Judy’s story upsets me. Janet Napolitano and John Pistole have shoved this nonsense down the throats of both the TSA and us passengers. Passengers don’t know what to expect. The TSA is clearly not trained in customer service. It’s pointless theater. It needs to stop. Abolish the TSA and let’s get some real security.
This is regarding the harassment and humiliation I was subjected to at Denver International Airport security check point by what can only be described as a mob of TSA employees. Wednesday, November 17, 2009 at approximately 11:45 a.m.
After my bags were sent through the scanner, I was directed to go though the body scanner. It looked like a man was monitoring the scanner so I objected and stated my understanding was the body scan would be viewed by females not men. The TSA employee was irate with me and said no it’s a man. I did not want to continue but was forced to stay in the scanner, still I was asking questions.
Upon completion, the TSA employee called another person to put me through an invasive molestation-like body search two feet from the scanner in the open with hundreds of people looking on. The TSA employee stuck her hand up my crotch and ran it down my right leg. At that time I again stated my understanding was that the scan should have been viewed by a female not a male. She was hostile and stated in an angry voice “The person viewing you is in another room. You won’t know if it’s a man or woman”. A group of TSA employees looked on, both male and female. One of them making comments about the position my hands were in, while being scanned?
I was upset and humiliated and asked why I had been sent though the scanner AND the physical search. No answer was provided. She made inflammatory comments to me then said loudly “You are cleared so go”. I said under my breath, screw you. She yelled at me “What did you say…? Then called the police and several other TSA employees. She grabbed my arm to which I said get your hands off me and pointed out I have a right to speak my mind, you have already cleared me. She said no you don’t you will deal with the police now.
Both my husband and I were physically detained. TSA agents took my driver’s license and boarding pass. The TSA employees victimized me and abused their power by detaining me and my spouse. Several agents stood in a group laughing at us while the police woman, officer Southland spoke with us. The police person acted in a professional manner. I told her what happened and she explained it was beyond her power to let us go.
I told the TSA supervisor I respected the police woman’s handling of the situation. The TSA employee was visible upset and stated “I am an officer”.
I broke no law and threatened no one. I was cleared, after being searched and scanned, but still was unjustly detained. I did not exhibit any violent behavior; I complied with the process although I objected. Still I was held, nearly missing my flight.
I overheard a group of police officers saying it was unreasonable for the TSA agents to detain us and it was simply a game to TSA.
I felt as though I’d been molested, then demeaned in front of hundreds of people. TSA made sure I suffered becasue of my objections.
We had to wait for a Steve Perez of Frontier to interview us and decide if we could fly. I was completely honest as to what I said and what I’d been though that caused my stress. The interview took a few minutes as he could see the absurdity in which we were detained. However previous to that we were held for approximately 45 minute to an hour.
The TSA employees were drunk with power, and caused me severe HUMILLATION and emotional suffering.
We flew from Denver to San Diego. When we return I will visit the check point and get the names and file a formal complaint.
Please contact me if there is any type of class action complaint I can participate in.
Sophomoric, condescending, and with elite superiority. No compassion was extended to me, even though they could tell by my objections and questions I was embarrassed and disturbed.
We are powerless against the rent-a-cop mentality of TSA. I no longer want to fly.
I filed a complaint with the ACLU and will continue the battle to regain my rights.
On a side note, I have a backlog of stories and am trying to get them all out as soon as possible.
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This is appalling. The airports in my area are using scanners and patdowns randomly but I won’t take a chance. I have 4 trips planned between now and February. I will drive or cancel my plans.
Laurel when the TSA checkpoints are set up on the major roads will you take the backroads?
I will even if you or her will not.
Resistance is NOT futile!
How is it against the law to say “screw you” to a TSA agent under your breath, especially where such does not create a disturbance? What, if anything, are you being charged with? You are right, these TSA agents think they can do anything and no one better say a damn word about them. When you were with the cops, you should have filed a charge involving inappropriate touching or even assault. Contact the District Attorney’s office. Otherwise, your claims are constitutional in nature, and those are much harder to press from an individual perspective. Good luck. I fear for my wife and kids. Home is 2000 miles away. Bought tickets months ago for Christmas. If we go, it’ll be the last time my kids fly to my hometown.
