TSA Enhanced Pat Downs : The Screeners Point Of View
In the past few weeks since the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) implemented its new “enhanced” pat down procedures there has been considerable backlash from the traveling public. This backlash has been loud and angry … but what is not heard or seen in the media is the quiet resentment of this new policy within the TSA.
A few days ago I contacted 20 TSA Transportation Security Officers (TSO) to ask their opinions of the new “enhanced” pat downs. Of the 20 I reached out to, 17 responded. All 17 who responded are at airports where the new “enhanced” pat down is in place … and the responses were all the same, that front line TSOs do not like the new pat downs and that they do not want to perform them. I expected most to not like the pat downs … but what I didn’t expect was that all 17 mentioned their morale being broken down.
Each of the 17 TSA TSOs that responded to me detailed their personal discomfort in conducting the new pat downs, with more than one stating that it is likely they are more uncomfortable performing the pat down than passengers are receiving them.
Some comments from these TSOs include:
“It is not comfortable to come to work knowing full well that my hands will be feeling another man’s private parts, their butt, their inner thigh. Even worse is having to try and feel inside the flab rolls of obese passengers and we seem to get a lot of obese passengers!”
“Do you think I want to go to work and place my hands between women’s legs and touch their breasts for a few hours? For starters, I am attracted to men, not women and if I was attracted to women, it would not be the large number of passengers I handle daily that have a problem understanding what personal hygiene is.”
“Yesterday a passenger told me to keep my hands off his penis or he’d scream. Is this how a 40 year old man in business attire acts? He’ll scream? My 3 year old can get away with saying he’ll scream, but a 40 something business man? I am a professional doing my job, whether I agree with this current policy or not, I am doing my job. I do not want to be here all day touching penises.”
“Being a TSO means often being verbally abused, you let the comments roll off and check the next person, however when a woman refuses the scanner then comes to me and tells me that she feels like I am molesting her, that is beyond verbal abuse. I asked the woman if she thought I like touching other women all day and she told me that I probably did or I wouldn’t be with the TSA. I just want to tell these people that I feel disgusted feeling other peoples private parts, but I cannot because I am a professional.”
“I was asked by some guy if I got excited touching scrotums at the airport and if it gave me a power thrill. I felt like vomiting when he asked that. This is not a turn on for me to touch me it is in fact a huge turn off. There is a big difference between how I pat passengers down and a molester molesting people.”
Aside from the issue of TSA TSOs being required to physically touch passengers in places they do not want to be touching them during the ‘enhanced’ pat down, morale is decreasing for front line TSOs, due in part to an increase in verbal abuse. Each of the 17 TSOs who responded to me detailed a new level of verbal abuse they are experiencing at work.
The TSA has experienced a high level of turn over since its inception, however its turnover rate has decreased recently. With this decrease in morale, caused directly by a change in TSA policy, it is likely to begin experiencing a higher than average turn over again … which will further decrease the effectiveness of airport security.
Some comments from these 17 TSOs include:
“Molester, pervert, disgusting, an embarrassment, creep. These are all words I have heard today at work describing me, said in my presence as I patted passengers down. These comments are painful and demoralizing, one day is bad enough, but I have to come back tomorrow, the next day and the day after that to keep hearing these comments. If something doesn’t change in the next two weeks I don’t know how much longer I can withstand this taunting. I go home and I cry. I am serving my country, I should not have to go home and cry after a day of honorably serving my country.”
“I come to work to do my job. It is not up to me to decide policy, it is up to me to carry out my duties as dictated by the Transportation Security Administration. When a person stands in front of me and calls me a pervert or accuses me of molesting them it is disheartening. People fail to understand that neither of us are happy about the intrusive pat down I am carrying out. I am polite, I am professional and while someone may not like what I have to carry out, they came to me because they choose not to utilize the alternative and less invasive method of security at my airport.”
“I served a tour in Afghanistan followed by a tour in Iraq. I have been hardened by war and in the past week I am slowly being broken by the constant diatribe of hateful comments being lobbed at me. While many just see a uniform with gloves feeling them for concealed items I am a person, I am a person who has feelings. I am a person who has served this country. I am a person who wants to continue serving his country. The constant run of hateful comments while I perform my job will break me down faster and harder than anything I encountered while in combat in the Army.”
“Do people know what a Nazi is? One can’t describe me as a Nazi because I am following a security procedure of designed to find prohibited items on a passenger’s body. A Nazi is someone with hatred and ignorance in their hearts, a person who carried out actions of execution and extermination of those based on their religion, origins or sexual preferences. I work to make travel safer, even if I do not agree with the current security procedures. Further more, I am Jewish and a TSA Transportation Security Officer, an American Patriot and to call me a Nazi is an offense beyond all other offenses.”
