The surrealness of the TSA and what they think is the right thing to do should, by now stun even the most liberal supporter of unencumbered passage. There no justification at all for another women in her 90s to be searched for explosives or dangerous objects, unless the walker she is using is considered a deadly wseapon. At which point may I suggest shoving it where the TSA does most of it's thinking, do it for all of us frustrated travellers.
By thinking everyone is a potential jihadist we ignore just who the jihadist is, and the steps needed to actually stop them. but that would be racist and bigoted. It might even tip over into Islamophobia, and that just will not do.
I have said I will never fly again, this episode serves to justify my decision.
From WTVD July 14 by Shae Crisson
94-year-old upset by TSA pat down
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- A 94-year-old wheelchair-bound Florida woman says a search she went through at Raleigh/Durham International Airport went too far.
Marian Peterson said it happened July 6 as she went through a TSA security checkpoint before boarding a flight home.
Peterson said she was selected for extra screening. First, security officers lifted her out of her wheelchair and helped her stand in a full body scanner. Then, she was given a physical pat down.
"They took me to one side and they patted me down, and they made me stand for, with my arms out, for over 10 minutes," she said. "I was beginning to feel that I wasn't going to be able to continue to stand, I was going to fall down or something."
"I asked, I said why are you doing this, and the woman was very polite and said 'I don't know, maybe the scanner detected something or maybe she moved,'" recalled Peterson's daughter Marian Malone.
Peterson's family said it's not just the length of the search they object to, it's the way it was done.
"She said it would be in-depth. She started the putdown, and at that point, she asked mom to spread her legs. She stood there with her legs spread and she checked every place thoroughly," said Malone.
"They groped her. All of her body. Her crotch, her breasts. And everything else," said son Joe Peterson.
TSA: Thousands of Sexual Assaults
The Petersons said the search seemed unnecessary given Marian's obvious age.
"I didn't think I was much of a threat to anybody," said Marian Peterson.
"My sister had even asked them, you know, what did she do? Why are we doing this? What's going on here," said Joe Peterson.
Contacted by ABC11's Jacksonville, FL sister station, a Transportation Security Administration spokesperson issued the following statement:
"While every person and item must be screened before entering the secure boarding area, TSA works with passengers to resolve security alarms in a respectful and sensitive manner."
No, not even close. Degrading, insulting and technically an assault, especially on a 94 year old woman. Disgusting, I am ashamed of my government.
Read it all
1 comment:
Duh, I just work here. I don't make the rules...
How in the world somebody could create or interpret a rule that would lead to such an activity is mind boggling.
Keep up the great work TSA! Maybe in a million years and trillions of dollars later, you might actually catch somebody!
Can I have a "personal" moment with the agent that instigated the event please.
I feel safer already!
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