New(er) to FT and I've basically tried to stay out of the TSA fights that are often posted here as I've had some pretty invasive searches overseas and live overseas now (I am American and lived there for over 25 years).

Many American's do not enjoy giving up an inch of presonal freedom's and resent new laws and restrictions that are placed on them. After all America is all about personal freedoms and was created / founded on the principals of personal rights / freedoms. Then there are some that will just argue about anything because they have the freedom and right to make a jack A** out of themself. I personally have no problem with the screening; however I'm a male and never have been raped or molested or such. I do see how the searches are invasive and very disturbing to some people. But we all have the right not to fly if we disagree with it. True it is not a practical answer for many people who need to travel for their work, but it is their right not to fly and avoid the screening.

The majority of TSA screeners I'VE BEEN THROUGH have been polite and friendly. It only takes one bad apple to spoil the bunch and to all the TSA employees out there, you have bad ones in your group. Between the unproper searches and the items stolen from luggage (or mysteriously misplaced), you need to clean up in house. If you clean up in house, and severely punish the ones who violate your employment standards, then you might earn some more respect from the hard to please. If your punishment is that your fellow employees are fired from their job when they break the rules then that will not suffice for many and is not harsh enough in my own opinion either. If the penalties for violating your own rules and regulations are criminal and harsh, and the punishments are made public, then you might see a change of heart. People are getting to the point where they will not respect a person or official until the person or official earns their respect. Let alone respect, many people have a large distrust of people in power like police and now the TSA.

However, if unproper actions are happening by your fellow employees with no punishment being handed out, then you will not have the respect of many travellers IMO. I've yet to hear of a major punishment for a TSA screener who breaks the rules except being fired and a criminal case or two for stealing items out of luggage, but that is a petty crime that won't get much punishment. Make unproper actions by TSA staff a strong criminal offense that is severly punished. Jail time / house arrest / never obtaining any civil service employment again / probation. I'd even go as far as saying forget the jail time, just put them on probation and never give them a civil service job and that they would never be able to qualify for unemployment / food stamps / welfare or any other federally funded program (HUD loans, anything / everything), etc... Let us know that a TSA employee who breaks the rules will never get a job or benefits that pays him a wage out of our tax dollars again. Sure it's a strong penalty but I would think many people would support stiff penalties such as this for all people (police / politicians / etc...)who violate the trust the public is putting in them. And if you violate the trust the public is putting in you, then you don't deserve to obtain any benefits from a federally or state tax funded program.

For the sake of many, the TSA needs to develop a less invasive way to screen and check people and luggage. Yes there are trials and tests and new machines and such; however since 9/11 I think many people would have liked to see a much faster implementation of new systems. I'm sure we have the technology or if not I'm sure we could have it if people worked hard at it. So another point is that people are seeing more movements to invade them physically and little motions to increase the technology. TSA is getting closer and closer to violating areas and rights that many do not think you should have the right to. Use technology more and less hands.

For the folks that like to argue and make a scene just to do it, you sure do provide me some entertainment so thank you. While I personally do not have a problem with the current screening, I do think the TSA needs a lot of improvement and changes to be made inside it's own organization. Failure to make changes and improvements will only lead to larger problems down the line as people will not stand by and allow the TSA to invade their lives much more then it is already doing.

Just my take on the situation.