Thinking About … The TSA

Anonymous

I’m so torn on this one. I mean, I feel for the TSA. I do. If you think they LIKE pawing your package? They don’t. And of course, they’re the first ones people blame if someone DOES sneak something they shouldn’t onto a plane. So, they really can’t win. nnOn the other hand, the old Benny Franklin saw of “Those who would give up liberty for the sake of safety deserve neither” couldn’t be more applicable. Just because I want to fly, I can choose to either have my junk displayed on a screen, or get it ham-fisted’ly groped by a chubby loner in an ill-fitting uniform? That’s no choice. That’s like asking whether I’d rather eat my shit broiled or deep-fried. nnI’m glad I don’t fly much. I hardly want to take the chance of getting hijacked or killed. But when the only option is the 100% guarantee of gate rape? Ugh.

Cashablanca

is it proper to tip TSA guy after generous patting, what’s the right tip: $1 or $5??

Zachary

9/11 terrorists high jacked a plane full of people with little to no real weapons. Every terrorist since has failed miserably because average people have come to realize that aside from being scary these goofs pose no real threat. Cases in point the “shoe bomber” and the “underware bomber”. Both of these misguided jackasses were stopped either by vigilant passengers or their own inabilities. Who should be afraid of whom?nShould we be afraid of ineffectual zealots, or should they fear the citizenry of the greatest republic in history? My money is on the later!nDispose of the TSA and lets get back to flying the friendly skies.

Susanamy

If people had any idea how little security was involved with the cargo that was loaded along with their luggage the outrage would be unreal. The majority of cargo is not screened and even ” safe” cargo may not be.rnThe cargo handlers even at the airport are often questionable and may come from a temp service where they are told to pick an i.d. from a box that looks like them. Security is ill served by the TSA.

Alcadema

If I’m going to have my baggage handled, so to speak, I at least want a happy ending out of it. And they’d damn well better call me the next day.

Tyderian

As one of the millions of people in the world with an ICD (Internal Cardiac Defibrillator) I have been subject to the TSA for years. I have always felt that their practices and patdowns are clear violations of my personal rights. nnNot only is their turnover extremely high, due to the low wages they pay, but the individuals they hire are in some cases more suspicious than anyone wearing a turban. I have personally witnessed citizens of this country having their rights trampled on by a pakistani TSA employee who doesn’t care about personal space, hygiene, or discretion. nnPlease America! Let’s get rid of this awful agency and go back to the way things were.

http://twitter.com/StayOnMyWatch Michael

Well I was Looking at the Facebook Page TSA Play of the Day. One has to wonder where a workers integrity is when they do these jobs. Has applications increased for TSA jobs since the new standard of Job Description???? Who is screening the current employees and new applicants??? Lot’s to talk about here!

FDR

I’m still amazed that profiling is considered as a bad thing. When you go to the grocery for milk don’t you look for the refrigerated section? I assume that the TSA would more than likely try the bakery first! Heaven forbid that we should insult or hurt the feelings of a possible terrorist yet piss off a whole nation with the gate gropes that we endure now. I’ve seen some pretty unbelievable security searches in my international travels. The one that really stands out the most, (as I was profiling my fellow passengers in London), was the how the security people there waved through a really scary looking Middle Eastern man and opted to pat down and search a frail little 80+ year old lady with a cane. So folks it’s not just our TSA folks who have their collective heads up their asses, the Brits apparently shy away from profiling as well.

Jeffthepeaceguy

Come On! Why can’t there be a “fly list” based on the number of years a person has flown without an incident. You’d show your card and pass through screening with no X-rays or pat downs.nAnd sorry terrorist types, but we gotta start profiling and singling you out. You are the identifiable ones who cause all the problems. Our little old ladies and small children have not proven to be carrying weapons of mass destruction, ever. You have.nI am so sick of the BS associated with air travel. This has just created a new business model, keeping passengers in a constant state of nervousness and not really addressing the real problem.nDid I say I’m all for profiling!!!????

Dpcox2003

I work for a major airline and I see I am going to have to give up that little benefit of free flying. I am not going to put myself or my family in a position of being treated that way.rnrnprofile profile profile

Johnfuto

Its crazy ( Thanks to the Bush Jr that was trying to dads job Bush Sr ), That everyone is afraid. I mean x raying our luggage and taking our shoes off isnt enough. TSA is getting a little sick with their regulations. Now they are doing pat downs with Body x ray scanners ( who knows what they are doing with the pictures: posting them on the net, uploading them on their phone,etc.. ) We are US citizens and shouldnt be treated like Terrorists or animals. We love our country.nI mean everytime i fly, I feel like cattle and they are herding Us at when they want Us to go =/

Dible

I wonder how many terrorists will be on a plane from Cedar Rapids, Iowa to Kansas City?

Afeaton

I think the issue with profiling is the fact that terrorists, at least the ones to ACTUALLY be afraid of, will find “martyrs” that are fair skinned, and many of the really scary ones are from various parts of Africa… will we start separating based on race again? how’d that work the first time around? we can’t start strip-searching people based on their headgear, turban or otherwise, but i do agree that the TSA has gone too far, why not take the money we’re spending on staffing dozens (hundreds?!?) of minimum wage workers at all our airports and, i dunno, maybe put an air marshal on every flight, or train pilots to be gun-carrying marshal-types… a buddy of mine became a pilot, joined the air force and is now a marine flying private jets, my bet is his plane would NEVER be successfully hijacked

Pepperez

WOW …. could you be more racist?

Anonymous

How funny would it be to pop a little blue pill before getting screened? The hardest part of it would be choosing between the scan or the grope.