As a very frequent flyer, it has been painfully obvious what a joke the TSA's secuiriy theatre at airports is.
This article is a qualified and detail analysis of just how useless and inept the TSA screening actually is....
The author is Deirdre Walker. She retired recently as the Assistant Chief of the Montgomery County, Maryland, Department of Police. She spent 24 years as a police officer.
If you travel often, it will sound dishearteningly familiar.
Replies
14
SoWal Insider
great article. I haven't traveled by air since 2002 . I went on a trip and decided to take along my snoopy (a toy that played shroeder piano music) . I thought it would be fun to take pictures of him wherever i journeyed. I was picked out of line to be searched as well. They wanted to cut my snoopy open! 
Beach Fanatic
What a great article.
It reminds me of the conversations I've had with my parents about their high school experience, back in the 40's. They went to a "Manual Training" school, and they think that the entire purpose was to train them to move to the bell and not to question anything, so that when they went to work in a factory when they graduated they would be "trained".
Sometimes TSA feels like that to me - it is "training" the frequent traveler - who, BTW, tends to be better educated and in a higher economic bracket - that the best course of action is to cooperate with any stupid request, because it's all about the common good. That's what the Patriot Act (the misnomer of the century) is all about, you give up a little and we all get security.
I watched them frisk my elderly mother in her wheelchair (she demanded a private screening before she would let them take off her chemo cap, and so tied up a screener, a supervisor and a private room for 10 minutes
) and seem to get singled out for extra screening every time. I thought perhaps they had some intelligence that predicted a terrorist attack by middle-aged women, but after reading this article I think I must just look like a "good citizen".
It reminds me of the conversations I've had with my parents about their high school experience, back in the 40's. They went to a "Manual Training" school, and they think that the entire purpose was to train them to move to the bell and not to question anything, so that when they went to work in a factory when they graduated they would be "trained".
Sometimes TSA feels like that to me - it is "training" the frequent traveler - who, BTW, tends to be better educated and in a higher economic bracket - that the best course of action is to cooperate with any stupid request, because it's all about the common good. That's what the Patriot Act (the misnomer of the century) is all about, you give up a little and we all get security.
I watched them frisk my elderly mother in her wheelchair (she demanded a private screening before she would let them take off her chemo cap, and so tied up a screener, a supervisor and a private room for 10 minutes
) and seem to get singled out for extra screening every time. I thought perhaps they had some intelligence that predicted a terrorist attack by middle-aged women, but after reading this article I think I must just look like a "good citizen".
Banned
One time the screener wanted to pat me down. He was already upset with me because I wasn't playing his little Simon says game very skillfully when I went through the metal detector. Anyhow he asks me to raise both hands in the air and I comply. My ticket was in my left hand. Then he wanted to see my ticket. My hands were still in the air. I told him he'd have to order me to lower my hands if he wanted to see it. 
He was pissed!
He was pissed!Edited
SoWal Insider
One time the screener wanted to pat me down. He was already upset with me because I wasn't playing his little Simon says game very skillfully when I went through the metal detector. Anyhow he asks me to raise both hands in the air and I comply. My ticket was in my left hand. Then he wanted to see my ticket. My hands were still in the air. I told him he'd have to order me to lower my hands if he wanted to see it.from raising arizona bank scene...old guy answering robbers who told him to freeze, then drop..."if i freeze, i can't rightly drop, and if i drop i'm gonna be in motion". robber "shut up!"
Banned
from raising arizona bank scene...old guy answering robbers who told him to freeze, then drop..."if i freeze, i can't rightly drop, and if i drop i'm gonna be in motion". robber "shut up!"
This guy was angry at me because when I went through the metal detector, I just happened to touch some widget on the side of it. I did it for no apparent reason, was vaguely aware I even did it. He got all bent out of shape about that and I guess it triggered the pat-down software application that was downloaded into his "brain" if you could call it that.
SoWal Expert
I have found that the intelligence and politeness level of the TSA (or other) security screener is inversely proportional to the size of the airport.
Common sense and humor comes into play a lot more frequently when it's a small airport (which are better run anyway IMO).
Common sense and humor comes into play a lot more frequently when it's a small airport (which are better run anyway IMO).
