TSA jumps shark
I guess I should have said something before about these body scanners that some have called intrusive. Personally, I have nothing against them…but then I’ve become a bit of an exhibitionist since all of that weight fell off of me this year. In fact, I make trips to the airport just to go through the scanners. Throw in someone to squeeze my nether regions and have a Sbarro’s Pizza within walking distance and I’ve got me a weekend getaway.
But then the Transportation Security Agency just ruined it. Ya know, I’m out there at the airport beggin’ for it, but folks like John Tyner, who refused the body scan and filmed his body search, aren’t into it like me. Well, and it probably violates rights like unreasonable search and seizure.
So how does the TSA compound treating airline passengers like they’re on their way to Treblinka? They announce that they’re going to do an investigation on Mr. Tyner. Oh, they announced an investigation at a press conference called specifically to announce the investigation.
Michael J. Aguilar, chief of the TSA office in San Diego, called a news conference at the airport Monday afternoon to announce the probe. He said the investigation could lead to prosecution and civil penalties of up to $11,000.
TSA agents had told Tyner on Saturday that he could be fined up to $10,000.
“That’s the old fine,” Aguilar said. “It has been increased.”
Yeah, that’s too far. That’s flat out intimidation. It’s an investigation just for the purpose of intimidating the rest of us. Who do these ham-handed troglodytes think they are? Yeah, I understand airline security. If someone bombed my plane, I’d curse the TSA all the way to the ground. But there are alternatives to groping nuts…and corresponding lady parts.
And all of the attempted bombings have been directed AT the US from outside the country – from places that hand out bombs to passengers at the jet way. The TSA can’t possibly think that intimidation will work on Americans. I think they’ve overplayed their hand on this one.
We patiently tolerated the two hour lines at the airport at 6 in the morning. We tolerated the rules about lap tops in separate little plastic boxes. We put up with showing the world our smelly, holey socks. We tolerated not carrying $1 bottles of water through the scanners so we could buy the $4 bottles from the scalpers on the other side. We tolerated losing our hand creams and after shave lotions. We even put up with the little notes in our luggage about our toiletries needing little plastic baggies to serve national security. But this time I think they pushed a little too far.
Well, I’m off to pack for my weekend.
Category: Shitbags, Terror War
I think it’s long overdue that a civil rights violation lawsuit is brought forth on them. They are blatantly spitting in the face of the Fourth Amendment. Then, file assault charges on the one that does touch the “private” areas. A rebellion in this instance is long overdue. Of course, one could also rebel by NOT patronizing the airlines. A couple or three months of NOT flying would get their attention REAL quick.
My wife always brings up wanting to go to Hawaii. I tell her we’ll go when the bridge is finished. No more flying for me and puttin up with this BullShit. On the other hand it does sound like a fun weekend.
There’s a simple solution to this: adapt the airline security of the Israelis, which is the best in the world. But they’ll never do that, because it makes the most sense.
@ Michael, that’s because it involves “PROFILING”!! Lord forbid we do anything as effective as profiling….
I flew from Boston to Cedar Rapids last month. Even after going through the body scanner, I was still groped.
Chester the Molester now works for the TSA.
Chester the Molester already worked for the TSA.
Now he doesn’t have to risk sexting some little girl. All he has to do is wait for a random S on a boarding pass that indicates being singled out for special screening and he gets to get off with government sanction.
Okay, until the TSA adopts the Israeli airline security standards, and while they keep doing absolute PC bullsh!t like this, I say all women who fly should go out and buy hijabs, wear them to the airport and refuse the ‘pat downs’. Then, after getting through the check, just take off the hijab and put it in your carry-on bag.
This is absolute BS.
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“On the pat downs, CAIR [the Council on American-Islamic Relations] has recommended that Muslim women wearing hijabs refuse to go through the full body pat downs before boarding planes,” CNSNews.com asked Napolitano at a Monday press conference. “Will you insist that they do go through full body pat downs before boarding planes?”
