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Low-Downs On Pat-Downs (The Point)
News Central ^ | 12/05/2004 | Mark Hyman

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.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; US: Idaho
KEYWORDS: airplanes; airportsecurity; politicallycorrect; tsa
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To: Max Combined

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.


121 posted on 12/06/2004 4:54:17 PM PST by Joe Hadenuf (I failed anger management class, they decided to give me a passing grade anyway)
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To: CaptainJustice
"If you think being searched at an airport after 9/11 is humiliating, you are emotionally unstable. It's part of life."

I wonder how some of these folks manage to go to the doctor?
122 posted on 12/06/2004 4:55:04 PM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist")
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To: MissAmericanPie

"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."

?


123 posted on 12/06/2004 4:56:29 PM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist")
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To: shellshocked
"As if strip searches are logical airport security."

How did you make the great leap from a pat down to strip searches?
124 posted on 12/06/2004 4:57:34 PM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist")
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To: Max Combined

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.


125 posted on 12/06/2004 4:57:41 PM PST by Wild Irish Rogue
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To: Max Combined

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.


126 posted on 12/06/2004 5:02:15 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (NO BLOOD FOR CHOCOLATE! Get the UN-ignoring, unilateralist Frogs out of Ivory Coast!)
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To: Max Combined

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.


127 posted on 12/06/2004 5:02:29 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (NO BLOOD FOR CHOCOLATE! Get the UN-ignoring, unilateralist Frogs out of Ivory Coast!)
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To: Max Combined

"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.


128 posted on 12/06/2004 5:02:36 PM PST by takenoprisoner (illegally posting on an expired tag)
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To: Max Combined
Personally, I think anyone entering a large building, skyscraper, tunnels, subways, malls etc, where literally 10,000 people work, should be groped, searched, scanned, x-rayed, sniffed, and searched.

Do it for the children. Lets be safe!

In other news, 8000 people entered our country illegally today.

Go get um Max Combined!

129 posted on 12/06/2004 5:02:56 PM PST by Joe Hadenuf (I failed anger management class, they decided to give me a passing grade anyway)
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To: 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.


130 posted on 12/06/2004 5:03:37 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (NO BLOOD FOR CHOCOLATE! Get the UN-ignoring, unilateralist Frogs out of Ivory Coast!)
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To: Max Combined

Let me know when TSA catches a 66-year-old white women smuggling boob bombs, okay?


131 posted on 12/06/2004 5:06:13 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (NO BLOOD FOR CHOCOLATE! Get the UN-ignoring, unilateralist Frogs out of Ivory Coast!)
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To: cyborg
"I think our TSA should be trained by El Al."

There is no doubt that El Al security is much better than our TSA. Even if our TSA were to be trained by El Al, it is likely that our security system would be much worse. We fly many more airplanes at many more airports than does El Al, and our civil rights laws impede our ability to profile folks by race, creed, sex, or religion.

I am not saying that TSA is perfect. In many cases I find them silly, inefficient, and lax. But the rules and regulations are made by men and women, not by Gods and thus are necessarily flawed.

We, as travelers, should continue to complain about those things that annoy us about the TSA and the powers that be at homeland security should continue to try to respond to our complaints and suggestions and make our system better.

Given the competing and conflicting demands of time, cost, privacy, and safety, the system will never satisfy everyone. I used to be very annoyed when I used to be searched at the check point and then searched again at the gate. Thank heavens they are not searching at the gate any longer.
132 posted on 12/06/2004 5:07:36 PM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist")
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To: Ditter

"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.


133 posted on 12/06/2004 5:08:32 PM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist")
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To: Max Combined

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?


134 posted on 12/06/2004 5:09:35 PM PST by Joe Hadenuf (I failed anger management class, they decided to give me a passing grade anyway)
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To: Walkin Man

"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.


135 posted on 12/06/2004 5:09:47 PM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist")
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To: Ol' Dan Tucker
How so?

Eggsactly!!

136 posted on 12/06/2004 5:11:02 PM PST by houeto
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To: Wurlitzer
"I am glad the likes of the RINOs and CINOs lurking on the FR did not have their say in the founding of this country."

You and me both, brother!
137 posted on 12/06/2004 5:13:53 PM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist")
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To: Max Combined
Considering the fact that both are anti-American nuts, I am happy to hear that they are subject to extra scrutiny.

Yea? ...and while they're patting down algore, who is walking right through? man-o-man, what logic

138 posted on 12/06/2004 5:15:13 PM PST by houeto
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To: Max Combined
If you had been paying attention, you would have known it was a fact and not a wild claim.

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?

139 posted on 12/06/2004 5:15:57 PM PST by Ol' Dan Tucker
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To: Max Combined

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?


140 posted on 12/06/2004 5:16:16 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (NO BLOOD FOR CHOCOLATE! Get the UN-ignoring, unilateralist Frogs out of Ivory Coast!)
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