TSA Horror: They Assault, Traumatize Three-Year-Old In Wheelchair
At one point, she wails, "I don't wanna go to Disney World." The TSA are taking away far, far too much from us, and those who go through the process without complaint, enable it to continue.
Deborah Newell blogs at TSANewsBlog (link may change due to correction of spelling error in their headline):
Not only is this little girl so obviously terrified to the point of crying out loud, and desperately upset that her comfort toy -- her stuffed animal -- is being taken away, she is distraught that her parents' attempts to protect her are being summarily ignored. Imagine how frightening that must be. If indeed the child "alarmed," the screeners could have resolved the matter by allowing one of the cleared parents to carry her through the metal detector in their arms while they checked her wheelchair for hidden bombs, machetes, or fusilage-piercing grenade launchers.What will it take for the American public to recognize how wrong this is, all of it, and demand that our so-called leaders put an end to it? Why are citizens not carrying out a full-on economic boycott of the airlines, for all non-essential travel, if need be? What will it take, if not the unconstitutional persecution of a little child in a wheelchair?
Call me cynical, but there is nothing that the TSA could possibly do that would make Americans wake up to the unconstitutionality of this. Honestly, if the TSA were eradicated today, the protesters demanding their return would far outweigh those who rightly object to them.
The illusion of personal safety is far more important to the average American than the constitutionality of it all.
Patrick at February 18, 2013 8:35 AM
Right on, Amy: BOYCOTT!
Little Shiva at February 18, 2013 8:40 AM
I worry Patrick may be right. I see so many people argue that tyrannical governments only exist in third world countries and in the minds of the paranoid. They think the Constitution is outdated, and have complete faith that our government would never intrude on the rights that are important to them. They think if you're not a criminal you should never fear the government, and if the government targets you, well you must have done something to deserve it. It goes on and on, and it's sad. I hope the mindset is not as prevalent as what I see in forums.
Meloni at February 18, 2013 9:46 AM
Any time I bring up that the TSA was never needed, I have to jump through hoops to get people to remember the model prior to 9/11.
In a hijacking you were told to sit down, shut up wait for the plane to land and then the hijackers would try to get a boatload of money and a flight to a non-extraditable country.
I discussed it with my sister this past Thanksgiving and she said the first flights went in because they were early morning flights and the passengers were just tired. She doesn't get the paradox of that thought.
For some reason, I have a feeling if I was on a plane being hijacked even pre-9/11 I'd have a little bit of adrenaline going through my system.
Jim P. at February 18, 2013 10:25 AM
I think this stuff is the revenge of TSA drones who would otherwise be on welfare--they get to harass people with more money and status, and they get paid for it. If someone did this to my kid, that person would be missing a body part.
KateC at February 18, 2013 10:47 AM
Says Patrick: "Call me cynical, but there is nothing that the TSA could possibly do that would make Americans wake up to the unconstitutionality of this."
Says Meloni: "I worry Patrick may be right."
I dunno, you probably are right. But one girl wailing that she didn't want to go to Disney World can't make Disney very happy. And if enough people quit flying to Orlando because of the hassle, the Mouse might actually take notice. The Mouse has deep pockets, and probably isn't afraid to use them.
Old RPM Daddy (OldRPMDaddy at GMail dot com) at February 18, 2013 11:01 AM
While this little girl righteously protested the violation of her God given right to not be groped by government-paid molesters, thousands of other men and women blissfully, passively, reluctantly or grudgingly submitted to the molestation of themselves and their children and flew happily on their way to Disney World.
Disney World, airlines, travel agencies and tourist businesses, which define and measure their success in dollars and cents, will not even notice any effect from this little girl's protest. Most people just don't mind being degraded by their government superiors as long as their peers are similarly degraded. I don't think most people would be more than annoyed by routine strip searches as long as everyone else is subjected to them.
Ken R at February 18, 2013 11:41 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2013/02/18/tsa_horror_they.html#comment-3611642">comment from Old RPM Daddy (OldRPMDaddy at GMail dot com)I don't think petitions do much, but I like the text:
http://www.chooseliberty.org/tsa_sign.aspx
Amy Alkon at February 18, 2013 12:34 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2013/02/18/tsa_horror_they.html#comment-3611657">comment from Ken RYou don't have unskilled workers catch terrorists at the airport -- you have highly trained intelligence officers using probable cause and targeting their resources and rooting out terrorist plots...long before any terrorist ever gets to a location they'd like to destroy. It is a vast waste of money -- and beyond stupid -- to treat every American who gets on a plane as a potential terrorist. Moreover, the reason planes were flown into buildings on 9/11 -- the reason terrorists were able to enter the cockpit -- was that we'd always figured terrorists wanted a bag of money and a trip to Bolivia. Now we have a better understanding and this will not happen again.