It is my hope that if enough of us vote with our wallets, the airline industry will do something about this lunacy. I am doing what I can to educate people I encounter. In the meantime, I will not participate in the Hobson’s choice of scan or grope.
Pistole said in the Senate hearing just a couple days ago that somebody who goes through the scanner should not have to go through the invasive pat down also. They were clearly harrassing this lady. She should not have allowed them to force her into the scanner. She should have just Opted Out. She should file a lawsuit and reference the details of her incident and Pistole’s testimony in Congress just the day before.
Pistole and Napolitano should be fired over these unsafe back-scatter porno-scanners and arbitrary molesting pat-downs. This is unacceptable in America, IT WILL NOT STAND!
“I told the TSA supervisor I respected the police woman’s handling of the situation. The TSA employee was visible upset and stated ‘I am an officer’”.
The TSA Smurf-Clerks are not sworn Law Enforcement Officers!! Judy needs to file a report of impersonating a Police Officer. And Denver PD needs to ask themselves who has the right to detain and arrest at DEN.
typo: “physically detailed” you mean “physically detained. “
The cops need to realise it IS in their power to act in the interests of passengers. The TSA are not above the law, no matter what Janet the Nazi wants people to think. The cops could have demanded that the TSA let the woman and her husband go, or threatened to arrest the TSA agents for false arrest.
The cops are also sworn to enforce the law. They CAN arrest the TSA agents.
For sexual assault, that is
You were assaulted. Contact the police and a lawer.
I am SO sorry this happened to you. When I encountered the 2nd rough treatment in a recent trip, I summoned all my intelligence and Christian faith to say at least SOMETHING to fight back. Singled out the young chubby gal who had been ordering me around and told her in front of the rest of the now-idle TSA workers (she nearly made me miss my plane, and was also harrassing me for THAT): “I wish you had been nicer to me. I had a really hard time.” Wanted to touch her heart about what she had just done, and amazingly she thanked me. I did not want to stir up the hornets.
Why should we only have to remove our shoes? Will the TSA next require us to strip naked as we stand in line? That could speed up the process as well as finally remove the last vestages of our humanity. The TSA could then change its motto to “Nackt Mackt die Sicherheit” or to traslate “Naked Makes You Safe”
I may be FORCED to fly at the end of the month – I may have no choice.
Needless to say, I am *NOT* happy about the prospects.
I want to avoid the whole sick mess, but at the same time I also want to make a statement WITHOUT getting myself arrested.
I am seriously considering wearing socks, flip-flops, sweatpants and a zip-up “hoodie” — with only a speedo beneath.
When I approach “screening” I’d remove the pants and “hoodie”, and place my ‘flops on the belt – leaving me standing there in nothing but a speedo.
This should certainly leave them no reason to demand scanning or groping me – but I wonder what (if any) laws I’d be “violating” by doing this?
Further, what message should I write on my chest/back with black marker?
I’m considering “Erste nackt macht uns frei!” — German for “getting naked makes us free!”
Perhaps the German on my chest and Russian (Раздевание делает нас свободными!) on my back??!!
Other options? “Take my dignity – I’m not using it!” (Nimm meine Würde – ich bin nicht verwenden! / Возьми мое достоинство – я не использую его!)
Or “TSA: Trading Your Liberty for Security since 2001!” (TSA: Trading Ihre Freiheit für Sicherheit seit 2001! / АСП: Торговые свободу для безопасности с 2001 года!)
I’m also considering singing “The Star Spangled Banner” – or “America The Beautiful” while going through the whole thing.
I welcome any advice/input/suggestions you may have on ANY of this – feel free to contact me via e-mail – via my user_id at yahoo dot com!
DD
Dad
Thanks these are some GREAT ideas.
I will be using your speedo if forced to fly.
A little hand held Nazi flag to be used in the airport may work.
John, they’ll get around to that eventually if the American people don’t speak up now for their rights.
If we submit to this outrage the abuse will continue and grow worse. What happens when some “terrorist”, probably hired by crooks selling the crap to TSA, decides to pack C4 in his rectum? What is the logical next step?
Cavity searches or X-rays so powerful a few will kill you. Our government is siding with the “terrorists”. We are clearly being terrorized by our own government.
Please don’t fly.