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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: Joe Hadenuf

I really resent that I cannot take my Swiss Army Knife with me anymore. I used to carry it every flight - because I remember all the hijackings in the 1970s. At least with the knife, we could have fought back.

I'm curious how long some men will allow their private parts to be groped and exposed - all for naught - before they protest these new regulations.


81 posted on 12/06/2004 4:20:12 PM PST by Borax Queen (America the Beautiful)
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To: nightdriver

"The TSA goons just wanted to feel her tits!"

LOL!!


82 posted on 12/06/2004 4:20:42 PM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist")
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To: Max Combined
Everyone potentially poses a danger.

Oh for cripes sakes.

How many white teenagers and kids are blowing themselves into pizza topping in Time Square and blowing up jet aircraft?

How many little ol ladies are hacking off the heads of people?

How many 80 year old men have blown up 747s?

83 posted on 12/06/2004 4:20:48 PM PST by Joe Hadenuf (I failed anger management class, they decided to give me a passing grade anyway)
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To: Angry Republican
... inspecting people who clearly do not pose a threat distracts attention from those who could pose a threat.

Guess what happens when al-Qaeda figures out which particular demographic the TSA believes poses no threat? They find people to fit the description and do their thing.

Searches have got to remain random, but at the same time focussed on the demographics we know pose the greatest threat. The degree of randomness should be high enough, however, to dissuade AQ from seeking out 60-yr old lonely white women who convert to Islam and using them.

JMHO.

84 posted on 12/06/2004 4:22:35 PM PST by AM2000 (I am not responsible for the contents of this post.)
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To: Joe Hadenuf
How many white teenagers and kids are blowing themselves into pizza topping in Time Square and blowing up jet aircraft?

How many little ol ladies are hacking off the heads of people?

How many 80 year old men have blown up 747s?

Ok let's say you had your way. We'll exclude white teenagers from having to go through security checks. AQ will find some disaffected, pissed off teenager and use him. Keeping a degree of randomness in our searches makes us safer, because the terrorists don't know what to expect.

85 posted on 12/06/2004 4:24:59 PM PST by AM2000 (I am not responsible for the contents of this post.)
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To: shellshocked

As if that logically follows.


86 posted on 12/06/2004 4:26:17 PM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist")
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To: AM2000
Ok let's say you had your way. We'll exclude white teenagers from having to go through security checks. AQ will find some disaffected, pissed off teenager and use him.

BWHAHAHAHAHA...

Look for punk rockers to start blowing up greedy marts.

87 posted on 12/06/2004 4:27:15 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

"I hate people who think there is some honor in hassling a guy trying to do his job and keep people safe."

If the job was actually keeping anyone safe, fine. Let me know when the TSA stops an old white woman with a bomb, CaptainPC.

"It's a pat-down, it's not like he demanded a cavity search."

However, random fondling is okay with you. I'll need an introduction to your daughter and wife and your travel itinerary. It's about security, you understand.

"Psycho Civil-libertarians are small, petty people."

And those who suck up to authority are smug, arrogant ones. But that big shit-eating grin of yours will fade off right quick when a nuke goes off in the U.S. because the federal government was too busy stripping grannies to check out containerized cargo or seal the southern and northern borders.


88 posted on 12/06/2004 4:28:17 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
"They point to an attempt in 1986 by a Jordanian to send his Irish girlfriend on to an El Al flight with a bomb concealed in her hand luggage without her knowledge.

Thank you for the information.

Learn to use Google.

Thanks, "Dad". I already know how to use Google. I just don't have the time to 'research' every wild claim posted here.

It's considered proper 'netiquette' to post supporting links when asked.

89 posted on 12/06/2004 4:28:40 PM PST by Ol' Dan Tucker
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To: Angry Republican
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.
90 posted on 12/06/2004 4:28:43 PM PST by MissAmericanPie
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To: Ancesthntr

I'll bet old Ben knew the difference between an essential liberty and a resonable pat down while you don't know the difference between $hit and shinola.


91 posted on 12/06/2004 4:28:44 PM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist")
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To: Max Combined

As if strip searches are logical airport security. I guess you forgot about the illegals working the tarmacs, the employees who can be bribed, etc. How about the fact that toenail clippers were being taken at the checkpoints while being sold on the concourses?

You may "feel" better, but we don't. We are a bit smarter than that and know such things are only for the enjoyment of the nerdly high school dropouts calle TSA agents.

If a terrorist really wanted to bring down a plane, there isn't a thing you could do about it at the security checkpoint.


92 posted on 12/06/2004 4:30:16 PM PST by shellshocked
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To: Knitebane
"As long as people like you lay down for it rather than standing up for your rights"

Yeah right. Go stand up for your rights at the airport and you will get kicked off the flight, just like the nitwit.
93 posted on 12/06/2004 4:30:16 PM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist")
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To: Joe Hadenuf

No, no, he has a point. I remember that Tom Cruise lookalike driving the plane into the WTC last week. And I hear the AARP is now organizing cells for a final assault. /sarcasm


94 posted on 12/06/2004 4:30:57 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (NO BLOOD FOR CHOCOLATE! Get the UN-ignoring, unilateralist Frogs out of Ivory Coast!)
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To: Joe Hadenuf

Do you remember John Walker Lindh? White kid from California, turned Muslim at age 16, ended up in Yemen at age 17 and at age 19-20 he joined the Taliban.

Moral of the story: Don't be a fool. Confuse the enemy. They're trying awfully hard to confuse us.


95 posted on 12/06/2004 4:30:58 PM PST by AM2000 (I am not responsible for the contents of this post.)
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To: Borax Queen

"I'm curious how long some men will allow their private parts to be groped and exposed - all for naught - before they protest these new regulations."

"TSA policy is that screeners are to use the back of the hand when screening sensitive body areas, which include the breasts (females only), genitals, and buttocks."
-- Excerpt from the TSA's website about its new pat-down policy


96 posted on 12/06/2004 4:31:37 PM PST by Max Combined (Clinton is "the notorious Oval Office onanist")
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To: shellshocked

Bump to that.


97 posted on 12/06/2004 4:32:00 PM PST by LibertarianInExile (NO BLOOD FOR CHOCOLATE! Get the UN-ignoring, unilateralist Frogs out of Ivory Coast!)
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To: Angry Republican
I was patted down after going thru the metal detector 3 times and setting it off. Stupid me, first time watch, second time necklace, third time ear rings. I could avoided the pat down if I had been thinking. BTW the pat down was no big deal. I am a woman and it was done by a woman, very politely I might add.
98 posted on 12/06/2004 4:33:05 PM PST by Ditter
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To: Joe Hadenuf
I'd like to ask the homeland security high priest, why they are searching ol ladies and little kids at the airport, when our borders are a pathetic, endless free for all, with millions pouring in illegally.

Just to watch his face get all goofy and screwed up.....

You need to ask President Bush that question, as he is the one responsible for our porous southern border.

99 posted on 12/06/2004 4:33:49 PM PST by Walkin Man
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To: Max Combined

The difference between us and El Al, is that they profile terrorists and not people. Racial and ethnicity plays a part but that's not all of it. I think our TSA should be trained by El Al.


100 posted on 12/06/2004 4:34:36 PM PST by cyborg ( Hy verkwik my siel; Hy lei my in die spore van geregtigheid, om sy Naam ontwil.)
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