. Thus the Department of Homeland Security, DHS, was born.
Most people don’t mind the added security, it is just the lack of common sense and respect from the untrained TSA agents that sticks in our throats.
So, geraldc, welcome to the 21st Century. Try and keep up, buddy.
Yes you did. There were only 2 Twin Towers in New York that were flown into by planes. The Pentagon was also flown into and partially damaged. The last plane crashed into the ground killing all on board – some of the passengers fought with the terrorists and forced the plane down before it could take another building out.
I watched the live footage of the Twin Towers being destroyed. It was deadly and savage and sickened me to see the hatred and malice the Muslim terrorists have towards our Nation. Now we have one sitting in our Presidency! What happened to American’s intelligence – they tossed it right out the window even after so many lives were lost on 9/11. What were you thinking liberal america when you voted in a MUSLIM Presiden?. Were you so pleased with yourselves because he was our first Black president? You were so short sighted because you did no research on the smooth talking “Con Man” and now our Country is under attack from the inside out. Tsk tsk…bad idea, bad mindset, bad for America!
9/11 also woke up many Americans that we are NOT indestructible, but can be hurt because of our lack of security at our airports.
However, what TSA is doing to disabled people must stop! They have a scaredy cat mentality that disabled people are able to even create havoc or bring a plane down after all the pain and trauma already done to their persons. Really? Come on now you low life scum bags! These are innocent people being used as play torture toys that show man’s sadistic side of evil.
★★★★Fire them all, do indepth interviews, then hire a new crew.★★★★
These “govt” officials show the quality of our present federal govt from the bottom to the absolute top…all evil, corrupt individuals! NOT AMERICA’S FINEST HOUR!
NO I believe you got it right,about something is weird about the whole thing.
We sometimes forget the TSA is comprised of a bunch of dim witted individuals without advanced or specialized training.
I am Active Duty in the Army and awaiting a medical retirement. Recently I missed a flight out of Fort Hood, TX (only the largest military post in the world!) due to the TSA freaking out because of my spinal cord stimulator, two leg braces, and a walker. “Take off your shoes!” “I can’t.” “Walk through the x-ray!” “I can’t.” “Put your walker through the x-ray!” (Really? It’s metal!) “I can’t”
“Passengers, we must close this line due to an advanced screening!”
Sometimes I am foolish enough to think someone is going to apply logic! “Silly ole’ bear!”
Tom, I am so sorry for the treatment you received from TSA. I am an airline pilot and see it every day. Muslim men, aged 19-35 (the perpetrators of 9/11 and most other terrorist actions against U.S. targets) are mostly given a pass at TSA screening because we can’t profile due to political correctness. Instead the TSA will harass elderly women, kids, and military personnel. I have been pulled aside on several occasions for additional screening, even though I a was a crew member in uniform. The TSA is out of control!
I was on Active Duty in the Army and my wife was going into premature labor and having an emergency c-section with our second child in our home state while I was attending training in another. I was given emergency leave to go home. It did take twelve hours for that to happen, but thats the Army and the Red Cross for ya.
Anyway, when the Army did finally get me to the Airport I had about twenty minutes before my flight left. I was traveling in Uniform, I had my orders with me. They had special instructions to allow me to pass through security with no checks and get on the plane. Instead they printed out a ticket with the code on it for a full pat down. They made me go through security, go into the translucent screening room and remove my boots and top and everything from my pockets, while another agent pawed through my bag. I had secured my sharps in my checked baggage, so no issue there, but I had about five minutes to get to the gate.
Fortunately, a supervisor with a head on his shoulders came in, apologized, released me before they could do the pat down, and radioed to the gate that I was coming and to hold the plane.
So, a little bit of good to balance the bad, but yeah, another cockup from TSA.
I Love Orrin’s comments about the swabbing for residues. This happens to soldiers and marines and airmen all the time, even on their official military baggage. Some idiot sees a military duffel or field pack coming and they think its a good one to swab, then get all surprised when it comes up positive for residues.
Thanks for the vent.
Your Servant,
Chris R.
People in my PSYOP Unit was returning home from Afghanistan. We took a military plane to Ft. Bragg. From there we took a commercial plane back to Southern California. Well someone forgot to put an old foot locker into the luggage compartment. So we carried it on the plane until we hit Atlanta and stow it below. When we asked that our equipment box be placed in the luggage compartment below you should have see the hullabaloo.
