Originally Posted by ColKurtz
I think what you did is ridiculous and stupid. I think detaining you for about 25 minutes is about what you deserve. Maybe a little too short. I would have preferred they annoy you for a good 45 minutes or so - hopefully making you miss your flight.
Detained for writing words that are legally protected? Dictatorships and totalitarian states detain people for calling public figures an idiot; free people in a free land should not be harassing for writing such words and displaying them as was done.
Originally Posted by ColKurtz
First, you obviously were looking for a confrontation. Either the screeners will not notice what you wrote, or not care - what's the point in that case -- or they will notice and confront you. And the point of your desired confrontation is... to express your opinion that their boss is an idiot? What does that accomplish? Are you just an attention whore, or do you think you're planting some kind of seed of discontent that will spread and lead to Hawley's resignation.
Motivation to write words that are protected speech under the Constitution is irrelevant. The words are considered protected speech and the TSA's core functions does not include being the political thought and writing police. The TSA and others involved in the harassment stepped over the bounds by making stuff up and harassing people on the basis of political expression protected under the Constitution.
Originally Posted by ColKurtz
Second, and more serious, your sophomoric little stunt distracted the people who are responsible for our security. If someone bent on harming travellers was behind you in line that day, their odds of getting through security were probably much higher than normal -- for the simple fact that you were consuming the attention of several security and police officers.
If your characterization is correct, then the TSAers and the police who played along at the airport should be fired for incompetence. They should be able to demonstrate judgment and not be distracted by protected political expression; and if they fail at that, they should be fired for incompetence or be accomodated as due a medical condition.
Originally Posted by ColKurtz
You should be ashamed of yourself. Grow up.
No, people who persecute people for peaceful expression of political opinion should be ashamed of themselves or grow up and old -- preferably in a place like North Korea, Zimbabwe, or Saudi Arabia that better demonstrates their values.