Originally Posted by CDTraveler

There's a right to be a loud mouthed jerk? A right to throw a fit in public and delay everybody behind you in line?

Not all TSO's are rude or inappropriate. Some are even calm and reasonable. My last trip out of PHL a pax ahead of me began SCREAMING at the TSO who had said in normal tone of voice "Please put your laptop in a bin, sir." - which is SOP for sending it through the x-ray machine. The guy in line began the whole DYKWIA and screaming about the government sequester.

You might consider screaming at a TSO to be "simply asserting one's rights" but I consider such behavior to power/ego tripping to a sick degree. The TSO did nothing to merit such a treatment, and abusing front line staff because Congress can't agree is uncalled for.