Proof The TSA Is About Retaliation And Obedience Training For The American Public
TSA hires are unskilled workers, slightly trained, who would never have worked their way to a position of power over other people, but who have power over the people who, in many other workplaces, would likely have had power over them.
The apparent personal egotistical missions of many of them dovetail with what I wrote in my op-ed about the TSA that I believe to be the government mission -- obedience training for the American public so we'll be polite and docile in the face of having our rights taken from us.
A woman shows, with her cellphone audio, that it's indeed about power grabs and not about security. She was singled out for a "drink test" at the gate (where they stick some wick in your drink to "make sure" it's not explosive) and drank her water rather than letting them test it. She was kept from boarding her plane because of it!
The TSA thug made it clear that their keeping her off her plane was "retaliatory," that it was as he said, "About (her) attitude..." not about keeping people safe.
Via Lisa Simeone at TSANewsBlog, the text below the video the woman posted on September 1, 2012:
This was inside the terminal at the Houston airport. I was not allowed to board a plane (even though I had already been through airport security) because I drank my water instead of letting the TSA "test" it. The TSA agent finally admitted that it wasn't because they thought I was a security risk-it was because they were mad at me!I was able to get on the very next flight out of houston-and even managed an upgrade! (thanks United)
Sorry for crappy phone video-but the audio is what I wanted to post.
I know this is not really news (it seems like the TSA is retaliating all the time against people), but it was a little satisfying to get that statement on video.
Is this the country we want to be living in? Is this what our Founding Fathers risked their lives for and gave everything to?
I'm actually surprised they didn't try to arrest her for "filming inside a security controlled area".
Cousin Dave at September 6, 2012 6:34 AM
The TSA is nothing less than a Government sanctioned evil being perpetrated against the citizens of the U.S. It needs to be disbanded as the useless violation of our rights that it is. It doesn't keep us safe. It doesn't even make me "feel safe" as the security theater that it is. It is an all around fail.
Assholio at September 6, 2012 7:29 AM
If the TSA's real mission is even close to what Miss Alkon wrote in the second paragraph of her post, I'm not sure they're failing at all.
Old RPM Daddy at September 6, 2012 7:39 AM
Cousin Dave - I chuckled at your comment; except I realized they most likely did not know that she was filming; otherwise they might have!
Charles at September 6, 2012 7:48 AM
Check out the findings comparing private security screeners at SFO and TSA screeners at LAX.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/steveforbes/2012/09/05/tsa-conflict-of-interest-would-come-as-no-surprise-to-adam-smith/
This also explains why I've never had the issues with the security screeners at SFO that people regularly report at other airports.
Conan the Grammarian at September 6, 2012 1:21 PM
If you read the comments at the link they talk about the comparing apples to oranges. I went there and posted my usual rant.
The TSA was never needed. They could have just hardened the cockpit doors.
The American public learns quickly.
Jim P. at September 6, 2012 9:53 PM
I'm surprised no libertarian group has started handing out pamphlets at the airport called, "Dealing With the TSA: KNOW YOUR RIGHTS"
Part of why the TSA gets away with shit is because people do not know what is actually permitted.
Robert at September 7, 2012 1:04 AM
"The American public learns quickly."
Really?
Every generation has insisted that they will not enter into oppressive bargains and useless wars; they are too modern, too civilized. They still do.
This public has allowed their own Attorney General to discriminate based on race, has tolerated the stripping of their 4th Amendment rights by mall cops for convenience's sake, thinks that religion should be part of government if it isn't that icky other one and so forth.
Agent K: "A person is smart. People are dumb, dangerous, panicky animals and you know it."
Radwaste at September 7, 2012 5:01 AM
TSA is just a jobs program for unemployable weirdoes. It’s horrific that this assault on women and children is being sponsored by a government agency under the guise of security.
In the past three months 35 TSA workers were fired or arrested and 66 more disciplined for misconduct.
TSA allows a known pedophile, Thomas Harkins to remain employed as a TSA Supervisor in Philadelphia giving him access to search children. What kind of agency turns a known sex offender loose on children?
There were 98 TSA workers arrested in the last 20 months including 12 arrested for child sex crimes, over 26 for theft, 12 for smuggling contraband through security and one for murder.
This agency is nothing more than a bloated jobs program feeding on public ignorance and relying on fear mongering to maintain its budget. TSA is inefficient and focused only on its own expansion and not on the mission of airport security.
TSA needs to be replaced with something that actually works and those responsible for this expensive farce prosecuted.
These are some of the people groping you and your child at airport checkpoints. For those who support this agency, “Do you feel safer now”?
TSA agent Jose E. Salgado among 55 caught in child pornography arrests
The Boston Herald - Christine McConville - Wednesday, April 11, 2012
TSA agent Paul David Rains charged in online child-predator sting
Orlando Sentinel - Arelis R. Hernandez- December 15, 2011
Harold Rodman, TSA worker, arrested for sexual assault
WJLA News - Gail Pennybacker - November 21, 2011
Orlando airport (MCO) TSA employee Paul David Rains faces child pornography charges
Orlando Sentinel - Jeff Weiner - November 1, 2011
TSA Manager Bryant Jermaine Livingston Arrested for Running Prostitution Ring
MyFoxDC - John Henrehan - March 28, 2012
Md. TSA Agent Michael Scott Wilson Charged With Child Pornography
ABC2News - Joce Sterman - March 18, 2012
Nashville TSA Agent Clifton Lyles Charged With Statutory Rape
WTVF - Staff - September 20, 2011
TSA employee Andrew W. Cheever faces child pornography charge
MyFoxBoston - Staff - September 2, 2011
TSA Screener David Ralph Anderson Charged with Lewdness and Child Molestation
Elko Daily Free Press -Jared DuBach - August 26, 2011
TSA Screener Randall Scott King arrested for kidnapping and attempted rape of 14 year old in ATL
Lagrangenews - Staff Reports - November 23, 2010
PHL TSA Screener Thomas Gordon Jr Charged with Child Pornography
Fox Nation - John Shiffman - The Inquirer - April 23, 2011
Orlando TSA agent Charles Henry Bennett Arrested For Attempting To Make 15 year old Girl His 'Sex Slave'
The Huffington Post - Staff - May 25, 2011
TSA Agent Dwayne Valerio Arrested for Rape of Juvenile in Londonderry NH
Eagle Tribune - Jillian Jorgensen - April 2, 2011
Logan TSA employee Sean Shanahan accused of raping 14-year-old girl
WHDHTV - Staff - March 9, 2011
Disgraced Catholic priest who was defrocked after 'sexually abusing two young girls' now works as a TSA airport screener
CBS3 Philadelphia - Ben Simmoneau - May 24, 2012
Bill Fisher at September 7, 2012 4:16 PM
You are right.
The problem is that the politicians quickly divorced Flight 93 from the new reality, in order to push an agenda. "I voted for it before I voted against it." I admit I didn't realize in the early days and was as reactionary as anyone else.
That is why I propose a Constitutional Amendment that has an automatic 5-7-10 year sunset on any legislation without a re-approval with a 2/3 vote by congress.
An example of that is the assault weapons ban. If it would have been a good idea, it would have been extended.
Jim P. at September 7, 2012 8:18 PM
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