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.
A couple things....
First of all, TSA's SOP and associated regulations and procedures are, for very good reason, not public information. Tell people how the security process works, and you tell them how to get around it.
Second, in response to another poster, yes, Norman Mineta is a nitwit, but Mineta no longer has any authority over TSA, which is now part of DHS.
Third, as others have said, anyone is a potential threat. Yes, there are valid reasons to scrutinize some people more closely, but if we do that - and make no mistake, it will be known if we start doing that - it will just tell our enemies that they need to have a non-threatening accomplice. Just give the nasty materials to an old white woman who happens to hate America just long enough to clear screening, and get the stuff back on the other side of the checkpoint. Nope, no threat at all.
Fourth, she probably got the extra screening for being rude. Sometimes people get what they ask for ("Do you know who I am...").
It's my understanding that El Al has the best security record in the airline industry, and their passengers are not randomly patted down. They also allow passengers to use actual metal utensils on the plane. Their secret? Profiling.
If you think Helen Chenoweth is a nit wit you're on the wrong forum!
No, their secret is highly trained personnel.
Yup. On El Al, an old woman from Idaho travelling on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem with her church group gets about 1/20th the attention as a young Arab man travelling alone.
Israel cannot afford political correctness.
In the US, the old lady has the same chance of being searched by the TSA as the aforementioned young Jihadi.
We still think we can afford to be PC in this country.
What?
What the sam hill does this have to do with questioning authority?
Yeowza....
I'd do the same thing, nit wit!
I could care less about how long the line is.
It means that there's a time and a place for everything. If she truly wanted to question authority she would not have questioned "line personnel" as she was getting on a plane. She would have waited until she was off the plane and called or written a letter. Questioning authority means questioning authority and not some poor guy just trying to do his job.
As for the people at the supermarket, they annoy the hell out of me for holding up the line.
Yep. Highly trained profilers. From the links in #18...
"Since the agent thought her story didn't add up, screeners re-examined her baggage", and, "She told authorities that the hand luggage was a gift from her fiancé (Jordanian) Nezar Hindawi." So, all the passengers on that flight got to use metal utensils, too.
I no longer have to fly anywhere. Thank gawd I don't have to go through that three ring circus. Speaking of authority, 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.....
There is a huge qualitative difference between "screening" someone on the one hand, and physically patting them down on the other. Perhaps this woman, who happened to be a former Congresscritter, didn't like the idea of being groped. Perhaps she, like MILLIONS of others, is ticked off at the idea that a little old lady was getting the third degree when every single day young Moslem males get a free pass in the name of "political correctness" [hawk, spit].
I am all for security, not particularly wanting to end my life by crashing into a building for the greater good of some religious fanatics who despise our country, but it must make sense (which our current screening procedures assuredly do NOT). Further, even though the government has a certain amount of authority, that authority is not unlimited. PITA she may have been, but we can't know that from the limited information here - however, PITA or not, she had a right to question where the government agents got their authority to touch her body.
The day that the gov't can do anything to us in the name of security (and we are nearly there), is the day that we've officially lost our liberties and the terrorists have won by destroying what the US used to be.
...the worst are the coupon people. WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE WHO ASK FOR DOUBLE COUPONS WHEN IT'S NOT DOUBLE COUPON DAY? AND THEN ARGUE ABOUT IT! KILL THEM ALL!
BUMP to that.
"Perhaps this woman, who happened to be a former Congresscritter, didn't like the idea of being groped."
Fine. She is free to take a hike.
Do like I do, and send your wife to the store. They seem to love that place.
Right, because some TSA goon wanted to feel up a 66 year old lady who was a former Congresswoman and had ample opportunity to blow up flights a-plenty flying practically free during her tenure--SHE's being obstructionist and pro-terrorist.
And the band continues to play "The World Turned Upside Down."
In support of groping? What are you, a pervert?
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