So why does someone freely exercising their first amendment rights at a public facility deserve to be detained and beaten?

Many of TSA's representatives on this forum would seem to be happier living in a nation like China or the old Soviet Union where authority isn't questioned, and those that dare do are dealt with summarily. Is that the national vision that you and others signed up to support?

I hear all too often that so many TSOs are there to defend "God and Country" and that they're doing their "patriotic duty". TSA likes to put the good 'ol red, white, & blue behind them every chance they get. Their indoctrination seemingly gets people to believe that they're the last line between some terrorists who are "out to get us all" and a helpless, flailing public that's afraid of its own shadow. They tell their employees that screening procedures-- the one thing the agency should demonstrate competence at-- are "SSI" and not to be revealed to the public.

I'm calling bull on this. There are far too many examples of TSOs being abusive to customers, and TSOs trampling passenger rights for me to believe that the organization is patriotic and supports a free America. There are far too many screw-ups and moronic policies for me to believe that the organization is capable of keeping our country safe. And there are far too many examples of uncaring employees-- or those that just sleep on the job-- for me to believe that the organization's culture fosters a desire to serve others.

I'd like to believe otherwise; I really would. I'd like to believe that TSA cares about passenger rights, but there's no passenger bill of rights or language to show that comfort is even taken into consideration. I'd like to believe that TSA cares about security, but there's no evidence that it supports policies and procedures to make the sterile area truly secure. I'd like to believe that TSA fosters an environment of excellence, but there are far too many examples to prove otherwise.

I don't think a single person in this forum is completely against security under any circumstances. I don't think a single person in this forum is opposed to using X-rays and quick administrative searches to screen people. I don't think a single person in this forum wants to see another airliner go down. But I do think that people in this forum are tired-- they're tired of seeing their money wasted on useless people, useless technology, and moronic policies. They're tired of being harassed by people who have relatively few interpersonal relation skills. They're tired of seeing mistake after mistake, and being told that "things differ between airports" and "that's SSI"-- when TSA was established to create and maintain a standard set of policies between all airports. They're tired of the bumbling and foolishness, and can see right through it. They know the emperor has no clothes, and take issue with those who outright lie and call them "wonderful silk pajamas".

And, perhaps most of all, they're tired of the personal attacks and insults that get hurled at them every time someone claiming to be in the TSA gets backed into a corner when posting on this forum. It's ironic that only the other week some TSA'ers were calling for more civility, yet they don't act very civil themselves. Pot, meet kettle.

Is this really the TSA you envisioned when you joined? Are these really the policies that you signed up to enforce? (No hiding behind the tired, old "I'm just following orders" line. It didn't work for Hitler's followers and it won't work for Gail's followers either.) Can you really say that you're proud of what you do and who your employer is? How many people have negative reactions or couch their disgust in a joke when you tell them? Doesn't it get tiring and embarassing to have to come on these forums and defend your organization day after day after day? Obviously I'm not expecting an answer to the above questions; they're just intended as food for thought.