Texan Learns To Rue Remark (80 Year Old WWII Veteran Arrested at Airport)

The Hartford Courant ^ | August 3, 2002 | PAUL MARKS

[oldvike]

Eighty-year-old Fred Hubbell, tired and cranky after facing a gantlet of searches at Bradley International Airport, made a sarcastic remark about a rifle that he quickly came to regret.

Suddenly he found himself in handcuffs - with a firsthand sense of what the Transportation Security Administration means by "zero tolerance."

It was a new experience for the retired engineer and World War II veteran. He got to stroll through the crowded concourse Thursday escorted by a state trooper while onlookers wondered if he was some kind of terrorist.

Click here for rest of article

[oldvike]

Thank goodness we've federalized airport security!

[Illbay]

Meanwhile, at a nearby strip club, a bunch of young Middle Eastern men from countries like Egypt, Saudia Arabia and Yemen were knocking back shots, ogling the women and boasting of their intention to bomb another airliner.

What a country.

[oldvike]

Hmmmm, two links to the same article. Woops.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

I took my last airline flight last week. The second time they searched me I "assumed the position" with my feet spread apart and my hands raised in the air. The big fat female minimum wage gestapo acted as if I had just whipped out my Johnson. The skinny one with the bad teeth rolled his eyes and acted as if he might have me arrested.

I have a simple question: why were these people so embarrassed? Is it because they know that what they are doing is wrong?

[mombonn]

Hubbell said he is used to speaking his mind. Sometimes, he admitted, it has got him in hot water.

Some people never learn to watch their mouthes. Sounds like he got off cheap.

[joesnuffy]

and.....affirmative action....revenge of the "aunt jemiah" lookalike security officer cabal...

[porte des morts]

What a great country we now live in.....

It would appear that the word RIFLE now has a price tag of $78.00 .

I wonder what the cost of the word BOXCUTTER is?

I do sleep better knowing we are searching 80 year old American men and women not once but twice.

[Texas_Jarhead]

The SOS (Sec of state) of Texas should issue a travel warning on Connecticut to all Texans thinkings of going there.

[B.O. Plenty]

One more reason added to the pile of reasons that I will not travel by air until this madness is fixed.

If I were tasked to destroy the airlines in the U.S., I would do exactly what is being done by our government. Zero tolerance my dyin' ass......it WILL result in the destruction of the airlines.

[B Knotts]

Our airports are now essentially a vestige of Nazi Germany.

[Just another Joe]

This chit just keeps going and going and going like the energizer bunny!
When will common sense once more become prevalent in our society?

[Rodney King]

There is not zero tolerance of threats, as the guy did not make a threat. There is zero tolerance of criticism of federal employees.

[1Old Pro]

Well, he was wrong to ask the screener if she was looking for a rifle in his wallet. But I'm not sure he needed to be handcuffed and dragged out. Federal employees tend not to be able to make decisions, they read the manual and that's that.

[oldvike]

This man is 80 years old. The agent was searching his wallet. He then said "What do you expect to find in there, a rifle?" and was arrested!!!! You find no problem with this? Amazing.

[fogarty]

This guy is obviously a Clintonista. Doesn't he know we have a war on terror going on now?? WWII service, de da*ned - this guy does not know what the President and the Office of Homeland Security know.

He should have kept his mouth shut and not tried to question the government officials. If he has nothing to hide, then why is he worried about some perfunctory searches?

(/big sarcasm tag)

[B Knotts]

There is zero tolerance of criticism of federal employees.

You have hit the nail on the head. These people are little more than common thugs, but they have federal law on their side. The whole airport regime needs to be completely rethought.

[Maceman]

State police Sgt. Paul Vance said the lesser charge was used for Hubbell because no threat was made, and "it wasn't a situation where a person became obnoxious or irate."

If he didn't become obnoxious or irate, then how did he create a public disturbance? The public disturbance was created by the idiotic overreaction of a federalized airport security force.

[Paulus Invictus]

These Fed cats do not make minimum wages! They are pulling in some very good cash per hour, well pover $15, I'm told. There is such a demand for the jobs for the good salaries and liberal bennies, that other Fed employees are trying to get the jobs. What do you bet the unions have all of them signed up as RATS?

[Dakmar]

Anxiety levels after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are high enough at airports, Cosgrove said, which is why cracks about guns, bombs or terrorism are cause for arrest. The airport's public address system issues regular reminders in both English and Spanish.

How about a few reminders in Arabic, stressing the importance of not hijacking planes and killing innocent human beings?

[mvpel]

I still can't find the section where it prohibits being a smartass. Take a tape recorder with you next time you're forced to fly.