The box was marked U.S. Army, had 2 pad locks on it and the person that had the keys was on another flight. Bells and whistles and sirens were going off. There was all kinds of residue on the boxes. The TSA refused to allow the box to travel on board, even when we were in uniform, had orders, and just flew in from Ft. Bragg, NC.
The TSA demanded to have the box opened. I told them that I couldn’t because there were top secret equipment inside. I even provided the paperwork. After 10 minutes dealing with these buttheads they were telling me and my troops that we were going to be pulled us off the plane and search all our stuff. I told them no you are not. I picked up a cell phone from one of my men and called the FBI. I asked for their liaison at the Atlanta airport to meet me at the gate. I told them that I had 15 service men and women with me and we were not going to be put off the plane. I suggested that get there on the double because my next phone call was to the CNN news station and to tell them our plight.
Five minutes later, the FBI, TSA and the local police were at the gate. Seven and a half minutes later, we were all back on board the plane and on our way back home. The FBI chewed out the TSA agents for not using the good sense that GOD gave a billy goat.
As we were about to take off, I did make my call to CNN News Room and told them my story. I’m told that they ran the story. They met us at our final destination along with a representative from the TSA to apologize for the inconvenience and delay.
The funny thing about it is that I knew that the apology was nothing but lip service because nothing was done at the Atlanta end. No one reprimanded, fired, or retrained. I took the matter to my higher Headquarters to address the matter.
Freedom requires constant vigilance ( George Washington ). Due to our comforts we have allowed a criminal element in our government, also & more importantly a people cannot have liberty without the Christ of the Bible. “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great Nation was not founded by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ” Patrick Henry. People need to know the issues, stay in contact with their legislators, study the Constitution in light of the Federalist Papers, instruct others & VOTE!
The underlying problem is that most people in this country have either forgotten the one true God of the universe or ignore His very existence. They believe that God is something outdated, as if God were just another fad. They think that they can do all by themselves, that this is the modern era, that man is in control of everything. They think that those of us who believe and trust in God are deluding ourselves. They are simply wrong.
I am a Christian. I believe and trust in my Savior Jesus. I believe in God the Father in all He does and I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. I can’t see God, but I know He is there. He is too big to see, as He is bigger than anything. He is outside of time and space. He is the creator, I am, we are, everything is the created. I don’t need science. God was here before science ever was and is greater than science. I believe in Him out of sheer simple faith, because I cannot see Him. Yet, I see His hand in the things He has created.
Regarding the things and events that are happening in this country, the Bible says to fear not, place your faith in God, for all these things must happen before the end. God is watching, He knows what is going on and how it will all end.
Hint: Read and understand not only Revelation, but Daniel and the prophetic books of both the Old Testament and the New. God tells just about all, you just have the figure out how He writes.
Yeshua Ha’mashiach, Maranatha!!!
The STUPIDS in charge, read that Nobummmmer and his ilk, are trying to make it as uncomfortable as possible for anyone BUT a muslime practitioner to fly. These STUPIDS could solve the problem very easily, but it would not be politically correct. Profile those who cause the most trouble and the problem would go away. Getting rid of the whole TSA would solve most of the problem as well.
Dear Frank,
Since I have two large artaficial hips and a couple pins, bolts and screws holding me together in my old age I simply avoid flying whenever possible. I can set off metal detectors from a yard away!
The last few times I tried to climb onto an airliner … the TSA has gone ballistic and held me up for long periods due to my internal metal parts. They once actually made me miss a flight … at least it wasn’t critical business, just a trip to visit my grandchildren and I had to hang out in the AP for 14 hours to catch another flight.
To top it off on a business trip a few years ago I was carrying my briefcase. I’ve had it for years and years. The x-ray techy saw a tiny Allen wrench caught in the cracks of the lid pouches and said it was a deadly weapon. It was an S&W sights wrench and when I told them so, they called armed officers and cuffed me … even with my LE badge and ID and credentials as firearms instructor on me!!!
I had intentionally taken out all the naughty toys I usually carry in my breifcase (a knife, box of ammo and a compact backup piece. But, they did a checmical patch swipe and discivered gunpower residue!!!! WELL DUH? I’m a firearms instructor for crying out loud! Although there were no explosives, ammo or any dangerous product of any kind in my briefcase, they refused to allow me to carry it on the plane. The height of stupidity was, if they were so terrified I was packing explosives … they evidence taped it closed, marked it as HAZMAT and allowed me to put into non-carry-on lugaage.
What mindless, clueless, politically correct A$$&)L#@! The TSA is another governmental boondoggle and waste of money.
I hope I never have to fly commercially ever again!
Sincerely,
Orrin