The TSA Losers Stole His Belt Buckle -- For "Safety"
Sean W. Malone writes at Logicology that the TSA at LAX took his favorite belt buckle because they claimed it was a "replica" of a gun (photo at link):
What kind of a gun, you might ask?A 1950s Flash Gordon-style RAYGUN!! A fictional weapon. A child's toy.
Because he was running late, he didn't have the time to battle up the chain of command, so he was forced to just leave it.
Previously, the TSA geniuses had almost taken it at DCA:
But this is honestly my favorite belt buckle, and I'm me, so - realizing I was speaking with a woman with the brainpower of a block of Parmesan cheese - I looked at her and said, "You understand that this is a belt buckle, right? It is not a danger to the safety of anyone nor is it against the law to carry. I have also traveled with this belt buckle all over the country and it's never been a problem. So please explain to me how exactly you would justify taking it."Her response was to suggest a hypothetical scenario. "What if", she postulated, "you take this object out of your bag and point it - like a gun - at a police officer? He would have no choice to assume that it was a gun, and take action against you."
Now... Let's leave aside for a second that the entire premise behind this argument is that police officers are too dumb and hopped up on their own power that they can't recognize a dangerous weapon from a belt buckle in the shape of a 1950's toy ray gun. I'm glad she recognized this reality, but I don't think she really processed what it says about law enforcement in America. But leaving that aside... Why in the hell would I ever take my belt buckle and point it at a police officer?
To this, she had no answer.
She also had no answer to the point that even if I did that, it would represent a danger to me and not, say... an airplane full of people.
At this point, she got red in the face and loudly declared that she wasn't going to argue with me or "have a debate about this". "You have two options. That's it," she said. So I asked to speak with *HER* supervisor. Fine. She took the belt buckle and walked it over to some other guy far out of earshot and talked to him for a bit while someone else came over and talked to me. Also seemed like a fairly reasonable guy.
Eventually the woman came back, curtly handed me the buckle and said, "Here you go. Have a good flight, sir.""
He sums up:
But seriously wrap your minds around what this means. Our "Transportation Security Administration" cannot recognize the difference between the following things:1. A belt buckle and a prop replica.2. A fictional/toy gun that has never existed in human history outside of sci-fi & fantasy stories, and a firearm/weapon that actually exists.
3. An object that poses a danger to others... and... a goddamn belt buckle.
Yes, as he puts it, "The TSA is busy protecting you from the scourge of novelty belt buckles."
Am I supposed to feel sorry for him?
Was it wrong, sure.
Is it asinine, absolutely.
But we all know what incompetent ass clowns the TSA are, we all know how petty and stupid they are.
We've all heard the stories of confiscating necklaces and charm bracelets with teeny tiny guns on them.
Of the haphazard nature with which they enforce or ignore their own damn rules.
This guy has one documented case of the morons trying to take his belt buckle, and probably a few others he didnt document.
He knew he would have another show down and failed to allot enough time to deal with the 80 and under IQ crowd the TSA hires to fill its ranks.
lujlp at October 29, 2014 4:39 AM
Memo to self: When hiding my bombs and weapons for use. Think more lace and taffeta than chrome and steel. Also, find out TSA restrictions on bunny rabbit and kitty shaped items.
John Paulson at October 29, 2014 5:17 AM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2014/10/the-tsa-losers.html#comment-5362811">comment from John PaulsonHere's yet another asinine and bullyish act to "protect" us:
http://www.zap2it.com/blogs/chewbacca_vs_tsa_peter_mayhew_in_airport_lightsaber_war_after_comic-con_denver-2013-06
Amy Alkon
at October 29, 2014 6:47 AM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2014/10/the-tsa-losers.html#comment-5362818">comment from lujlpIt's important to challenge them instead of just conforming to their stupidity and every person who does helps the rest of us and helps, in some small way, to fight the ongoing erosion of our civil liberties on many fronts.
Amy Alkon
at October 29, 2014 6:48 AM
...realizing I was speaking with a woman with the brainpower of a block of Parmesan cheese -
I had this exact feeling when I gave up arguing with a TSA employee several years ago when she confiscated my liquid container because it didn't have the volume printed on the label. It was obvious by inspection that unless I was carrying super-dense matter, there was well below 3 oz in it. I almost said, "so I should just take an empty commercial bottle and fill it with whatever I want?" when I decided that might just cause her to confiscate everything.
Astra at October 29, 2014 7:04 AM
Like the recent case - someone opened a hotspot with the name "Al Quida free terrorrist network" or something like that (yes, with typos). Someone else on the plane saw it, reported it, and the whole plane was dragged off to the side while the authorities spend 3 hours trying to figure out what to do.
I disagree with lujlp: we need *more* cases like this, many more, until the whole stinking security theater collapses under its own weight.
a_random_guy at October 29, 2014 7:15 AM
Amy Alkon
https://www.advicegoddess.com/archives/2014/10/the-tsa-losers.html#comment-5363056">comment from a_random_guyI saw that.
And I just loved that Parmesan cheese line -- and wish it weren't so often true.
Amy Alkon
at October 29, 2014 7:34 AM
I'm not saying we shouldn't CARE.
I'm saying I refuse to feel bad for a guy who knew there would be a problem, failed to allot the time needed to deal with said problem, and capitulated only to whine about it later.
lujlp at October 29, 2014 9:27 AM
I'm saying I refuse to feel bad for a guy who knew there would be a problem...
But the fact that there was a "problem" is complete bullshit. With pickles and mayo.
So let's keep passively defending the idiotic Fatherland Security assholes.
drcos at October 29, 2014 3:40 PM
So let's keep passively defending the idiotic Fatherland Security assholes.
I'm not, I'm on the record, several times, saying they should all be rounded up and summarily executed for treason.
Doesnt mean I feel sorry for the moron who failed to stand up for himself
lujlp at October 29, 2014 5:19 PM
OK, sorry, we don't feel sorry for him capitulating to the brownshirts. We're on the same page.
DrCos at October 30, 2014 7:49 AM
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