Beach FanaticAuthor
I have found that the intelligence and politeness level of the TSA (or other) security screener is inversely proportional to the size of the airport.
Common sense and humor comes into play a lot more frequently when it's a small airport (which are better run anyway IMO).
The downside of the TSA in small airports is boredom. I've had flights out of a very small airport (Santa Barbara, CA) where there were about 6 bored TSA agents and our flight (with about 20 passengers) was the only one leaving for several hours.
They had nothing else to do, so they searched all of us and all of our carryons.
SoWal Insider
I think TSA has improved dramatically since its inception. Right after 9-11, I was pointed at and motioned out of line on every flight I took. Annoyed slightly, but didn't mind. Atlanta in particular has improved and is quite efficient with very polite officers.
If you know the drill and cooperate, there really shouldn't be any problems. I admit, I hate seeing my bag get stopped in the scan machine and scrutinized, while I stand there bare-footed and beltless. Air travel is certainly no longer glamourous.
I have a feeling that if there is cause for a search (strange object in my bag, which is usually a belt buckle) and I refuse the search, I will be denied progressing past security. I could try it next time, but just have no desire for that kind of altercation.
If you know the drill and cooperate, there really shouldn't be any problems. I admit, I hate seeing my bag get stopped in the scan machine and scrutinized, while I stand there bare-footed and beltless. Air travel is certainly no longer glamourous.
I have a feeling that if there is cause for a search (strange object in my bag, which is usually a belt buckle) and I refuse the search, I will be denied progressing past security. I could try it next time, but just have no desire for that kind of altercation.
Beach FanaticAuthor
I guess that if there was any chance of the screening actually improving security in a meaningful way, I'd feel better about it. It is, in fact. all for show (hence the name 'security theatre'.) The days where a person could hijack a plane with a weapon smuggled thru security are pretty much over (much less with nail clippers or a screwdriver.)
People complain bitterly about discrimination when voters have to produce a valid government ID, yet as citizens, we can't fly on an airliner from Savannah to Atlanta (ie: not crossing even a state line, much less a national border) without having to produce a government issued ID ("Papers please".)
We were supposed to have a government of enumerated rights not one of unlimited rights.
The TSA represents one more step down the path of a government of unlimited rights and citizens with fewer and fewer rights. There's no possible interpretation of the Constitution that validates their existence.
The government is getting us used to existing with no rights by eroding them slowly over time.
People complain bitterly about discrimination when voters have to produce a valid government ID, yet as citizens, we can't fly on an airliner from Savannah to Atlanta (ie: not crossing even a state line, much less a national border) without having to produce a government issued ID ("Papers please".)
We were supposed to have a government of enumerated rights not one of unlimited rights.
The TSA represents one more step down the path of a government of unlimited rights and citizens with fewer and fewer rights. There's no possible interpretation of the Constitution that validates their existence.
The government is getting us used to existing with no rights by eroding them slowly over time.
The man who trades freedom for security does not deserve nor will he ever receive either.
Benjamin Franklin
SoWal Expert
I don't think we can blame TSA screening procedures for making air travel less glamourous - with the exception of taking off my shoes, there is no change for the regular traveler on that score.
Guess I just approach it a different way - and the stuff I send through the xray tends to entertain the screeners - a hamburger and fries in a to go box, my empty plastic water bottle w/ lemon wedge, golf balls, frozen crab cakes (this varies by supervisor) etc.
Guess I just approach it a different way - and the stuff I send through the xray tends to entertain the screeners - a hamburger and fries in a to go box, my empty plastic water bottle w/ lemon wedge, golf balls, frozen crab cakes (this varies by supervisor) etc.
Beach Fanatic
I always thought that the TSA here was pretty good, but they caused quite the incident yesterday:
TSA "screw up" leads to hijacking scare | hijacking, leads, scare - News - Northwest Florida Daily News
I don't know how TSA can recall an aircraft without notifying Eglin.
Oops.
They also called the flight back because of their own screening failure of a TSA employee (see the article which started this thread).
TSA "screw up" leads to hijacking scare | hijacking, leads, scare - News - Northwest Florida Daily News
I don't know how TSA can recall an aircraft without notifying Eglin.
Oops.