There are multiple sides to every story, and I think the point of view of those on the front lines of the TSA, those required to carry on the policy and procedures created by the TSA, are an import part of this story. I think those organizing efforts to change the TSA’s policy should also consider the impact to the TSA TSOs.
Rather than dehumanize the TSA TSOs, work with them, understand their views and opinions and work together to change the current TSA policies.
Happy Flying!
The way I feel about it is this: if you don’t like all of the additional security precautions, take one of the many other methods of transportation like a train, bus, or drive yourself. I’d be willing to bet that if it was the day after 9/11, none of you would be screaming about the enhanced pat downs, especially if you needed to fly somewhere.
The fact is this: there are real threats in this world and those that are looking to hurt you will only get smarter and better at hiding the methods they use to do just that. Don’t like the patdowns? Go through the friggen scanner. It’s not like they can distinguish your face. Even if there was an unlikely event that your picture was captured and dissemminated, nobody would know who you were from the scan. If you’re concerned about the health implications from having to frequently fly and use these scanners you should suck it up and use the scanner half the time while doing patdowns on the other half of your trips.
Jesus Christ, people. These are everyday schmoes just doing their job.
What makes you think that you’re so goddamned sexy that they’d WANT to fucking touch you?!
Think of it this way: For the guys: Do you accuse your doctor of “sexual harassment” when you get a prostate exam? For the women: Do you get offended when your OBGYN does a pelvic?!
Not the best analogy, obviously. But in the example I stated, neither lust nor maliciousness is the “offender’s” primary objective: they’re just doing their job.
Another poster mentioned that it’s the people higher up in the chain that are the ones to be angry at. Yell at THEM. And leave the little guy, desperate to do a job and get paid alone.
Right now, you’re putting ALL the focus on the little guy who has NO power over the rules and letting the fucking morons (yannow: the guys MAKING the fucking rules?!?!), sit in their cushy little offices, and continue to enjoy their leather seats.
And FTR, I’m not a TSO. I’m just someone who just can’t stand bullies. Especially when said bullying is wrapped up in political bullshit and tied with a narcissistic, hysterical bow.
Please feel free to return to your regularly scheduled bullshit, hysteria, and just generally pointing in the wrong fucking direction.
Come on. A Nazi is a member of a now defunct political party during the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany eras in Germany. Nazis did evil things, including mass murder on an unprecedented scale. However, not every person who does evil things is a Nazi. In the same way, kittens are animals, but not every animal is a kitten. If a crocodile were to bat a piece of string, we would not call it a kitten. If the point you are trying to make is in saying someone is as evil as a Nazi, then say it. Don’t call someone a Nazi. It doesn’t make sense.
If my boss told me to go sexually molest total strangers, I’d quit and then call the police. The ONLY people who wouldn’t do it are peverts who get off on it.
Feel sorry for you deviants? Like Hell. God help any of you pedophiles that get near my pre-teen daughter.
If all feel it is wrong to do the job, there is a problem with the job! They should boycott too.
“Let the private businesses take care of themselves.”
“Those airports using private security have a much better reputation for customer service through the security even though they have to do the same things.”
Under the Fourth Amendment, citizens have the right to be free from unreasonable government searches and seizures. Thank your founding fathers for that.
However, be prepared to forfeit any means of complaint when the airlines employ private companies to do the screening for them. The good old 4th amendment doesn’t protect you from them any more than it protects you from me.
When the rhetoric over who screens whom raises it’s ugly head, demand the TSA over private companies until you’re blue in the face.
Doubt the TSA is better? Remember Reagan’s desire to “randomly” sniff your urine for controlled substances? He knew the government couldn’t pass the 4th amendment litmus test so he got your employer to do it for him.
@ Richard: Hey! Quit fucking eating. Quit paying your bills. Quit feeding your family.
What?! That doesn’t work for you? 😉
What kind of a fucking moron would tell another person to quit their fucking job and let their family starve?! No really. I’d love to know. How fucking STUPID or heartless are you?!
Yannow, it’s fucking easy to have lofty principles when it’s not YOUR family that will suffer for them. Good job. *rolls eyes*
when one asks “what has America become?”, yeah, you can point to the security theater and label the country as paranoid, cowering, and sniveling.
you can also take a look through these comments and characterize the country as lacking in compassion and pigheaded.
