I am not hostile. I state the situation. It is very difficult to write words in an internet forum while including the attitude with which they are said. I can do hostile, but this is not the place. It is also not the place to concede what little power of negotiation that one has. The purpose of the statement, said in a non-hostile statement of fact, is to establish my understanding of the situation with the TSO. If what I state is a true representation of the situation, then the TSO should have no problem with that. If one starts the encounter in a subservient manner, it is very difficult to regain the high ground.

Again, it is not a social situation. I am not there to make friends and have no interest in doing so. It is a process involving potential legal liability and the protection of over $15,000 of difficult to replace electronics. Both the TSO and I have responsibilities to do the process correctly. I simply want them to know immediately that I am aware of their responsibilities as well as they are and that deviation from their own standard will get no toleration from me.

Many of the interactions that go horribly wrong are due to the passenger beginning the process in an attitude of submission, trying to be friendly and compliant, or hoping that the TSO will do the right thing and giving over complete authority to them. I simply do not begin that way.