“Look, we have, like I said before, we are doing what we need to do to protect the traveling public and adjustments will be made where they need to be made,” Napolitano responded. “With respect to that particular issue, I think there will be more to come…”
Let’s see if I have this straight. There’s a specific group of people that killed 3,000 innocents on 9/11; tried to detonate a shoe bomb on a flight; attempted to bring down airliners with liquid explosives; created parcel bombs in the hopes that they could rain airliners down on American cities; and also constructed undergarment bombs to slay men, women and children.
But Janet
RenoNapolitano is considering “adjustments” to the security process for members of that very same group of people, using the recommendations of an extremist front group linked by the FBI to all sorts of skulduggery.Maybe we should all wear hijabs to the airport.
I flew to and from Texas last month and didn’t go through the scanners, just the usual take your shoes, belt, pants, anything with metal off routine. The TSA folks sure made us wait to go through the line to the metal detectors. Sitting on their asses for 10 minutes until the lines got long then their supervisors told them to go ahead and start moving people through. I’m already thinking of taking the train when I have to travel for business this coming Spring.
The few. The perverted. The TSA.
I wouldn’t mind the hands down my pants search if I get to choose the agent that puts them there.
Unreasonable search and seizure…is that the fourth amendment? Hmmm. My other half seems to think this Tyner guy is a sham, but I don’t. If the TSA goes ahead and charges him, I would donate money to his legal defense.
That is just horseshit. Period. I have done all three things…And I am here to tell you, I would do a pat down again as opposed to scans because they cannot guarantee that mine will not be released to some news outlet or show up on the internet.
You are right about the intimidation factor, too. Again, horseshit and completely unnecessary.
What I can’t figure out about the TSA attempting to fine the dude is this; they say there is a fine for leaving the security area without permission, yet the dude was escorted out of the building by security personnel. So what’s the beef, mr. TSA man? Security threw him out, so I guess having permission to leave the security area is a moot point at that stage, eh? Maybe TSA should fine the security personnel that threw him out, instead?
Old Trooper, from what I understand, they told him he has to complete the screening first before leaving, he asked if they are making him stay, they said no, so he left and they are thinking of charging him.
I’m flying for Thanksgiving next week, and you all have me thoroughly freaked!
The TSA would be making a PR blunder of monumental proportions if they proceed to try to fine this guy on such flimsy charges. They would be better served by just letting it die.
Anytime someone defends this practice, they bring up the underwear bomber. Let’s examine. The underwear bomber known as Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (AKA The Eunich)bought a ticket, with cash, was on the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment, and had reported contact with Anwar al-Awlaki. Oh and did I mention he spent time in Yemem, that bastion of religious freedom? This is the same stupid dots they failed to connect prior to 9/11 and are still doing it now. This is the person that needs to board only in a clear plastic one-piece jump suit. But groping my groin or my 11 year old daughters’ is going to fix that? Sorry to go on a rant here.
Now, now…can’t have the sheeple thinking for themselves and standing up on their hind legs, can we?
Sarcasm very much intended.
Why do I suspect that sex offenders are filing TSA employment applications in droves this week?
But Marooned’s comment brings up an interesting thought? Isn’t this administration trying to push “environmental” issues? Isn’t it trying to convince more people to use other forms of mass transportation (and hence convince voters to support taxpayer funding of it)?
Are trains any safer than planes? Or does the record demonstrate that terrorists attack buses and trains more often than planes in the post 9/11 era? (Madrid, London, Mumbai)
DHS seems to be actively attempting to slow air travel, to make it less palatable for the “protected,” while protecting the ability of the enemy to attack it. This should not surprise us in light of the DHS memo that stated that the protectors (Veterans) were a risk while refusing to note the enemy (Islamists) might be terorists.
It’s the same political correctness that allowed Hasan to murder Our Troops, after playing with the minds of our Combat Veterans for years, and then refused to call it terrorism or islamism. While it may be true that islamism has recruited blue-eyed, blond terrorists, protecting the stereotypical potential terrorist from scrutiny while “randomly” groping an American Grandma in a wheelchair does not increase safety.
These measures are precisely what the terrorists aimed to induce, as are the reactions. It’s time to end political correctness and return to common sense.
