Posted on 11/20/2010 10:53:27 PM PST by FTJM
When I went to the airport today, I was put in the uncomfortable position of a so-called “naked” full-body scan. Today’s experience was very different from the last flight I made, nearly two weeks ago; at that time I only had to go through a magnetometer. Today there was no option — it was either the full-body scan, a humiliating pat-down or no flight. All passengers flying out of Washington, DC were subjected to the new procedures. So, like confused cattle, our uneasy line of air travelers was herded through the machine.
But my experience today was nothing compared to that of Thomas D. “Tom” Sawyer, a 61-year-old retired special education teacher from Lansing, Michigan. Sawyer was reportedly on his way to a wedding in Orlando when his medical condition caught the special attention of security.
As a survivor of bladder cancer, Sawyer wears his pants two sizes to large to accommodate medical equipment he must now wear. “I have to wear special clothes and in order to mount the [urostomy] bag I have to seal a wafer to my stomach and then attach the bag. If the seal is broken, urine can leak all over my body and clothes,” he recounted to MSNBC.
On Nov. 7, Sawyer said he went through the security checkpoint at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. “Evidently the scanner picked up on my urostomy bag, because I was chosen for a pat-down procedure,” he said. Because of his medical condition, Sawyer says he asked to be screened in private. “One officer looked at another, rolled his eyes and said that they really didn’t have any place to take me,” said Sawyer. “After I said again that I’d like privacy, they took me to an office.”
(Excerpt) Read more at theblaze.com ...
As a strong Conservative, I’m trying hard to understand the objections to the pat downs.
With all the dry runs and bombs being found on passengers, why not do a through search?
It seems to me that those who object to the pat downs just should not fly- for the safety of all.
We can’t be too careful.
Am I missing something here?
If you are willing to lose your freedom for what the O admin calls security, you deserve to be groped before entering Walmart.
That is what you are missing.
Start charging the agents with child porn.
We are way to easy on the “Just following orders” crowd. Make them realize they have a personal stake in the game.
As third party, disinterested, yet a good listener and judge of what is "coming down" around me, it was clearly a case which started out by over abusiveness and over abusive atittude on the part of the US Federal Government screener toward the passenger.
Then the wronged person protested and, become fraught and overwhelmed, started to cry.
Then a second, rather gruff TSA person stepped in, even more terse and stern than the first one, and literally said, "Ma'am if you continue to make a scene we are going to have to detain you and perhaps arrest you." I guess crying is illegal now in the USA.
So what happens if you cry and break down, is they will then come in and threaten you with even more. I am an eyewitness so I do NOT doubt this woman's story of having her child taken from her and separated by the TSA, terrifyingly so.
The choice given to everyone is to submit to a radiological naked body scan or an invasive pat down or a fine for failing to submit. Is there seriously no better option?
Regarding plane boarding; I just can’t understand why not use the patdowns along with any other method to detect bombs?
I don’t fly, but if I did I wouldn’t mind being patted down.
Except they will scan on rail roads to. And when you go into or leave certain public buildings, then the mall.
You need to get a clue, and quite frankly, you are not a patriot.
I was picked because they didn't expect any issues with me. To be fair, they once found a multi tool that I had in my carry one, and she stashed it back in (much to my surprise when I landed in Texas).
Ok, terrorists.
‘The choice given to everyone is to submit to a radiological naked body scan or an invasive pat down or a fine for failing to submit. Is there seriously no better option?’
I guess not. The muzzies are determined to kill us- coming up with more devious places to hide bombs every day.
What other option would you suggest? (seriously :) )
bump
At college, I remember a couple of lectures a professor delivered on Weimar-era Germany that stuck in my mind. On the question of whether “it could happen here”, i.e. could brownshirts, S.S. and other storm troopers be recruited to prey on fellow Americans, my professor suggested that you wouldn’t have to look far for people like that: prisons, etc. But just look at these clean, morally upstanding (?) people who work at the TSA and look at the way they treat innocent Americans. We’re closer to the nightmare than we think. Personally, my suspicion has been that the TSA and other sorts of employers attract life’s losers, people with a big chip on their shoulder and less intelligence than most of the people that they process.
It would be awesome if a conservative group put together a quick 30 second commerical highlighting the TSA’s handling of children, elderly, and US troops with callous disregad and then end with, “Obama Why Is Your Administration Treating American’s This Way When No American child, nun, elderly man, disabled wheelchair bound patient, or US troop has blown up an airplane?”
That was rather mean.
I am not a seasoned FReeper or that up on politics like some of you. I am only a young college student.
I’m just trying to understand this issue and I don’t need to be insulted by having my patriotism questioned.
Tell me again what nice people these TSA are and they just want to do their job a go home...................
Are they searching Muslims like that?
Obama wants to create the self fullfilling myth that Americans are domestic terrorists. He is actually forcing us to become that to defend our 4th amendment rights.
Obama is a very sick man, as are Napolitano and Holder.
They all should resign immediately!
Exactly.
Does it bother anyone that the Obama admin has afforded Constitutional rights to terrorists, but is taking them away from the American citizens?
People get pat downs when they are arrested for disobeying the law.
Just cause, there is no just cause in the presumption that everyone is guilty until the government gropes them or x rays them to declare them innocent. Where is the warrant? What is to stop them from coming into your home now? They can violate your body, next they will violate your home.
People are outraged because the Constitution is being ignored.
I get the feeling that in a cave somewhere, the following conversation is taking place:
Akbar: WTFOMG! I can't believe those stupid Americans bought our false intel about ball bombs and breast bombs.
Bahir Hassam Abdul Hakeem: I told you, man! Wait until we plant the story about "The Snuke in The Snizz" operation. Look out Hillary!
Akbar: LOLZ. Here, Bahir, take the first hit off the pipe.
gnip
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