I’m sure many of the people who have said (and echoed) that TSA workers who object to the policies should quit and get a new job are smart, forward-thinking people. but please, realize that you are assuming mobility (to which access is predicated on many factors, including class and race privilege) and the existence of options. unless your only source of news is flight-related, it’s painfully obvious that employment options are sorely lacking, in big part due to the explicit greed of those who work in the financial industry. sure, it’d be great if all TSA agents practiced courage and heroism on the scale of historically significant civil dissidents, but not all (or even many) can or will. when is the last time you took a stand for something at the cost of your employment and income?
why have we not taken to wall street en masse (to the scale we see regarding TSA) and harangued brokers and bank officials for decimating our 401k accounts? if your sense of righteous indignation stems from the violation of your rights as guaranteed under those beautiful American documents, I have to imagine that it stems equally from a sense of the perversion of morality and ethics. wall street, it can be argued, played with and gambled away many people’s rights to (financial) liberty and the pursuit of happiness. and yet the anger directed at TSA agents, who work there out of pragmatism and necessity, is unparalleled.
furthermore, for those among us who have not agreed with one or both of our last two wars – both of which can also be deemed as theater, though on a much grander scale – we understand that yelling at the soldiers who have gone and served do not deserve to be yelled at. yet are they not similarly performing duties that both we and they may not agree with? the stakes, namely their lives, are higher, yes, but in principle, they are carrying out orders that neither the public nor the agents themselves may agree with. they similarly opted into the profession and, depending on who you ask, perform on-the-ground policy measures that were created and justified by men in suits to create the facade of progress and safety.
we are a people who love to yell at whoever is nearest. humiliating as a response to humiliation is not sustainable or wise. as individual players in a gigantic story, we each shade the truth of reality to side with our interests. there isn’t anything inherently wrong with that, but when you think that everyone else but you does it, then you’re buying into a delusion that permits you to feel an equalizing pleasure from yelling at a TSA agent.
I’m not apologizing for TSA agents. I’m not apologizing for the policy, which I think is, as everyone has already coined, theater. however, I do feel sorry that much of our anger, while to an appropriate magnitude, has been misguided and misdirected. i feel sorry that people who are otherwise levelheaded have gone to great lengths to hold accountable people in this particular profession, but not in others.
As a frequent traveler I can easily point out a dozen TSA agents who get off on their job for every one who cries “but I’m only doing what I’m told.” I doubt I can find as many passengers or airline workers who enjoy being screened though.
If these TSA agents really don’t like what they are doing they should be complaining to their bosses, joining the public, going on strike, or finding a new job.
I suspect one reason so many people are rude to the TSA agents is that either they or someone they know has run into one of the TSA workers that IS on a power trip.
The vast majority of TSA workers I’ve dealt with have been fine. Some have been incompetent–even to the point of causing me massive embarrassment–but they have not tried to be cruel.
I had two who did not mean well, and were clearly “getting off” on abusing me. In October 2001, I was flying out of LA the and dug through my carryon under the pretext of me having an asthma inhaler which “could” have been pepper spray (this is before we had to remove liquids from our bags) and had show up on xray. My carryon was just a fanny pack for my medical gear; I was only in LA for 10 hours and was flying back home.
He pulled out one of the two adult diapers I carry for my incontinence problems secondary to a serious (and permanent) disease that causes me problems with intestinal bleeding and leakage.
This man decided the fact that I was incontinent was a perfectly good reason to make fun of me and held them up to show the other agents, saying “take a look at this!”. All this time, I was forced under threat of arrest to stand in a little square made of tape on the floor and endure their snide comments before he finally let me go after pulling everything out and making some more nasty comments about me. I was so stressed; a mixture of horror and anger, that I don’t even remember what he said. But he was being a bully, and clearly getting off on the power trip.
The other time was flying out of DC in 2004. Similar deal, a great big guy would not let me through the scanner until I took off my shoes and belt. At that time, we did not need to remove shoes, and my belt was nylon with a plastic buckle.
I pointed out to him that I had been told removing shoes was optional (which it was at the time), and he confirmed that it was. But he stood there with a palm the size of my head right in front of my nose, refusing to let me pass through the scanner until I complied with every demand. He said that they could not force me to remove my shoes and belt, but I wanted to get past him, I had better do whatever he told me to do; that he could keep me there for a week if he wanted to.
I had to walk through the scanner holding my pants up with one hand (I had lost 70lbs over the previous few months). I counted myself lucky he did not punish me worse.
So, this is one reason that people are so rude to TSA scanners. It’s from previous bad experiences with their coworkers.
Navywife would have made a superb German in the 1930s. “Do what you’re told”, “if you don’t like it, don’t fly, you’ve given up all rights buying a ticket.”
Does this daft bint think you can take a bus or a train or drive to Europe?
After reading these posts, I can only conclude about half of Americans would tolerate anything “to feel protected.” A sad day for a once great nation. It’s pretty simple: if you agree with these measures, you’re a coward and an infantile moron. If you disagree, you’re a human being standing up for your dignity. There’s the line, folks: pick your side.
