Originally Posted by
medic51vrf
I don't recall ever saying that I would. I said I would be polite. There's a huge difference.
Why would I be polite to them? Several reasons. 1) Because I'm better person that I feel I would be if I acted otherwise. 2) Yes, it would get me through the CP with a greater chance of a hassle free experience 3) If I DID catch some kind of trouble I would be able to articulate to their supervisor/the media/the courts/whoever that it was a completely 100% unprovoked situation and 4) In the event of trouble witnesses would be more likely to take my side.
That's my attitude, too. I'm polite and completely cooperative with TSA's stated policies, as published on their web site and stated under oath in testimony before Congress by the agency's director.
Thus far, I haven't had any confrontations, although I have seen multiple instances of TSA deviating from their policies (such as using AIT as the primary screening method for all pax despite the assurances we got when those infernal machines were deployed that such would not be the case).
However, if they're wrong, they're wrong. Whether I back down or comply with their illegal, illicit, or unreasonable demands depends on my personal valuation of the consequences of backing down vs the consequences of standing up for my rights.
Standing up for myself does not mean I'm picking a fight, looking for confrontation, or even being impolite. It means I'm standing up for myself.
Perhaps you will do the same one day, if a TSO tries something with you that you consider egregious enough to be unacceptable to you.