Posted on 12/02/2011 11:14:58 AM PST by rawhide
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A teenage girl's sense of style got her in trouble at the airport.
Vanessa Gibbs, 17, claims the Transportation Security Administration stopped her at the security gate because of the design of a gun on her handbag.
Gibbs said she had no problem going through security at Jacksonville International Airport, but rather, when she headed home from Virginia.
"It's my style, it's camouflage, it has an old western gun on it," Gibbs said.
But her preference for the pistol style didn't sit well with TSA agents at the Norfolk airport.
Gibbs said she was headed back home to Jacksonville from a holiday trip when an agent flagged her purse as a security risk.
"She was like, 'This is a federal offense because it's in the shape of a gun,'" Gibbs said. "I'm like, 'But it's a design on a purse. How is it a federal offense?'"
After agents figured out the gun was a fake, Gibbs said, TSA told her to check the bag or turn it over.
By the time security wrapped up the inspection, the pregnant teen missed her flight, and Southwest Airlines sent her to Orlando instead, worrying her mother, who was already waiting for her to arrive at JIA.
"Oh, it's terrifying. I was so upset," said Tami Gibbs, the teen's mom. "I was on the phone all the way to Orlando trying to figure out what was going on with her. It was terrifying. I don't ever want to go through it again."
Vanessa and her mom said it's hard to believe anyone could mistake the design on the purse for a real gun because it's just a few inches in size and it's hollow, not to mention Vanessa has taken it on planes before.
"I carried this from Jacksonville to Norfolk, and I've carried it from Norfolk to Jacksonville," Vanessa said. "Never once has anyone said anything about it until now."
TSA isn't budging on the handbag, arguing the phony gun could be considered a "replica weapon." The TSA says "replica weapons have prohibited since 2002."
It's a rule that Vanessa feels can't be applied to a purse.
"Common sense," she said. "It's a purse, not a weapon."
A TSA official at JIA said it's not that uncommon for passengers to wear something that could be considered a gun replica, but the official encourages everyone to check the prohibited items list, which can be found online or at the airport before going through security.
I remember the good old days. My brother and I, unaccompanied minors, took our .22 rifles on the plane as carry-on. The stewardess asked if they were unloaded. Yep, the cartridges were in the case zipper pocket, LOL.
They do look fake, except for cylinder.
What does the Transportation [IN]Security Adminstration look for when hiring? People who have 0 common sense and can't even spell "Logic?"
Well, it applied with regards of Dear Leader's choice to head the DHS: Janet "CLUELESS" In-Competano has to be one of the DUMBEST, IDIOTS in the entire country.
Scary ain't it???
I’m sure TSA would try to pull the trigger. :p
“TSA agents are almost stupid enough to be congressmen! Almost!”
Glad you added the almost...’cuz a congress critter is the baseline from which all intelligence is measured.
After an ageless moon rock comes our elected officials, mac daddy ( five steps below elected officials) ad then 10 steps below mac daddy comes TSA agents.
Since Posse Comitatus was just killed, they could send in the Marines on her too.
gold only became a metal post 9/11? who knew?
When Zero Tolerance and Zero Intelligence got together and had had a child, they named it TSA.
Theatre de
Securite de
Amateur
A TSA official at JIA said it's not that uncommon for passengers to wear something that could be considered a gun replica, but the official encourages everyone to check the prohibited items list, which can be found online or at the airport before going through security
the pregnant teen missed her flight, and Southwest Airlines sent her to Orlando instead, worrying her mother,
TSA isn't budging on the handbag, arguing the phony gun could be considered a "replica weapon." The TSA says "replica weapons have prohibited since 2002."
"It's my style, it's camouflage, it has an old western gun on it," Gibbs said
"She was like, 'This is a federal offense because it's in the shape of a gun,'" Gibbs said. "I'm like, 'But it's a design on a purse. How is it a federal offense?'"
I missed the whole gun thing as I’m still impressed by the 17 and pregnant part. Amazing.
Real Men of Genius - Here’s to you Mr. TSA government employee, unable to distinguish a purse from a firearm.
It’s like, OMG! How not into situational awareness! Like, in these days of terror fears, like, how come she didn’t understand that, like, gun purses are so lame! Gag me with a spoon!
The TSA agent was obviously just being a douche in order to be a douche.
This speaks VOLUMES to the utter incompetence and lack of training consistency of the TSA. The agent should be terminated immediatly.
next the TSA will target anyone carrying a cowboy wallet.
Wouldn’t robots do a better job than these morons? Or maybe orangutans. Something with the least little sign of intelligence.
A few weeks ago, I realized I had a razor knife in my pocket. I threw away the blade and looked at the rules that said a tool up to 7” was allowed. These morons confiscated a handle. When I complained in writing, they sent me their knife rules.
I returned the definition of a knife from the dictionary, since it had no blade, it was just a handle. The claim is in process.
There is a reason that back when TSA was first formed they were known as “Ridge’s Retards.”
It looks as if they are still living up to the name.
That is why we’re DRIVING to S.C. instead of flying.
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