[Steel Wolf]

Two observations.

1. The soldier felt he was being mistreated, and granted, the rules are juvenile and bothersome, but he reacted unwisely and stupidly.

2. TSA and airport cops are complete thugs. They'll gladly hand you your ass if you give them the slightest excuse.

Being an Iraqi vet myself, I thought I was pretty good at dealing with guards. Still, I had a close encounter with airport security that almost got me hauled out of my car and arrested because I couldn't hear what he was saying and didn't understand his directions. I asked him to repeat himself because of the nearby traffic. He thought I was giving him lip, and moved in with the focused crazyeye that only a overstressed cop feeling threatened can give. I had to back down fast as he signalled for help and was clearly ready to get physical, and even then he hit my rental car with his fist as I drove off.

I was utterly dumbfounded. Guys manning checkpoints in Iraq handle people with more dignity and professionalism than anything you'd find in an American airport. It's a disgrace. That said, the soldier in the article above needs to understand that, and act accordingly.

[SevenMinusOne]

I was utterly dumbfounded. Guys manning checkpoints in Iraq handle people with more dignity and professionalism than anything you'd find in an American airport. It's a disgrace.

You got it - And that we as a society not only tolerate it (but have segment that rush to their defense at a drop of a hat is utterly crazy). Some on here think always rushing to the defense of "authority" make you "good" or "conservative"....Simply foolishness.

[jonascord]

What you can simply do is treat all LEOs like sociopaths with guns who are off their meds. All the good cops have quit. What's left are badge heavy thugs that are going to be very surprised, one day...

LEOs are getting worse and worse, and as they carve away at their own support they wonder every day about why no one loves them any more. The thugs who are too sorry for the police departments are snatched up by the TCA, because they know they can't ever never get fired, no matter what they do to "civilians.".

[E Rocc]

A big part of the problem is that when TSA was founded, its first director was Clinton's post-Waco ATF director. The mentality has apparently stuck around.

-Eric

[Xenalyte]

Guys manning checkpoints in Iraq handle people with more dignity and professionalism than anything you'd find in an American airport. It's a disgrace. That said, the soldier in the article above needs to understand that, and act accordingly.

I'm getting tired of understanding and acting accordingly. I'd rather get rid of the TSA thugs.

How do we do that?

[EdArt]

Sorry but you are wrong- we must resist a police state.