The few TSO’s I’ve dealt with were mostly pleasant but disinterested in my situation, problems or discomforts. I don’t travel much, so am not always sure what is expected of me. Clearer signage would help. I recently went through Atlanta Airport and if it weren’t for other passengers helping me with requirements, I wouldn’t have known what to do.
The female TSO who was monitoring the queue, was rude and the exception to the rule of pleasantness. She acted like I was challenging her when I asked a simple question.
For those TSO’s out there being de-moralized, try and work WITH the traveling public instead of treating us all like we have ulterior motives. Most of the TSO’s will never actually come near a terrorist or someone guilty of anything more that severe frustration over their treatment of us, the traveling public. Stop acting like you are on the frontline of some military engagement. That is simply over-reacting to the situation on your end.
As for me, I’d just as soon you passed a new law preventing any clothes on airlines. I am a nudist and have no issue with traveling as God made me. I am however very concerned about being touched, groped and molested by an untrained, disinterested, distrusting, minimum wage, uniform wearing, egomaniac.
Boo hoo, poor Stasi thugs. If they’re uncomfortable being thugs qne being told they’re being thugs, they should get honest jobs. There’s more dignity in cleaning toilets — a genuine, honest service to one’s fellow human beings — than there is to being a TSA goon.
Union thugs, Government Union thugs. If this physical contact is necessary then fire everyone in the FBI, for the terrorists are already here. Most TSA are not college graduates, not trained in the humanities, not even sure how many are high school graduates. That being said, it is certainly informative that the protesting is coming from main stream white Americans, not minorities, nor people of middle eastern heritage. I think white Americans are being profiled for this treatment, otherwise CAIR would be suing, protesting and lodging complaints. Hey, heads up “…here comes a cutie” Hold the Airports accountable by filing actions against them, for the TSA is only a contractor, their contractor and they can change. Government employees, especially union ones, know that they are special animals on the Animal Farm, far more equal then others, the untouchables, They obviously enjoy their jobs, er next these units will be deployed to government entities and then professional public arenas. What’s next, that nice shower for delousing and a new set of clothes. Can’t blame O’bummer, as this happened under Bush. Although none of this would be occurring if our brilliant government employees would have listened to the underwear bomber’s father and put him on the no fly list… oh well, not to pass up an opportunity to further enslave the people and profile law abiding white folk. Unfortunately more people will drive, and some will die on the highway… Hold the airports accountable and they will engage private contractors who can exercise good common sense and be held accountable, not these government union untouchables,,,
For all of you that are saying that the TSOs should just find another job, try quitting your job and see how easy it is to find another. The article clearly states that there was, and will be, a high turnover which ultimately will lead to other problems.
i love the people who think that i always have the option of not flying…
right, guess i’ll be driving a car over the pacific?
maybe i should walk? take a bus?
frankly and pointedly, the option of not flying does not exist for a large number of people…
so let me see what are my options… let someone take a picture of me naked or let someone handle my penis or get arrested and fined $10,000 for not allowing that…
yeah that smells of freedom to me, what about you?
Fish,
Thank you for your well reasoned response. You run a fine blog. Keep up the good work.
They work for and are representatives of the TSA, an agency that tramples the dignity and rights of American citizens every day and because they choose to represent the TSA they too trample the dignity and rights of American citizens every day. I’m sure the next right the TSA will choose to ignore will be our freedom of speech but until then I guess they’ll just have to deal with it, after all isn’t their own dignity and self-worth a small price to pay to insure the safety of the flying public who employs them.
Sorry about the misspellings earlier — my glasses are broken. I’ll try again:
Boo hoo, poor Stasi thugs. If they’re uncomfortable being thugs and being told they’re being thugs, they should get honest jobs. There’s more dignity in cleaning toilets — a genuine, honest service to one’s fellow human beings — than there is to being a TSA goon.
They used to be the Theft from your Suitcase Association. Now they’re the Testicles/Teats Squeezing Association. Either way, sexually perverted, unAmerican, and unConstitutional.
@ Sonya: thank you for your comment! I work as a TSO and it sucks how passengers treat us the way they do. I know our job is not the best job especially right now but we still try to hang in there. We just want to do our job and at the end of the day come home to our families. We are people too who have lives just like you do. As for my part I always try to be nice to the people that I encounter with. I’ve had several passengers tell me that I do a great job with my work and it feels very nice and refreshing to hear that someone appreciates what we do. So please just bear with us. We know that it may be a little too overwhelming for some but if that’s what it takes to get you safely to your destination we would have to do it.
