You know, y'all--I know we try to display gallow's humor in the fa(r)ce of all this, but, honestly, my soul dies just a little bit every time I read these legalease weasels of SOPs.
I swore an oath to defend the Constitution of this country (by choice), and remember well the judge at the ceremony telling us the story of the Constitutional Convention, and how "the deliberations of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 were held in strict secrecy. Consequently, anxious citizens gathered outside Independence Hall when the proceedings ended in order to learn what had been produced behind closed doors. The answer was provided immediately. A Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin, "Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?" With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded, "A republic, if you can keep it."
I don't see us keeping "it" -- and my pitiful acts of civil dis-obedience/keeping my oath (opting out, driving whenever possible, educating others) feel like trying to empty the Pacific with a spoon. Maybe even less than that because the great machinery of the state keeps rolling along, unfazed.
Do y'all REALLY think any of this bureaucracy will shrink, lessen, retreat? Perhaps strategically and in meaningless ways, only to emerge on the other side, stronger, and even more harmful to our unalienable rights.
Trying to be hopeFULL seems to be getting harder every day.
I know, I know, YMMV--maybe it didn't help that this morning, seven of sixteen of my senior honors students at a medium-sized university in the South thought the measures of the TSA to be fine and dandy, since "they keep us safe." (this is a media studies class where we look at different aspects of media, consumption, framing of issues etc etc).
Anyhow, sorry for the interruption.
I come here to re-charge my "hope and change" batteries!
Originally Posted by
N965VJ
Here are two descriptions that have not been refuted by official sources, although in the TSA's world of predictable unpredictability, nothing is cast in stone.
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A screener on Fark.com posted this two weeks ago:
Here's the dealeo, if you alarm the WTMD for whatever reason, hip or knee replacement ie, and you are unable to divest enuff metal to clear with any further passes, you are now a recipient for a Standard Pat Down.
We will pat down every inch of your bod and when we get to your mid section we will sliiiide a hand up your inner thigh til we "meet resistance" Exact wording.
Then, we swab our gloved hands and if they alarm, you then receive an "Alarm Resolution pat-down".
This is done by a Lead or a Sup. and is always done in a private screening area.
The only difference with this one is that when he/she gets to your "groin" area he/she is now going to turn his/her lil hands around and pass them over your "groin" area with the front of his/her hands 6 times. 3 across & 3 going down and then swab his/her hands again.
If they alarm again, well it gets a little gray after that.
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A union website has the following description:
Pat-Down Procedures
When conducting a standard pat down, a same-gender TSA screener will use a sliding method to verify external areas of the body for weapons or explosive materials. This process includes sliding his/her gloved hand up each leg until resistance is met. Additionally, the screener will slide his/her gloved hand across the groin and buttocks areas and under the breast area. If any anomalies are detected, the screener may resolve it by swiping inside the collar or waistband as necessary. Anything unusual detected during screening must be resolved. Resolution pat-down procedures will be utilized at this point. Private screening (upon request) is available to all passengers & crew members at any time in the screening process and will be utilized at all times when it is necessary to resolve an anomaly that is detected. If a resolution pat-down is necessary, two same-gender TSA screeners will be present and the individual being screened may bring a travel companion to the private screening area.