PSA on the TSA
Nov. 21st, 2010 08:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gurdymonkeyA year or so ago, likely as a result of my ticket having been switched from one airline to another, I got selected for "special" screening at Baltimore Washington International Airport, where I was sketchily patted down by a grandmotherly woman half a head shorter than I am. When I got home I discovered a form letter inside my checked luggage informing me it had also been searched.
Some of you may recall that I ran into a friend at the airport a couple weeks ago as he checked my ID at the security gate. Instead of going home at the end of his shift, he bought a tepid pizza chain pizza at airport prices so he could sit with me until my flight boarded.
Let's try to remember that TSA agents are people too. For every one whose bad behavior/inadequate training/lack of clue hits the internet and goes viral, there are a lot more of them who are just trying to do their jobs. Jobs that involve dealing with large numbers of cranky members of the general public, their children, their strollers, their wheelchairs, their personal belongings and frequent procedure changes. Think about how bad your work-day gets when you have to deal with just one difficult person. Then do the math.
By all means, stay informed. Question the infringement of your rights and privacy. Know what you can and should do if you have to fly. (Here's a guide from the ACLU that was posted just this week.) Protect yourself and your kids.
Pester the people who CAN do something about it. Your elected congresspersons and senators and the Department of Homeland Security:
http://www.senate.gov/reference/com
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/wel
https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2673&s_src=UNW100001ACT&s_subsrc=101117_tsa_ac
Some of you may recall that I ran into a friend at the airport a couple weeks ago as he checked my ID at the security gate. Instead of going home at the end of his shift, he bought a tepid pizza chain pizza at airport prices so he could sit with me until my flight boarded.
Let's try to remember that TSA agents are people too. For every one whose bad behavior/inadequate training/lack of clue hits the internet and goes viral, there are a lot more of them who are just trying to do their jobs. Jobs that involve dealing with large numbers of cranky members of the general public, their children, their strollers, their wheelchairs, their personal belongings and frequent procedure changes. Think about how bad your work-day gets when you have to deal with just one difficult person. Then do the math.
By all means, stay informed. Question the infringement of your rights and privacy. Know what you can and should do if you have to fly. (Here's a guide from the ACLU that was posted just this week.) Protect yourself and your kids.
Pester the people who CAN do something about it. Your elected congresspersons and senators and the Department of Homeland Security:
http://www.senate.gov/reference/com
https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/wel
https://secure.aclu.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2673&s_src=UNW100001ACT&s_subsrc=101117_tsa_ac
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no subject
Date: 2010-11-23 03:15 pm (UTC)For those who have gotten confused and think the agents are enjoying this...