“Honorably serving my country”? No, dear. What you are doing is not “honorable” service. If these people are so demoralized by what they’re required to do, they should go on strike. If both the passengers AND the officers refused to take part in these disgusting new practices, the TSA honchos (who conveniently DON’T have to take part in them) would be forced to find other ways to deal with the situation. Like moving the majority of the funding for these silly theatrics to the law enforcement agencies who actually DO catch the criminals. Like educating passengers on what the risks really are, as opposed what to the neo-con panic inducing fear-talk claims they are. All of life is full of risks and each one of us is 100 times more likely to die in a car accident tomorrow than to ever even come close to a terrorist attack. It’s time we grew up and faced that fact – life is no, never has been, and never will be safe. That’s just reality. Deal with it.
Some choice quotes from these agents:
– “I should not have to go home and cry after a day of honorably serving my country”
Right, you shouldn’t, and I have empathy for the situation, but realize your employer precludes all honor by ordering you to violate rights. It’s a hollow job and you’re feeling it. Do us ALL a favor and DO something about it. Passengers’ flak isn’t for you but for your controllers, so pass it to them and add your own voices too. As the working face of the TSA you’re the most direct channel for people to vent (they’re soaking in you after all, you’re the one doing the bad deed), so please find it in your heart to forgive the public’s tactlessness and redirect the message to whom it’s intended. The public is young and has a smart mouth, but the System has been around forever. It can afford well-deserved criticism. SERVE your country, so to speak.
– “It is not up to me to decide policy, it is up to me to carry out my duties as dictated by the Transportation Security Administration”
Actually it kind of is up to you when a power grab infringes on our (read: your) liberties. This isn’t a mom-n-pop gig whose owner’s you disagree with that you can resign from, open a shop next door to and put out of business all on the crystal blue waters of a free market. This is our pervasive governing infrastructure and it’s everyone’s business. The gloves need to be off or nothing will happen. The mindset that everyone should always do what they’re told without question no matter how outrageous is irresponsible and unpatriotic in the true sense. It’s worse than not voting.
– “One can’t describe me as a Nazi because I am following a security procedure of designed to find prohibited items on a passenger’s body. A Nazi is someone with hatred and ignorance in their hearts, a person who carried out actions of execution and extermination of those based on their religion, origins or sexual preferences”
Actually one can. Were Nazis not also following orders? Did their administration not also start simple and systematically? To paraphrase, “hey man, look at their lives, they’re a lot like you are”. Tell me, do you really think “Helmut the (former) plumber”, newly serving his country in the 40s, really worked for the Reich because he had some fundamental evil hatred in his heart for a particular demographic and was looking for an outlet? “At last, an unchecked regime to join! How fortunate am I to live in this period!” Was he detaining people for a living because he got off on it? Surely some Germans did, but at least equally, some didn’t. Many of them would have felt just like you, given new, incrementally liberty-encroaching policies to enforce. Perhaps so few of them made a stink due to fear of their jobs, or their lives. If you can’t beat em… cave in? Give up? Stoke the machine, give it hands?
– – –
So we don’t like this crap, you don’t like this crap… sounds like we’re all in agreement. Strike already! We’ll boycott and you’ll strike, sticking it to the man at both ends. Sound like a plan? Act!
People have repeatably tried to take weapons and explosives on planes to kill Americans (read: 9/11). They’re searching for explosives, weapons, and other hazardous items. Not a single TSA gives a crap about getting to touch a penis or a pair of breasts. They’re doing their job for the safety of every passenger on a flight and American on the ground.
Violating our 4th amendment right is an understandable argument. Another is violating the equal protection guaranteed in the 14th amendment of every passenger waiting on a plane while some righteous idiot refuses to get ‘felt up’ while still trying to get on the plane.
The truth is that not everyone has nothing to hide while entering an airport and boarding a plane. Only one person has to slide past these security measures for another catastrophe, when we’ll all be crying foul on the TSA for not doing enough soon enough. They’re trying to fix that problem NOW. They don’t need every Dick and Jane crying foul because they hurt a feeling.
With that said, some things need to change (ie. changes for people with special medical and emotional conditions), but none of that’s going to get any easier with every (paying and willing) passenger strolling through security with a chip on their shoulder.
Remember, no one is making anyone fly. Trains and cars work wonders too. But we want to travel faster. So we still fly and will still bitch and moan. So really, do we care about this THAT much to really make a difference? I don’t think so.
