Kate2015

While I did not intentionally aggravate her, there is no requirement to make it easy on her, either.

SimonB77

So you were "not making it easy on her." However at the same time you did not intentionally try to aggravate her? That would not go over very well in a courtroom.

After reading this thread, I think both the TSA agent and the OP simply didn't like each other. Although another interesting TSA story, there really isn't enough grounds for a complaint here

kmersh

This topic reminded me of an incident with the TSA I had a few months ago. I was being screened and my EMPTY (minus a few droplets of water) bottle of water caused a bag check (to this day I have had more water in my bottle and not had a bag check but three or four drops causes it, anyway) and the TSA employee said that liquids in quantities over 3.4 ounces are not allowed past the checkpoint. I said, I am positive that those few drops do not equate even one ounce, but I would be more than happy to try and dry my bottle out or shake it really really hard in hopes that those few drops come out.

The TSA employee said something like, "sir security is not a laughing matter and those few drops are not allowed because the total quantity of my bottle exceeds 3.4 ounces" and that she would have to confiscate the bottle as emptying the bottle would be fruitless or I could check my bag. I thought that she was kidding but she was serious and said sir what will your decision be we have other passengers waiting to have their things checked, I said fine, I will check my bag.

I was escorted outside of the secure area and got in line to check my bottle or see if an airline employee could be of any assistance, the airline employee said that fighting with TSA is fruitless and I should either check the bag or chuck the bottle. I ended up chucking the bottle as the bag fee would have been more than the value of the bottle.

Anyway to make a long story somewhat shorter, I ran into that TSA employee a few times since the incident and she remembered me as the water bottle guy and kept saying, he is trouble I tell you, he is trouble.

Well, a few weeks ago that TSA Employee ended up as my patient in the Emergency Room and she said OMG you are the water bottle guy. I said, yes, I am and the Water Bottle Guy and the Water Bottle Guy is going to be your Doctor. She was exceedingly nice to me that day and the one time I ran into her at the airport since then she has treated me like a respectable citizen rather than, "that trouble maker The Water Bottle Guy."

DaveBlaine

I love the ironic twist at the end of your story. Very M. Night Shyamalan-like. Or is it O. Henry?

Kate2015

I never said I was making it difficult on her. I said I wasn't obligated to make it easy on her in general terms.

And, it wasn't a complaint. There was a question involved initially...I left out the entire story on purpose, because it wasn't really relevant.

Often1

As to OP's original question, it is unlikely that a single TSA Officer can summarily revoke her GE. But, I do suspect that an adverse report can easily make it's way up the chain and lead to revocation. GE does not provide any hearing requirement.

It's worth noting that on the CBP side of things, a single Officer can revoke GE.

Here, my though is that OP went one step further than necessary. When the Officer dumped the cup out of sight, the better move would be to accept the cup back and then toss it somewhere after the checkpoint.

Boggie Dog

The bigger lesson that can be gained here is that this traveler, and many others I suspect, don't trust TSA employees.

Seems to me that TSA management might want to take that on board.

Kate2015

Pretty sure they don't care.

kmersh

Not to get too far afield:

I don't think they care, a good friend works for the FBI and he has repeatedly said that TSA HQ (and by extension many who work there) feel that what they are doing is for the greater good. If people don't like us (the TSA) oh well too bad, so sad, as our (the TSA's) mentation is, well they (those who do not like us) just don't understand the threat. If people don't trust TSA, thats too bad, the mentation is we know better and our reputation (as trust worthy or not) doesn't matter because what we are doing is keeping the traveling public safe.

As my buddy points out as long as that is the mentation, nothing will change as if you believe that you are superior in some fashion and believe that what you are doing is for the best than perception of any given person or entity does not matter as that person or entity knows better.

Again, my apologies for getting too far afield.

BSBD

I'm sorry you disagree with my characterization; however, I believe it to be accurate.

First of all, I said that it appears the bulk of your posts have been about TSA/DHS. A quick scan of the threads you've participated in seems to confirm that. Do you dispute this?

Secondly, I did not call you a TSA lackey. I stated that many of your posts defend TSA. "Many" is not the same as "most" or "all." Nevertheless, the fact that you have made many posts in defense of TSA makes you a TSA defender. Critical posts don't undo that.

I appreciate your position that you see yourself as fair and balanced on the issue, but that is irrelevant. My point was that you frequently criticize or demean the opinions of those who have much, much more experience with TSA than you. They may not always be right, but you have very little standing to judge that.

It seems to me that on occasion you may have difficulty recognizing your own gaps in logic, not withstanding your lack of experience.

For instance:


There is no contradiction. TSA is wasteful and inefficient. This has been repeatedly proven by government and non-government groups and watchdogs, and TSA itself. If TSA operated with more efficiency and less waste, it could provide better service without spending more money.

Uninformed indeed. I interact with TSA more in one week than you do in an entire year (perhaps two) - in airports all across the country. I have been a frequent flier for 30 years, so I have the benefit of historical knowledge as well. I have seen many checkpoint "incidents" up close, and have unfortunately been part of a few. My experience is that the vast majority of those incidents were initiated and/or escalated by TSA, not by the passenger. Yes, there is the rare belligerent person, but almost all people who run afoul of TSA just want to get through security and be on their way, and can't understand why the uniformed government person is acting like such a horse's backend.

But you wouldn't know this, because you lack experience/first hand knowledge. Instead, you question, make negative assumptions, and parse posts looking for culpability that you are sure is there somewhere. That's why I asked about your motive. I still don't think you've made it clear.

petaluma1

Much like TSA - always looking for something that really isn't there.

Boggie Dog

Sadly I tend to agree.

Carl Johnson

This is a joke, right?

Kate2015

It doesn't make sense that someone who rarely interacts with the TSA would care so much about what they do.

On the other hand, I recently complained about PreCheck never being open at my home airport, and the TSA said I didn't fly enough (2-4 times a month) to care about it, so I suppose frequency of travel and caring about what the TSA does is all relative.

QtownDave

It's funny that in encounters like this the one telling the story is always so calm and reasonable while the antagonist is exactly the opposite.

Once the OP's chip on the shoulder is revealed in later posts hints of the real story began to emerge.

But to directly answer - no, that was not even close to being a threat.