They also called the flight back because of their own screening failure of a TSA employee (see the article which started this thread).
Beach Fanatic
I think TSA has improved dramatically since its inception. Right after 9-11, I was pointed at and motioned out of line on every flight I took. Annoyed slightly, but didn't mind. Atlanta in particular has improved and is quite efficient with very polite officers.
If you know the drill and cooperate, there really shouldn't be any problems. I admit, I hate seeing my bag get stopped in the scan machine and scrutinized, while I stand there bare-footed and beltless. Air travel is certainly no longer glamourous.
I have a feeling that if there is cause for a search (strange object in my bag, which is usually a belt buckle) and I refuse the search, I will be denied progressing past security. I could try it next time, but just have no desire for that kind of altercation.
I have to agree 100%v Lynnie!
Beach FanaticAuthor
Retired War Hero's US Medal of Honor seized by TSA screeners
Here's a link to the story which happened about a year ago:
Here's the link to the Snopes page, listing it as true.
From the story:
What a great story of the selfless men and women of the TSA keeping us safe through grand and pointless 'security theatre'....The sooner they are disbanded and gone, the better. Sadly, governments never get smaller and useless departments never go away.
Here's a link to the story which happened about a year ago:
Genuine Hero's War Memorabilia Seized by Screeners
WWII Super-Ace Joe Foss Hassled; MoH Ancillaries Taken by Lunatic Screeners
WWII Super-Ace Joe Foss Hassled; MoH Ancillaries Taken by Lunatic Screeners
Here's the link to the Snopes page, listing it as true.
From the story:
Joe Foss spent the best years of his life fighting against evil, totalitarian regimes. After what happened to him last week, he might be excused for thinking he lost.
Foss, for those who don?t know him, is a pretty amazing guy. Like a lot of people who were young when Lindbergh flew (he was just 12 at the time), he was inspired to fly by the great airman and scrounged money for lessons.
He served when his country called, teaching hundreds of young Americans to fly. Then when he was 'over the hill' by fighter standards, he became a top Marine fighter ace (he shot down five Japanese planes in one day at Guadalcanal, flying an obsolete Wildcat).
He won many awards, including the Congressional Medal of Honor ? the USA?s top military decoration, given to only the bravest of the brave, for acts of near-foolhardy valor (Lindbergh got one, too).
He was a two-term governor of his home state, South Dakota, and a successful businessman.
But Foss thought that he could travel freely in today?s United States, and then he made the mistake of trying to reason with the moronic, illiterate, education-shy and insolent (and probably) foreigners now employed as airline security guards.
They thought his Medal of Honor should be taken from him ? either because it has points (see the picture) and therefore is a ?weapon,? or because they just wanted it.
Foss, for those who don?t know him, is a pretty amazing guy. Like a lot of people who were young when Lindbergh flew (he was just 12 at the time), he was inspired to fly by the great airman and scrounged money for lessons.
He served when his country called, teaching hundreds of young Americans to fly. Then when he was 'over the hill' by fighter standards, he became a top Marine fighter ace (he shot down five Japanese planes in one day at Guadalcanal, flying an obsolete Wildcat).
He won many awards, including the Congressional Medal of Honor ? the USA?s top military decoration, given to only the bravest of the brave, for acts of near-foolhardy valor (Lindbergh got one, too).
He was a two-term governor of his home state, South Dakota, and a successful businessman.
But Foss thought that he could travel freely in today?s United States, and then he made the mistake of trying to reason with the moronic, illiterate, education-shy and insolent (and probably) foreigners now employed as airline security guards.
They thought his Medal of Honor should be taken from him ? either because it has points (see the picture) and therefore is a ?weapon,? or because they just wanted it.
What a great story of the selfless men and women of the TSA keeping us safe through grand and pointless 'security theatre'....The sooner they are disbanded and gone, the better. Sadly, governments never get smaller and useless departments never go away.
SoWal Expert
Yep, that's a "here's your sign" moment.
I always question them taking away Mama Scooterbug's knitting needles (short cable ones, not the long granny kind), then serving her meals w/ metal utensils.
I always question them taking away Mama Scooterbug's knitting needles (short cable ones, not the long granny kind), then serving her meals w/ metal utensils.
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