“As part of rudimentary psychological education, most of us learn of the Stanley Milgram experiments that took place at Yale University in the 1960’s. I remember this part of my education well: participants were asked to shock other “subjects” (who were, in fact, actors pretending to be subjects) who were to be given shocks for giving the wrong answer to questions on tasks related to word matching. As is widely known by those of us in the field, sixty-five percent of participants believed they delivered up to 450 volts of electricity to those who got answers wrong. Participants did not stop when the actors in the study appeared to be in great distress (due to repeated electric shocks), and this is thought to be because an authority person (who was also an actor in the study) was in the room telling them to continue shocking participants, despite the consequences.”
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/21st-century-aging/201003/in-shock
How are the tsas any better?
I’d be really tempted to put a sign up by the security checkpoint that says “You have a choice – either we take your picture, or we pat you down. Don’t like either of these? Then hitchhike your ass to wherever you’re going.”
I feel for the people who don’t like being patted down, but they did have a choice. I feel more for the TSOs who get abuse – it’s their job, and in this economy who among us would reasonably suggest that they quit over this policy.
I rack up about 100,000 miles a year and security checks are part of the scenery – you want to fly, you have to play by the rules. Don’t like ’em then don’t fly, but if you’re holding up the line I’m going to be tempted to kick you in the head. Stop being a drama queen, and either step up or step off. The rest of us just want to get through, get on, and get to sleep.
For the record I am a card-carrying member of the ACLU, have been to the barricades to demonstrate against everything from apartheid to poll tax, and my “liberal” credentials are impeccable. This is not a civil rights issue. This is an “assholes vs restofworld” issue, and if we give in to the assholes then we’ll all suffer.
Seriously, They want the job so bad, so deal with the side dishes and verbal assaults.
Im pissed about seeing my fellow combat vets with DOD-ID cards being treated like criminals just because they fly without a uniform on. That DOD-ID card says we served our time, had the trust of the Gov’t at some point, and now for the govt to push us aside and treat us like criminals is crazy!
After spending 20 yrs fighting wars for a living I have more self respect for myself than to take a job which makes me a minion of a gov’t bend on belittling the American people.
Picking up dog crap is a more meaningful job than assaulting children and old people with pee bags on their chests!
Just because these TSA agents like the majority of America have lost their nads and can’t speak up for themselves that doesnt justify what they do.
The letters TSO and the word professional should never be paired. We found lots of stuff and we protected you is akin to the ‘dog ate my homework’ excuse of a grade school student.
Congress should exercise a little adult supervision and discharge Mr. Pistole and look at rebuilding the TSA as an organization that deserves a little respect.
Right now as the ‘face of the TSA’ the line folks are getting less than they deserve. As this ‘pat down’ can easily be construed as offensive touching these folks are getting away with assaulting scores of law-abiding citizens.
As far as front line TSA officers deserving respect. I don’t think so. If they want respect they should join the military if they can pass the entrance requirements.
These pat downs have been around since February 2010, or maybe even earlier. In February, I flew into NY via Amstedam and not only went through the ordinary scanner, i went through the pat down. We all did. However, leaving the States through Amsterdam, we did not undergo the pat down. Something is very fishy here Americans. I’m glad to see the protests against these extreme measures aas i am sure they are just the beginning of worse to come.
Yea, the Nazi’s were just “Following Orders” too……
This is ridiculous, this is nothing more than the Federal Government using the TSA worker as their tool to treat the average law abiding citizen like they’re a terrorist and slowly introducing the “security state” where we’ve given away ALL out liberty for the veil of false security. Our government doesn’t even respect the Constitution anymore, they have forgotten that there is NO situation where a law abiding citizen is required to forfeit their 4th Amendment rights.
To the TSA worker, you took that job and you’re nothing more than the tool of your masters. It’s weak willed people like you who enable the powers at be to abuse the people becasue people like you willfully carry out those Unconstitutional orders. You work just like a good little Nazis. You make me sick.
The “peasants” need to WAKE UP and hand their “masters” their collective asses, they work for US the people, we DO NOT work for them.
Also why should I as a individual be exposed to such screenings when I’m authorized to carry a firearm and undergo a quarterly background, criminal, driving, finance and credit check? Hell I’ve had a more intensive background screening then the average TSA employee…..
If they had any self respect they’d quit. It’s as simple as that. These people complain that they’re just doing their job, they don’t agree with the policies that the TSA has put in place and they’re getting insulted and abused.
Well, I hate to break it to you kiddies, touching crotches, breasts, rubbing thighs and fat folds without consent (Which is pretty much what each passenger has stated cleary… with one guy threatening to scream about it too) IS Molestation, it IS abuse and it IS a criminal offense that is legally sanctioned.
If they had any self respect and truely were opposed to the policy, they’d quite, simple as that. These few are the minority who truely are just doing their jobs in this but they’re so weak-willed that they’ll do nothing to fight against a policy they claim is injust. The vast majority of TSA agents who laugh at images they see on their xray scanners or make fun of people they touch inappropriately are no better then criminals.
