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17-year-old missed flight to Jacksonville after agents inspected gun replica(design on purse)
newsjax4 ^ | Dec 01 2011 04:09:03 PM EST

Posted on 12/02/2011 11:14:58 AM PST by rawhide

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A teenage girl's sense of style got her in trouble at the airport.

Vanessa Gibbs, 17, claims the Transportation Security Administration stopped her at the security gate because of the design of a gun on her handbag.

Gibbs said she had no problem going through security at Jacksonville International Airport, but rather, when she headed home from Virginia.

"It's my style, it's camouflage, it has an old western gun on it," Gibbs said.

But her preference for the pistol style didn't sit well with TSA agents at the Norfolk airport.

Gibbs said she was headed back home to Jacksonville from a holiday trip when an agent flagged her purse as a security risk.

"She was like, 'This is a federal offense because it's in the shape of a gun,'" Gibbs said. "I'm like, 'But it's a design on a purse. How is it a federal offense?'"

After agents figured out the gun was a fake, Gibbs said, TSA told her to check the bag or turn it over.

By the time security wrapped up the inspection, the pregnant teen missed her flight, and Southwest Airlines sent her to Orlando instead, worrying her mother, who was already waiting for her to arrive at JIA.

"Oh, it's terrifying. I was so upset," said Tami Gibbs, the teen's mom. "I was on the phone all the way to Orlando trying to figure out what was going on with her. It was terrifying. I don't ever want to go through it again."

Vanessa and her mom said it's hard to believe anyone could mistake the design on the purse for a real gun because it's just a few inches in size and it's hollow, not to mention Vanessa has taken it on planes before.

"I carried this from Jacksonville to Norfolk, and I've carried it from Norfolk to Jacksonville," Vanessa said. "Never once has anyone said anything about it until now."

TSA isn't budging on the handbag, arguing the phony gun could be considered a "replica weapon." The TSA says "replica weapons have prohibited since 2002."

It's a rule that Vanessa feels can't be applied to a purse.

"Common sense," she said. "It's a purse, not a weapon."

A TSA official at JIA said it's not that uncommon for passengers to wear something that could be considered a gun replica, but the official encourages everyone to check the prohibited items list, which can be found online or at the airport before going through security.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: banglist; design; govtabuse; govtassholes; gun; purse; rapeofliberty; tsa; tyranny; waronliberty
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To: rawhide

I remember the good old days. My brother and I, unaccompanied minors, took our .22 rifles on the plane as carry-on. The stewardess asked if they were unloaded. Yep, the cartridges were in the case zipper pocket, LOL.


41 posted on 12/02/2011 12:28:17 PM PST by USMCPOP (Father of LCpl. Karl Linn, KIA 1/26/2005 Al Haqlaniyah, Iraq)
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To: PALIN SMITH
But she's the pregnant one!

She says she's pregnant. But she might have swallowed a bomb.
42 posted on 12/02/2011 12:28:29 PM PST by UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide (REPEAL WASHINGTON! -- Islam Delenda Est! -- I Want Constantinople Back. -- Rumble thee forth.)
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To: MrShoop

They do look fake, except for cylinder.


43 posted on 12/02/2011 12:29:08 PM PST by wideawake
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To: rawhide
Why are these F'N MORONS never reasigned for their having "acted stoooooopidly?"

What does the Transportation [IN]Security Adminstration look for when hiring? People who have 0 common sense and can't even spell "Logic?"

Well, it applied with regards of Dear Leader's choice to head the DHS: Janet "CLUELESS" In-Competano has to be one of the DUMBEST, IDIOTS in the entire country.

Scary ain't it???

44 posted on 12/02/2011 12:32:17 PM PST by Conservative Vermont Vet (l)
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To: rawhide

I’m sure TSA would try to pull the trigger. :p


45 posted on 12/02/2011 12:32:42 PM PST by Politicalmom
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To: Don Corleone

“TSA agents are almost stupid enough to be congressmen! Almost!”

Glad you added the almost...’cuz a congress critter is the baseline from which all intelligence is measured.


46 posted on 12/02/2011 12:33:43 PM PST by Da Coyote (Liberalism - when you absolutely, positively have no ability to produce wealth.)
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To: Don Corleone

After an ageless moon rock comes our elected officials, mac daddy ( five steps below elected officials) ad then 10 steps below mac daddy comes TSA agents.


