Today At The TSA Groping Station: Uneventful -- Unlike Last Week
Arrived in New Mexico (Albuquerque) on Wednesday afternoon for the big annual ev psych conference. First time in many times flying that I got through the TSA ungroped.
At the last second, before I went through the metal detector, I decided to do I the submissive geisha thing and looked down at the ground, making no eye contact with the guy on the other side. Maybe that made a difference; maybe I was just lucky.
When we flew Delta last week from LAX to Detroit, my government-employed sex parts molester -- a black woman named Michelle Johnson -- recognized me and said, "I know you. You put on a show last time. Gonna calm down?" (The implication being that I'd have to wait to continue being groped by her until I did.)
But, I demanded that she continue the process -- they can't use the fact that I'm behaving in an upset manner (and I'm very upset about the massive daily violation of Americans' constitutional rights) to keep me from boarding my plane, or going through their disgusting and pointless groping in a timely manner.
I demanded a supervisor and a guy named Douglas A. Cruz came over. I told him he and the rest of the TSA workers were, most disgustingly, violating people's civil liberties for money.
"How do you feel about doing this to people?" I asked him.
His response: "I'm given orders and I just follow orders. That's what I do."
"That's what they said in Nazi Germany," I told him.
After this conference, I have to get some writing weeks in on my book, and then we'll do some collective civil disobedience at LAX. Bunch of chicks. More on that soon.
Oh, and I urge all of you who fly to think about all the ways we are protected by the Constitution. Doesn't it warrant some protection from you? Every time we let abuses of our rights happen, it chips away at our rights a little more.
Please speak up against the TSA, be disobedient at the checkpoints, publish the name of the government worker who violates your rights and your body for a paycheck, and don't make it psychologically easy for them to do their jobs.
Today, I told one of the TSA guys that he was protected by the Constitution and that he was a horrible person for earning a living violating people's Fourth Amendment rights -- and that being a male prostitute would be a more noble profession.
Naturally, he laughed and mocked me. I only wish I'd gotten his name.
> "That's what they said in Nazi Germany," I told him.
And that worked perfectly...right up until the regime was changed.
Rope.
TJIC at June 14, 2012 1:15 AM
If she recogized you, I'd say you have the makings of proof of being targeted. I wonder if TSA keeps photos of "problem" travellers?
KateC at June 14, 2012 3:03 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/06/14/today_at_the_ts.html#comment-3231178">comment from KateCKateC, It's not exactly hard to find a photo of me online. Wouldn't be surprised if there's one up in a break room somewhere, and one of up Jonathan Corbett in Miami. Of course, he has green hair, and while there are reportedly one in 40 people in the population with red hair, I'm sured the green-hairs are far-fewer.
Amy Alkon
at June 14, 2012 6:16 AM
You're fighting the good fight, Amy.
> Rope.
Does that mean what I think it means? Because it's a brilliant condensation if it does.
Crid [CridComent at Gmail] at June 14, 2012 6:45 AM
The penalty for treason is death crid
lujlp at June 14, 2012 8:46 AM
"Death crid" sounds like a metal band.
Steve Daniels at June 14, 2012 9:22 AM
I have a feeling Mr. "just following orders" might change his mind when he's on a VIPR team or at a checkpoint team and gets shot by an irate citizen who's tired of being thought a criminal for merely traveling.
(yay for DUI checkpoints spearheading tolerance of unconstitutional actions)
Sio at June 14, 2012 3:21 PM
I happen to agree on both points. Sounds like a Metal Band.
And a brilliant solution.
Robert at June 14, 2012 6:25 PM
Just out of curiousity-- Do TSA agents get the usual swearing-in oath to defend the Constitution?
jefe at June 14, 2012 10:44 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2012/06/14/today_at_the_ts.html#comment-3231594">comment from jefeMust be to ignore the Constitution.
Amy Alkon
at June 14, 2012 10:58 PM
""Death crid" sounds like a metal band."
"Groping Station" is going to be the name of the first album.
Cousin Dave at June 15, 2012 6:49 AM
That would be funny if a court actually sehtenced TSA numbskulls to Death Crid for violating our rights.
When an agent asks the judge what the hell Death Crid means, it would be even funnier if the judge simply said, "Rope."
mpetrie at June 15, 2012 12:01 PM
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