Cry you miserable son of a bitch.
If it takes making half the TSA quit to get some sort of reason into security, then so be it.
Maybe they should sue the TSA for creating a hostile work environment. Having your job duties expanded to touch another dude’s man tackle is sexual harassment, right?
So if you’re going to pat me down, you better find a hot female TSA employee with some nice big tits and warm hands who is going to finish the job……..
The thing at the end of all this mess is if we are safer or not. I don’t think so, figures are very known, you are far upon to have a car accident, or a robering assault, than an airplane accident, and of this few air incidents just a 0,00..% would come from terrorists. But somebody is doing money, scanners builders, consultants and all these people “serving their country”. I don’t think they like their job ( but some may ) but prostitutes neither enjoy theirs ( but some may )
I would like to see an analysis by an attorney of what provisions of the Patriot Act allow these searches to be done.
1) Yes, flying is a right. The government may not intrude on any of my free-market transactions unless they have a valid reason to believe that I am committing a crime. And, “No, purchasing a plane ticket is not a reason to believe that I am committing a crime.”
2) Sorry for the TSA Agents’ luck. I have a college degree but never made as much money as they do.
3) Sorry for the TSA Agents’ luck. But it’s not them who are being violated.
4) Sorry for the TSA Agents’ luck. I guess the general public does not understand how, strip searching children, confiscating nail clippers, etc. makes them feel safer. I guess that’s the key.
5) Service (as in “Serving your country”) means providing a good or service to others cheaper than they can provide for themselves. The TSA – by holding up the traveling public’s time – is costing the country more than it is giving. You may be “Working hard” and you may be “suffering”, but you are not working.
“Rather than dehumanize the TSA TSOs, work with them, understand their views and opinions and work together to change the current TSA policies.”
No. They dehumanised themselves and deserve all the contempt they get.
I laugh at those “rent-a-cop” responses because they are bogus. IF they had a problem with the policy–they are NOT raising them with their higher ups. All employees have the power to influence working conditions, even in the Army. It’s called feedback. Yes, I am heartless, but I hope the stress overwhelms these few to quit. Bin Laden has won, he may be sitting in a cave in no man’s land, but he isn’t getting frisked when he wants to leave/enter his cave by his own country. The TSA/Feds should be ashamed for their isolated searches.
Why not just do away with screening altogether. Come on we are all Americans and everybody knows there are no terrorist in America. Just ask everyone in the lines they will tell you they are not one. You can tell a terrorist right away like you can tell a murderer, rapist, extortionist, or any other type of criminal. No need to look in my bags either for I am an American thus not Terrorist. Since everyone is using it’s against the constitution I will use it also. It’s against the constitution the right to privacy sounds good. Then if something happens we all can blame ourselves for not spotting the bad guy or girl, or old man or women (Case in point the guy who made to look like an old man). I THANK THE TSO’s AND TSA FOR THEIR JOB IN KEEPING US SAFE ON THE PLANE. I don’t trust anyone in the line to be screened until they go through the screening process. I traveled enough and seen people being arrested for having guns in their bags or other weapons. If you don’t believe me look at TSA stats on what they found in a year! If you think it is too intrusive don’t fly! I WANT MY FAMILY TO BE SAFE WHEN THEY FLY. I went though allot of screening and all the publicity is all media HYPE! SO AGAIN THANK YOU TSA AND TSO’S FOR A JOB WELL DONE!!!
Of course it is not appropriate for anyone to lash out at TSOs. But a “tipping point” has been reached in the security procedures – people were merely inconvenienced before (by taking off their shoes and leaving their wallets on a common belt while going through a metal detector) – but now their personal space is being intensively invaded – either through a nude scan (which isn’t pleasant, even if you trust the TSA) or a physical pat-down once reserved for criminal suspects. So people are going to be frustrated and lash out. It’s absolutely normal and to be expected. Are you going to criminalize their speech at a time of great stress for them? Only 1 out of every 50-70 million travelers or so passing through US airports per year is intent on committing a terrorist act – the rest of us, knowing that the applicable scan/pat-down is a waste of time and psychologically draining – get perturbed. It is a natural response to vent, especially to the person who is carrying out the policy. No, it’s not nice to yell at a credit card clerk because the company got the bill wrong, raise your voice at the airline clerk because a baggage handler put your luggage on the wrong plane, or be snide and rude to the telemarketer calling your house at dinnertime to try to sell you something or other. But if you are in a business or profession where you are making things uncomfortable for generally law-abiding people, especially where that involves physical contact, you shouldn’t complain. Get a thicker skin or take another job. People view their local police officer with respect when he or she is catching criminals; if their jobs involved random bodily searches, they would be reviled. And Mr. and Ms. TSO, when you are next ordered to do random cavity searches on Grandma, don’t be surprised if Grandma calls you a Nazi – because Grandma rightfully feels that you must be a cruel fascist idiot to perform a cavity search on Grandma – even if you are just obeying orders. And Grandma probably doesn’t think you really have a murderous intent – she’s just trying to let you know you’ve behaved badly. “Nazi” doesn’t mean “Nazi” anymore for most people that bandy it about. It’s actually a good healthy indicator in a free society when people say they’ve had “enough”. The alternative, people who are fearful to confront authority when it (literally) gets into their pants, is indicative of a repressive, dictatorial regime. We’re thankfully not at that point yet.
