Posted on 12/06/2004 2:52:00 PM PST by Angry Republican
Helen Chenoweth-Hage had a simple request. The former Idaho Congressman had been pulled aside at the Boise Airport for secondary screening to include a physical pat-down. Chenoweth-Hage had sailed through the metal detector without problem, but TSA officials wanted to scrutinize her some more.
The former Congressman simply asked to see the regulations that permitted TSA officials to pat her down. They refused. And she refused to allow them to pat her down. So they booted her off her flight.
Incidents like this have happened so many times that it is beyond absurd. The regulations of TSA, which should stand for "Thousands Standing Around," are cloaked in secrecy. In this case, a 66-year old former Member of Congress is told to submit to further scrutiny for reasons of political correctness and to inflate inspection numbers.
According to aviation industry sources, the TSA intentionally targets individuals for further scrutiny not because they pose a threat, but because their profiles fit those the least likely to complain. Groups getting extra scrutiny include government employees and the military. Other national security threats reportedly requiring further scrutiny in the past include former Vice President Al Gore and longtime Congressman John Dingell.
The two-part problem is this. First, inspecting people who clearly do not pose a threat distracts attention from those who could pose a threat. Second, the notion that TSA can subject the public to regulations that are not made public is ludicrous. It's like citing a motorist for speeding with the speed limit signs all covered.
The Transportation Security Administration has not provided real and responsible security to our nation's airlines and airports. Playing hide and seek with the regulations and subjecting innocents to absurd inspections in the name of political correctness is simply a waste of time and money.
And that's the Point.
I'm Mark Hyman.
Oh I see, you are all worried about some freak from Cal turning Muslim, yet our borders are an endless conga-line of people entering our country illegally by the MILLIONS, while women and ol men are being scanned, sniffed, x-rayed, groped and searched at the local airport. Hehehe.
"I think it ludicrous that Americans have to go through these hand stands for the sake of a culture so diverse as to be intolerable."
?
I fly a lot, as does my wife.
I've been patted down, as has she- in every case, the screeners have been professional and efficient.
I've only seen men screen men and women screen women.
I have never seen anyone groped or touched in a sexual or inappropriate manner.
My wife says that the female screener announces where she will be patting down beforehand and asks if that is ok-before proceeding.
The pat down is done to the side, in public and can be done behind a screen, if the pax wants more privacy.
Granted, some of the pre screeners can act like jerks-especially those at Hartsfield and Newark.
But,the majority of screeners and secondary screeners seem much more professional and definitely light years better than the Wal Mart greeters, Do you want fries with that ,screeners of old.
It seems like a great many more pax are getting a second look, now - not, just the urban myth of old ladies and kids, while Arabs get a by.
I've actually never seen an old lady or kid given a secondary search , but, plenty of men and women of all ages, races and nationalities.
The majority of people realize the importance of the secondary search, they cooperate, it's done as quickly as possible and they move on to catch their flight.
The key to getting through security is to allow enough time and BTW, it's gotten much, much better in the last 2 years and not to arrive with an attitude-like Chenoweth.
Flying is not a right, if someone does not want to show a picture ID or face the possibility that they may be wanded or patted down or their carry on searched-don't fly.
But, don't wait until you are in the security area, where your hissy fit inconveniences the rest of us, to decide you want to look at the fine print or question the authority of the agents.
Nitwit is too kind for people like Chenoweth.
You two trade reacharounds about your great love of law und order and how the TSA 'just does its job,' while the terrorists truck, ship, or pilot a nuke across the border. Meanwhile, federal unions will continue to make sure the fed panty-screeners relax in air conditioned airports, making sure potential terrorists like Pat Boone ain't hiding a nailclipper in their BVDs, thanks to the support of assured sheep like you. Relax in the afterglow.
You two trade reacharounds about your great love of law und order and how the TSA 'just does its job,' while the terrorists truck, ship, or pilot a nuke across the border. Meanwhile, federal unions will continue to make sure the fed panty-screeners relax in air conditioned airports, making sure potential terrorists like Pat Boone ain't hiding a nailclipper in their BVDs, thanks to the support of assured sheep like you. Relax in the afterglow.
"Everyone potentially poses a danger. The terrorists are sneaky. I remember that a Palestinian terrorist gave his Irish girl friend a bomb to take on an El Al fight."
So while Chenoweth is being patted down your pregnant Irish lasse with the explosives gets a pass.
Obviously if jihadists have a plan to board with explosives, they will do so by playing the odds...
Obviously we need a better plan. Kicking Chenoweth off her flight didn't prevent a terrorist threat...but it did satisfy some TSA egos...and apparently yours.
Do it for the children. Lets be safe!
In other news, 8000 people entered our country illegally today.
Go get um Max Combined!
EL AL prevented it. NOT the TSA. They'd have searched someone older. Hell, if we're lucky, they'd have checked her shoes.
Let me know when TSA catches a 66-year-old white women smuggling boob bombs, okay?
"BTW the pat down was no big deal. I am a woman and it was done by a woman, very politely I might add."
The voice of reason.
What about large building, skyscraper, tunnels, subways, malls etc, where literally 10,000 people work, and shop. Should they too be groped, searched, scanned, x-rayed, sniffed, and searched?
"You need to ask President Bush that question, as he is the one responsible for our porous southern border."
As if President Kerry would have been any better.
Eggsactly!!
Yea? ...and while they're patting down algore, who is walking right through? man-o-man, what logic
If I had been paying attention?!
What exactly did you put in your previous posts would have shown this to be a fact and not a wild claim?
Here's the thing, Max. It would be worth it if the annoyance served a purpose. When we know otherwise, it's not. You being 'realistic' about it is all fine and good, but it's hard for some of us to sit by and watch our privacy invaded, our time wasted, and our tax dollars spent on people who think they are 'doing good,' but are only serving to irritate the innocent. If this waiting period were to buy a gun instead of fly a plane, would you be so eager to defend it? If this search were for permission to do something as plebian as drive a truck, would you be going on about how the officers were just doing their jobs?
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