As pointed out before NONE of the recent incidents involving bombers on flights or explosive packages were in any shape or form caught or stopped by the TSA.
What made me laugh was that supposedly when they were hassling this guy, the TSA agents were so distracted that other passengers were just flying through the detector/scanner.
Meh…I’ve been through the body scan…I could care less if someone is in a little booth somewhere, meat gazing. Fact is, if a female, they should be very impressed 😉
But the next time, I fly, I think I’ll turn down the body scan and request a pat down…performed by a FEMALE TSA employee. Wonder if they’ll go for that…
I don’t mind a lady touching my junk…but a guy…no way, unless he’s a physician or a Jump Master 🙂
And before anyone says BS, I can’t remember how many times female Jump Masters JMPI’ed me at Bragg or at MacDill…and they had to run their hands between both left and right leg straps to ensure they weren’t twisted…run them right over your junk, then they give you a nice slap on the ass to send you on your way. No problems there…would TSA feel that their female agents too good to do something similar to that? And yeah…male Jump Masters did the same to female jumpers…
SARCASM mode OFF…
On a serious note…they better be sure to put ME types and those clearly dressed in Muslim garb through that machine…without bloody fail.
As for Tyner…I believe he’s an attention whore, and he needs to harden the fuck up. Don’t want the scan, don’t want the pat down, then take the train or drive your silly ass from San Diego to the Dakotas…we really don’t care.
On a serious note…they better be sure to put ME types and those clearly dressed in Muslim garb through that machine…without bloody fail.
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Not gonna happen. CAIR is already up in arms and has told Muslim females to refuse the pat-downs. And Napolitano has implied that she will adhere to CAIR’s request that Muslim females only be ‘searched’ on their head and neck and nowhere else.
That should enrage everyone.
#17 “…These measures are precisely what the terrorists aimed to induce…”
I agree. Now, the question is: Why can’t the GOVERNMENT figure that out?!
# 20
As I’ve written before…CAIR can kiss my US Army Airborne, Christian Ass.
They don’t get a vote…and this is one issue I believe they’ll have shoved up their collective Muslim asses.
Fuck them and the camels they rode in on.
Pinto:
I would wager that the average guy walking the beat, i.e. TSA agents, Air Marshalls, FBI, etc. understand that political correctness is putting our country at risk.
I offer no excuse for bureacrats and politicians at the highest levels of Washington no excuse for not understanding the means, methods, and goals of terrorists, as we report it from non-classified sources on a daily basis. They have access to every thing we do, more, and to teams of experts to dig it out.
As much as I wish I could say they were simply misguided or ignorant, that would take a “willing disbelief of reason,” a bum on the street can see from where the threat emanates. And I don’t like the alternative to their kumbaya singing ignorance, but the fact is that one party is benefitting in votes and endorsements from the segment in question. http://waronterrornews.typepad.com/home/politicians/ And those politicians, including our current Secretary of State have received funding from that segment, including the AMA, which she had listed as “museum” instead of “muslim” on her forms.
I don’t like the implications of it, but it does too much seem like one of the final scenes of the “300” where the (anti-war) politicians and advisors are found with the coin of the enemy.
WOTN: I agree with your assessment, and I’ll add one thing at the risk of sounding paranoid. You know the old joke about out-running a bear? I don’t have to outrun the bear, I only have to outrun the guy that’s with me.
I think that’s what is going on here. The politicians don’t care if we get killed by terrorists, just so long as THEY don’t. If that’s true, then they’ve sold us out in the worst way possible.
Pinto: The anti-war types have long held that the war is unnecessary, that the lives lost to terrorism did not warrant preventing terrorism.
To paraphrase: those Americans murdered by terrorists in Beirut, in the Mediterrean, in Kenya, in Tanzania, in al-Khobar, in the Persian Gulf, in NYC are sacrificial sheep that do not warrant either retribution nor prevention of future acts.
Terrorism did not begin on 9/11. The declaration of war on the United States occured in 1979, in 1996 and again in 1998. Islamism has been murdering Americans since 1979. And Al-Qaeda joined in 1992.