I universally view TSA as one of three things 1) pedophile, 2) rapist, 3) homosexual pervert using their position to enjoy themselves. None of those are exclusive. I give McDonald burger flippers far more respect than I view the entire agency. I never thought our country would fall so low as to allow an agency to rule the US Citizens by fear. A great many of us who do work for agencies actively protecting the country are appalled how far our efforts, and in many cases deaths in line of duty, have been tarnished by the TSA actions towards our citizens.
This is exactly the kind of chaos alQieda was hoping for. Because of our belly aching, this may be pulled back leaving the door open for another attack. On this front, it appears that the terrorits have already won. It makes me sad that my fellow Americans can’t put aside petty concern the someone might see or feel something over public safety. I don’t like it either, but it sure beats the alternative. Let’s give these TSOs a break, they are only doing their jobs.
To all the idiots out there that say the TSA agents should change jobs, or whatever, something about their “chosen profession”… Do you know the economy isn’t at the same strength and level as before?
If they wanted to change jobs, and it was easy, they would have done it.
Its better to complain to the people in charge of the TSA, not the workers doing the job.
The people in charge should be put on “Undercover Boss”, and let them do screening for a day, so they can understand the uncomfortable-ness of the job and the passengers.
Wow, some of you people commenting here are total morons. Specifically, those of you equating what these people are doing to molestation.
So, when my doctor sticks his finger in my @$$ as part of a physical, is he molesting me?
No, he’s doing his job you moron. He’s checking for prostate cancer so that it won’t have a chance to kill me, or other problems with my prostate.
TSA officers are doing their jobs to check for weapons on people who might be terrorists so that they won’t have a chance to kill YOU or slam that plane you are flying on into another target.
If you don’t like the scans or pat downs, then don’t travel in a vehicle filled with a massive amount of jet fuel that can be flown into any target and cause the level of damage we saw on 9/11. Drive or take the train.
Everyone here want’s to complain about the privacy implications but no one here has presented an acceptable solution to preventing terrorist attacks involving planes. The other solution seems to be to take the gamble that with more lax security that you won’t be one of the unlucky ones to end up in that plane or in the building that is hit, but that is not an acceptable solution.
If you think the TSA officers are molesting you, then don’t fly. I certainly don’t want to see an increased chance of a plane I’m flying on being hijacked and/or flown into a building because you’ll scream like a child if a TSA officer touches your balls.
Look at how it’s done in Israel.
Then, ask for training in observation.
How to TALK to people.
Profile.
Look at their eyes.
Silly stuff like that.
Is this blog supposed to garner sympathy? I am supposed to read comments from TSOs complaining about having to patdown obese people and think “oh – yeah, I guess we have really been hard on them?” If anything, this article is even more revealing of the general attitude of TSA personnel and I am even more disgusted by this agency than I was prior to reading this (and I really didn’t think that was possible). Prior to reading this, I had nothing against the personnel who were forced to implement this horrendous policy handed down to them by elitists like John Pistole and Janet Napolitano. Now I can consider, while being humiliated in the public, that unless I am a hot young man or woman, I am being looked at with disgust by someone who would probably be a shortorder cook if it weren’t for this government job. yeah – this article is doing a real service to those who you claim to advocate. Nice job!
I have cancelled my Christmas trip. I have called family and asked them to stay home. I will not buy another airline ticket until TSA is stopped and ALL systems changed to eliminate this oppressive search.
You will not touch me or mine.
I am done with this BS government and its security system.
Most of you people are unbelievable. You have nothing but contempt for the TSA and the TSOs, yet you would be the first to cry foul if someone got on a flight with you and exhibited a weapon or a bomb.
When I fly, I have nothing to hide, so put me through the scanner, pat me down, just make sure the flight I will be boarding is safe from terrorists.
To the may TSOs around the country, I salute you. Please take all measure to keep my flight safe.
Dave
Highland Village, Texas