In a few months, we will observe the tenth Anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. One of the most dramatic changes since the 9/11 attacks has been airport security. But when you see the video of something that recently happened at a major US Airport, you will wonder what is going on and are we citizens or are we all suspects?
The Bush Administration’s reaction to 9/11 was among other things to create a whole bunch of new government agencies, including the Transportation Security Agency.
Ann Coulter once branded TSA employees as “McDonald’s rejects.” That is far too kind. McDonald’s rejects cannot inflict the kind of damage that the TSA can.
The TSA has never prevented a terrorist incident. In fact, the Agency is so politically correct that four year olds must be fondled, while young, military age men from countries that are hotbeds of jihad.
Now, if you want to go to the airport and fly, if you are selected, you must make the choice between being irradiated or being molested. And God forbid that you speak up and exercise your rights as an American citizen.
A young man in Phoenix at the Sky Harbor Airport recently filmed an example of this lunacy. His mother was being patted down when she became hysterical over the TSA employee touching her breasts. Whether the TSA employee did or did not act inappropriately is a matter of debate. It is not recorded.
What happened after that was.
Airport officials quickly surround the crying woman. Her son, videoing the incident is told to leave the area. He leaves the immediate area but continues to video. Two female TSA agents come out trying to make him stop filming. On threatens to have a “LEO” or law enforcement officer come and seize his baggage. Eventually a South West employee tells him he has to stop filming. The young man refuses. In the background you can still hear his mother crying hysterically.
Eventually a police officer comes over, asks him for some identification and then says he has done nothing wrong and moves along.
Ultimately it appears Southwest did not let him fly. Ordinarily I am a pretty big fan of Southwest Airlines, but Southwest was out of line here. Photography, except in a few sensitive areas, is not a crime.
A year earlier, the same young man had videoed in the airport and some of the TSA remembered him from that incident. They decided to make an example of the family.
He was not filming in a sensitive area. Had they done the simple and smart thing and just ignored him, this would not have ended up on the Internet. Unfortunately, these people are given power, are quite willing to abuse that power and have no clue about the law or the rights the Constitution gives American citizens.
This video is a pretty good example of how bad our airport security system is. It does nothing to stop those who want to commit terrorist acts. Instead, it simply makes air travel as painful as possible. Perhaps Congress could tear itself away from harassing oil company CEO’s or having Hollywood celebrities as witnesses at meaningless hearings long enough to have a real hearing on how the airport security system is not working and how it does little more than violate the rights of American citizens.
Permalink Reply by Debrajoe Smith-Beatty on 
Permalink Reply by Stephen Browning on I have flown over 100 times since 9/11. During that time I have never once had bad treatment from a TSA officer. I have never seen anyone else receive improper treatment from a TSA Officer. With this said, I still don't like the patdowns, but I understand why they do them.
I do agree that the TSA officers are probably incompetent. The ones at the airport in DC are mostly foreigners with poor english and that is frustating. How can the government place foreigners (new citizens maybe) in charge of security at airports? Are we that politically correct that we allow others to handle our security? What is next? Mexicans handling security at the southern border?
As for the video, I think the entire scene was set up to make a point or for publicity.
Permalink Reply by Elizabeth Cowan on A "pathetic display of theatrics"? Our freedoms are slowly being taken away and that's a "display of theatrics?"
Perhaps you should read this again (posted earlier by OneCitizenoftheRepublic):
When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.
It's great that you and your hubby are never bothered by TSA agents during your many flights. Any person who is willing to comply with TSA's every little request--regardless of how demeaning or un-Constitutional those requests are--are never bothered by TSA agents. This woman happened to take issue with having her breasts touched--that SHOULD be her choice. It IS her body, after all! Was it "theatrics" when the former US beauty queen broke down in tears after having the vaginal area of her body touched--not just one time, but repeatedly? (She has filed charges against the TSA).
What I would really like answers too is HOW TSA agents determine who should be violated by these searches and who should not. We hear about TSA agents patting down seven-year-old little girls (who, under other circumstances are told to report any person for touching them inappropriately); of grandmothers having to endure this humiliating search; and going through the diapers of infants; but we have YET to hear of any report of a muslim (in full muslim garb) being detained and patted down. We've seen videos of TSA agents patting down an American citizen, while behind her, a muslim in full garb is allowed to walk right on through security!
What is the reasoning behind TSA's determination of who is selected for these searches?
Is it because terrorists use their own grandmothers, children and infants to deliver their bombs? Therefore, every American grandmother, child or infant is "guilty?" (Hmmm...sounds a little like "profiling...")
How many terrorists have actually been arrested since beginning these pat downs or since the use of these scanners?
What about the Yemen native who, yelling "Allah Akbar," charged the cockpit door of a flight headed for San Francisco? (May, 2011) Was he forced to endure the humiliating search or be radiated by the scanners?
Or what about Reynel C. Alcaide, who, after the plane took off, rushed toward the front of the plane, pinned the flight attendant against the wall and attempted, repeatedly, to open the emergency door of the plane? He was subdued by passengers and other flight attendants and the plane was diverted for an emergency landing? Was Alcaide forced to endure the humiliating search or be radiated by the scanners?
Granted, no bombs or weapons were found on these men, but perhaps, if they had been forced to endure the pat-down, they might have broken down BEFORE boarding the planes; BEFORE "scaring to death" the American citizens aboard those planes that DID endure the illegal pat-downs/scanners.
"Display of theatrics?" If so--bring it on! We need more situations like this brought to light. Maybe it will help wake up those Americans who are still apathetic about our rights being slowly taken away from us!
Permalink Reply by Paula Kennedy on I agree. I've flown a lot since 9/11...and I have a knee replacement so I have had to be "pat down" since the beginning of heightened security.
I'm either jaded or tougher than I thought...I've never been molested in a security line. I don't like it, but will quietly submit to it...to get it over with and be on my way!
Permalink Reply by Ann on Permalink Reply by Paula Kennedy on I'm saying...that I haven't had it done to me NOR anyone I know! Have you? Did it happen to you or someone you know? I've had been "pat-down" every time I've flown in the past 10 years. Now how did I get away with it all those years?
And when you want to call people you do not know selfish....you need to sit back and take a look at your life....people who call other people names are usually the very type of person they are accusing another person of being!
Permalink Reply by Vern Shotwell on I have flown a lot, around the world. For decades.
Procedures elsewhere are far superior! Why? Because they Profile! And other less invasive procedures, I'll not bore you with.
TSA agents tend to zero in on little old ladies, children, really old guys. Give a pass to the middle-eastern looking young guys. Too much trouble, I suppose.
For something to occupy my time, waiting at airports, I do my best to harass the TSA. "Forget the little old lady, check that guy!" or something. Whatever.
The TSA is worse than useless: we pay them to inconvenience us, waste our time for no purpose. Some might like to do a good job, but they are not permitted to profile!
A good one, often used, is "Why don't you quit, and get a real job? Or, do your job and check the more probable terrorists!"
If I've got to waste extra hours at airports now, I do what little I can to make their lives miserable.
Put the TSA agents on welfare! They'd be about as useful. And, they'd not be wasting our time or invading the personal dignity of those bothered by such illegal and useless searches.
Permalink Reply by Paula Kennedy on 
Permalink Reply by james stamulis on Permalink Reply by Thomas Angle on © 2013 Created by Judson Phillips.
