No, I would have demanded to see the GSC for my airline. If the TSO refused to give me my money back, I'd call a policeman and demand that the TSO be arrested for theft. If the TSO physically prevented me from retrieving my money, I'd call a policeman and demand that the TSO be arrested for robbery. And if the TSO put his hands on me, I would defend myself and then see that he is charged with battery.

I have had run-ins with TSA before, though none as dramatic as this. I don't have time to do a search right now, but I've previously detailed an incident at LAX where a TSO took my bag while I was bending down to tie my shoes. I hadn't the slightest hesitation about yelling, at the top of my lungs, "Stop right there and bring that bag back!" This resulted in quite a commotion at the WTMD, but the end result was a supervisor promised to talk to the TSO about not taking my property without permission or removing it from my sight. It only took a couple of extra minutes of my time.

I want to be very clear: I have nothing but respect for law enforcement officers, even to the point of giving them considerable leeway when it involves what I consider border-line constitutional rights issues. The way I see it, LEOs are there to protect me and protect my property. They have a difficult, dangerous and demoralizing job and I will always try to cooperate with them.

TSOs, on the other hand, serve no purpose at all. There function is to provide the allusion of security so that the Kettles and Gomers will continue to buy tickets to fly. They are not protecting me or my property, they merely protecting airline income and I already contribute enough to that. As long as TSOs are polite and professional, I will be polite in return and allow them to that which the courts have confirmed as constitutional, but only that which the courts have confirmed as constitutional. As soon as they cross the line into an unconstitutional and illegal usurpation of government power at the expense of my individual and inalienable rights, I will resist and will not cooperate, even if it means I might miss a flight or otherwise be delayed. TSA was created by an administration that had less regard for the Constitution than any other administration in history. TSA continues primarily due to momentum and the fact that the current administration has more pressing issues to deal with. I will, however, do my part by calling out any TSO that attempts to exceed the limited powers afforded to the government under the Constitution.