Originally Posted by Mats
I'm doing my best to overcome my "securiphobia," but this trial of polygraph testing in Knoxville makes my skin crawl.
As it should. It is despicable.
My gut reaction would be, "Not without an attorney."
Mine, too. Personally, my first reaction would probably rhyme with "Firetruck off!" (well, without the first syllable) -- it would probably take me a moment or two to gather my composure enough to respond in a civilized manner as you say. I applaud you on your ability to maintain a level blood pressure while contemplating this; you are a better person than I.
But the TSA's response would no doubt be, "Do you want to fly today?"
One would hope that they would permit folks to at least go through a SSSS selectee-style alternative screening.
Personally, I would welcome having the TSA deny me boarding for refusing to take a polygraph. I suspect I could get on the local TV news for that. That would be worth missing an important business meeting over.
(If this happens to you, make sure to document the names of the folks you interact with, and escalate it up the chain while you're there at the security checkpoint -- preferably, you want to be denied boarding by someone high up, like the ground security coordinator, not a random front-line TSA screener.)
Something is terribly wrong here. Polygraph testing is not admissable in court, but apparently is admissable in the kangaroo airport court. And this is being conducted without consent and without legal counsel.
No kidding.