47 posted on 12/02/2011 12:34:20 PM PST by chiefqc
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To: Jack Hydrazine

Since Posse Comitatus was just killed, they could send in the Marines on her too.


48 posted on 12/02/2011 12:39:10 PM PST by Borax Queen
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To: Gen.Blather

gold only became a metal post 9/11? who knew?


49 posted on 12/02/2011 12:41:18 PM PST by RitchieAprile (Beck is off his meds again...)
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To: rawhide

When Zero Tolerance and Zero Intelligence got together and had had a child, they named it TSA.


50 posted on 12/02/2011 12:45:26 PM PST by Dead Corpse (Steampunk- Yesterday's Tomorrow, Today)
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To: rawhide

Theatre de
Securite de
Amateur


51 posted on 12/02/2011 12:52:04 PM PST by Darteaus94025
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To: rawhide
Fraying edges:
  1. Nonsensical but used as excuse:
    A TSA official at JIA said it's not that uncommon for passengers to wear something that could be considered a gun replica, but the official encourages everyone to check the prohibited items list, which can be found online or at the airport before going through security
  2. Another all too common example among this generation of the crime of Bastardy, immature parenting and family breakdown:
    the pregnant teen missed her flight, and Southwest Airlines sent her to Orlando instead, worrying her mother,
  3. The Morally Corrupting Institutional Idiocy of a Federal Agency with no Accountability:
    TSA isn't budging on the handbag, arguing the phony gun could be considered a "replica weapon." The TSA says "replica weapons have prohibited since 2002."
  4. Failure to communicate. No it's not camouflage. It's a cute design, but not camouflage:
    "It's my style, it's camouflage, it has an old western gun on it," Gibbs said
  5. Failure to communicate like adults. Adults don't use "like" as an constant introductory clause. She's pregnant though:
    "She was like, 'This is a federal offense because it's in the shape of a gun,'" Gibbs said. "I'm like, 'But it's a design on a purse. How is it a federal offense?'"

52 posted on 12/02/2011 12:53:03 PM PST by bvw
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To: rawhide

I missed the whole gun thing as I’m still impressed by the 17 and pregnant part. Amazing.


53 posted on 12/02/2011 1:00:38 PM PST by MeganC (No way in Hell am I voting for Mitt Romney. Not now, not ever. Deal with it.)
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To: rawhide

Real Men of Genius - Here’s to you Mr. TSA government employee, unable to distinguish a purse from a firearm.


54 posted on 12/02/2011 1:04:37 PM PST by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
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To: rawhide

It’s like, OMG! How not into situational awareness! Like, in these days of terror fears, like, how come she didn’t understand that, like, gun purses are so lame! Gag me with a spoon!


55 posted on 12/02/2011 1:07:59 PM PST by pabianice (")
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To: rawhide

The TSA agent was obviously just being a douche in order to be a douche.

This speaks VOLUMES to the utter incompetence and lack of training consistency of the TSA. The agent should be terminated immediatly.


56 posted on 12/02/2011 1:49:04 PM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: WayneS

next the TSA will target anyone carrying a cowboy wallet.


57 posted on 12/02/2011 1:59:04 PM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: rawhide

Wouldn’t robots do a better job than these morons? Or maybe orangutans. Something with the least little sign of intelligence.


58 posted on 12/02/2011 2:08:45 PM PST by TigersEye (Life is about choices. Your choices. Make good ones.)
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To: rawhide

A few weeks ago, I realized I had a razor knife in my pocket. I threw away the blade and looked at the rules that said a tool up to 7” was allowed. These morons confiscated a handle. When I complained in writing, they sent me their knife rules.

I returned the definition of a knife from the dictionary, since it had no blade, it was just a handle. The claim is in process.


59 posted on 12/02/2011 2:19:09 PM PST by cyclotic (People who live within their means are increasingly being forced to pay for people who didn't.)
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To: rawhide

There is a reason that back when TSA was first formed they were known as “Ridge’s Retards.”

It looks as if they are still living up to the name.

That is why we’re DRIVING to S.C. instead of flying.


60 posted on 12/02/2011 2:29:02 PM PST by Peet (Cogito ergo dubito.)
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