Why I Hate Tsa

[Zimri]

http://www.flyertalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=606142

[Gromgor]

As far as I can tell the writer is a goddam moron. Since I don't know the gender of the writer I'll use He. He wrote something on the side of a bag. Something that he KNEW would provoke a response. Then he wants to act suprised when a response is given. Airports operate on a routine. When something happens outside of that routine (for instance what the writer did) then it draws a lot of attention. Security responded in what seemed to be a manner that isolated the situation, went through the proper steps to determine if it was a threat, decided it wasn't and sent the person on their way.

The writer, as most often happens, has told their side of the events. A perfectly well behaved person who was detained unreasonably for doing something "cute".

Yeah. I'd cough and say "Bullshit" but you can't do that in text. So instead I'll just say Bullshit. The cop even explained to the writer that you can't yell fire in a theater. Meaning that you can't do things that will cause people to believe there might be trouble of that nature. With the threats of the world becoming all the more well known to the general populace it should be easy to understand how people might expect the worst in any situation.

The write is stupid, only presents his side and most likely leaves out little details that probably only fueled more concern.

[Aristotle]

The TSA sucks, but this is not an example of them sucking. This is an example of a dumbass thinking he is too fucking clever.

No matter how shitty the TSA is, the airport is not the appropriate place to take your stand. Take your stand when you vote, when you decide to fly, drive, or take the train, and any time you choose to correspond with one of your representatives or some publication's editor.

Reading through the thread, I saw some other stupidity like:

I once told a Customs Agent - when he asked what it was - that a baggie of powdered milk was "Just some cocaine." and watched bug-eyed as he stuck his finger in it and tasted it! He yelled at me "This isn't cocaine!" and I said "What - you mean I got ripped off?" I told him I was just kidding, but he got all mad! Took about 25 more minutes before I got out of there too.

What a dumbfuck.

And then in the thread there are people freaking out about it being a violation of your Constitutional Rights.

Give me a fucking break.

Think about how many more travellers were delayed because of the ruckus this idiot caused.

[Snrrub]

Personally, I wouldn't have done what the author of the thread in question did. Even if I wanted to protest. Firstly, because I wouldn't want other passengers to get delayed as a result of it; secondly, because I know that I would probably get detained, questioned, etc. by the authorities at the airport. Most of the responses I've read to that story have been something along the lines of, "You shouldn't have done that because it's obvious you'd get hassled.". One person presented the analogy of driving around with a "[name of the town sheriff] is an idiot" bumper sticker on your car. You're asking to be pulled over. That being said, I think it's inapproriate for a sheriff to pull over such a car simply because of the bumper sticker, as it was inappropriate for the airport security to detain the traveller because of the message he had on his bag. So while one might complain to the traveller that he 'caused the other passengers to be delayed', and he may have indirectly caused this, it can really be directly blamed on the airport security people.

Shouting out "fire" in a movie theatre (unless there actually is a fire) is not an expression of any opinion/belief/information. It's shouted purposefuly to cause injury to others. Simply by hearing it, a risk of injury is posed to the crowd. That is why it is not protection by freedom of expression. Writing "[whoever] is an idiot" on your bag doesn't cause harm to anyone who reads it. Further, it -is- an expression. Just like how wearing a shirt that says "support the troops" is an expression. Wearing a shirt, or having a bag, that has on it words that indicate a disagreement with political policies, or dissatisfaction with those who are in a position of power, is in my view, and I think legally, protected by freedom of expression in the United States, and elsewhere.

For this guy to have been detained as he was, it means that the airport security thought there was a behavioral connection between writing that statement on a bag, and hurting people while on the flight. That doesn't make sense to me.

[Aristotle]

What I found interesting is that his total time of detainment, according to him, was 25 minutes.

I've waited in longer lines at the airport just to show ID.