Agreed 100%. We hold GE, PreCheck, and NEXUS. We always tell the absolute truth, we cringe, we touch our forelocks, and address even TSA employees as Sir or Ma'am. Am I risking my status even by posting a critical comment here that someone in authority might read?

IMHO it's not a sign of a particularly healthy society when citizens feel they have to abase themselves before government employees, but that's the reality when, for example, there is no accountability for those violating the pledge printed on the counter in front of them: We pledge to treat you courteously and professionally.

As a school administrator for a couple of decades, I saw numerous instances of the same few teachers who would repeatedly get into confrontations with students, while most other teachers never did. That observation first startled me, but I grew to understand that "some folks never learn," even though they were continually making themselves miserable.

I made (and make in retirement) my own share of mistakes in dealing with others in some fairly challenging situations as a high school principal, but I've always tried to learn from mistakes and at least make new and improved mistakes rather than repeat the old ones.

I find the Pareto principle or 80-20 rule in play (as applied to the source of 80% of people problems in an organization being 20% of your people) even in the paradises of the world, let alone Newark (and I have nothing against Newark).