Amy Alkon at February 18, 2013 1:15 PM
Old RPM Daddy: "I dunno, you probably are right. But one girl wailing that she didn't want to go to Disney World can't make Disney very happy. And if enough people quit flying to Orlando because of the hassle, the Mouse might actually take notice. The Mouse has deep pockets, and probably isn't afraid to use them."
The operative expression here is "if enough people quit flying to Disney World."
The problem here is that she did fly to Disney World. And so did a crapton of other children.
As for the Mouse, quite the contrary, the Mouse will do anything to avoid litigation. Just threaten to sue and the Mouse will be happy to accommodate you with an out of court settlement. The Mouse is, literally, a mouse.
Patrick at February 18, 2013 2:06 PM
As a side note, I do like the way the mother handled this.
As I see it she is NOT using her daughter to make a political point, she comes across as truly concerned about her daughter: Notice when mom realizes that her daughter's wheelchair will be searched she says to her duaghter that she is "special" because she gets to do something different - and I didn't hear her say it with any sarcasm. She was clearly trying to comfort her daughter. Kudos to mom.
Charles at February 18, 2013 2:12 PM
But I GOTTA see Aunt Fannie this Christmas! /sarc
What a bunch of sheeple.
mpetrie98 at February 18, 2013 4:53 PM
I wonder when some traveler will finally have had enough of these people and start beating the snot out of them, federal charges notwithstanding.
mpetrie98 at February 18, 2013 5:02 PM
So, if a terrorist does manage to slip by these canny TSA agents, are the sheep-like passengers going to be able to stop him? Or will some guy with a bomb in his panties flash a TSA badge and everyone will remain calmly in their seats?
KateC at February 18, 2013 5:05 PM
nah, KateC, the ramp workers, who dun' need no steenkin' TSA checkpoints to get in, will be bribed to put a 'special' parcel of boomey stuff on the plane.
No martyrs need apply.
Please note that this has already happened, it's just that drugs were involved, so...
It's OK then. or something.
Because security theatre keeps up with sellout crowds, so it mus be good, eh?
SwissArmyD at February 18, 2013 6:15 PM
I haven't flown anywhere since this nonsense started, and it is the biggest reason why.
But I'm with Patrick. We are surrounded by too many stupid people, and I have given up all hope.
I see us on a steady downward trajectory which never ends, because there is no one left alive who remembers (let alone cares) what it was like to be free.
There are more people upset about the demise of the Twinkie than the demise of their freedom. And if THEY don't care about their freedom, why should I care about their freedom? As for me, I'm going to die without reproducing. Screwwit.
Pirate Jo at February 19, 2013 12:18 PM
Why do you think my next year's gift to everyone is going to include a seed can.
BTW, if you want to reach me, I have a link in my blog.
Jim P. at February 19, 2013 8:46 PM
Pirate Jo,
I recently had to re-examine a friendship with someone who told me that I need to put my "faith" in authority regarding security and that they would do the "right thing". She's from New Zealand and lives there again but she lived here in the US for about five years. It's obvious she's been infected with the Security Over Freedom virus.
On a similar note, has anyone had to buy Drano recently? You know you have to show an ID now, thanks to the ridiculousness of the War on Drugs.
Aspasia at February 21, 2013 10:57 AM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2013/02/18/tsa_horror_they.html#comment-3616049">comment from AspasiaOn a similar note, has anyone had to buy Drano recently? You know you have to show an ID now, thanks to the ridiculousness of the War on Drugs.
I'm so uncool. Are people now snorting Drano? Perhaps I could get high on household chemicals this afternoon instead of writing my column.
Amy Alkon at February 21, 2013 11:52 AM
Apparently, it can be used in meth, according to what the cashier at Target told me. The War on Drugs: hard at work and just as clogged up as my drains.
Aspasia at February 23, 2013 12:52 PM
Amy Alkon
http://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2013/02/18/tsa_horror_they.html#comment-3620930">comment from AspasiaThanks for clearing that up. Oh, how annoying. They probably make meth out of water, too. Will we need ID to use our faucets?
Amy Alkon at February 23, 2013 1:32 PM
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