Comedian arrested in scuffle with security at San Francisco airport

Sacramento Bee ^ | March 4, 2002 | Unattributed

[Ignatz]

Published 8:15 a.m. PST Monday, March 4, 2002 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A stand-up comedian was arrested after he allegedly got into a loud argument and a scuffle with a National Guardsman at San Francisco International Airport. Kevin Meaney, 45, allegedly grabbed the soldier's loaded M-16 rifle with both hands and got into a shoving match with him Sunday after airport authorities repeatedly asked the comedian to stop videotaping checkpoint security procedures, authorities said.

[Ignatz]

It has been against federal law to videotape such activities since the Sept. 11 attacks

The lessons of Tiannamen Square were not lost on the Feds, eh?

"If a Government abuse occurs and not all of the people are aware of it, did it really happen?"

[Ignatz]

bump

[Ignatz]

bumpitty-bump

[Ignatz]

"Who put the bump in the bump-she-bump-she-bump...."

[toupsie]

It seems that defeating the terrorists means putting up with being treated as one.

[DeaconBenjamin]

The National Guard said Meaney also became verbally abusive when security staff asked to pat-search his wife. Provocation? Fighting words? Were the security staff seeking to incite violence? Obviously the reporting was -- as always -- onesided. Nonetheless, will anyone who is familiar with the appropriate standards explain how the authorities might conceivably have been justified in this request?

Or, in tin-foil terms, are we approaching Soylent Green?

[AppyPappy]

Posted here

[Lumberjack]

Gosh, he thought he had a right to video tape government goons performing duty in a public area and to keep his wife from being felt up by some 19 year old pimple faced grinning ape? The nerve of the man. Where does he think he lives, America or something?

[Ignatz]

Dad-burnit! I searched the News/Events page specifically for this article before I posted!

Appy's correct, y'all, go here http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/639638/posts

As for me, it's back to the eye doctor!

[History is truth]

Did any of you people happen to think that a terrorist organization would welcome a tape of security procedures? What better way to circumvent security than to tape the procedures and study them for weaknesses! Can you see past the end of your nose?

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I love to play grumble freak as much as the next person when it comes to government agencies. I also have been known to dabble in the Government is big brother game myself. But come on. If we can't count on the American public to stay vigil and cooperate with the airline security, then where does that leave us?

I for one have no sympathy for anyone who tries to override airline security, or to make a joke about it.

There are other options for fliers. Walk, run ,ride the train. You could also take a boat a bike or trike. I don't really care how you get there, just go. For those trying to make trouble for the security of this country I say a double go to them.

[Charles Henrickson]

Kevin Meaney, 45, allegedly grabbed the soldier's loaded M-16 rifle. . . .

(In my best Kevin's-mom voice:)

"You'll poke your eye out!"

[Charles Henrickson]

. . . he allegedly got into a loud argument and a scuffle with a National Guardsman. . . .

"What'd you go and do that for? Scuffling with a National Guardsman. . . . We'll lose the house!"

[TruthNtegrity]

I couldn't agree more with your statement. All of us are benig treated as terrorists' 80-yr old Grandmas and 3-yr old are being strip-searched.

Am I the only one who remembers that most of the perps on 9/11 were Saudis?

We are so afraid of being accused of "profiling", we are afraid to the DO the profiling that is necessary. How stupid is that?

This PC crap has gone this far, folks, and it leads us right to the ridiculous. I hope that what the Israeli security guys have been telling Congress about the necessity of profiling, sinks in.

[mindprism.com]

It's fairly disturbing this phenomena of "you either submit with a smile or you're with the terrorists" -- I can write off a large part of it as human nature but am waiting for a return to sanity that seems a long time coming.

I get the feeling that some of us fight the war by throwing our freedom at it.

[History is truth]

Your argument loses credibility when you resort to name calling. And no, people don't lounge around security checkpoints taking notes. A witness' memory is notoriously bad. Reviewing a videotape multiple times allows a person to spot things they don't see at first viewing.

Why are you so paranoid about law enforcement personnel? Thousands of them do an outstanding job every day. They are people doing their job. They are not some vast conspiracy trying to deprive you of some your rights. They are just trying to protect the public.

[Elsie]

can't you see past the end of your nose?

---

Oh? And just what would you call THIS???

[Elsie]

You are an (hurt my poor widdle feelings word)!

is a statement.

---

Are you a (hurt my poor widdle feelings word)?

is a question.

---

[Elsie]

Your argument loses credibility when you resort to name calling.

---

2+2=4

If you don't think 2+2=4, you might be an idiot.

---

Ah, yes..... I see your point.