Sorry, you can't use yourself as the yardstick to measure other people. You can't say whether its due to poor attitudes or not, especially since the internet is rife from complaints about abuse from the TSA.

If it were just a few bad apples or people with attitudes that had a problem with the TSA, you wouldn't see the huge degree of dissatisfaction like you not only see here but everywhere else on the internet, from people of all backgrounds and professions.

Are there people who complain just to complain? Sure, there will always be. However, the degree of the dissatisfaction with the TSA means that there are really some serious problems with the TSA, and you can't just blame the victims (ie the flying public).

When I fly, most of the time I don't have a problem personally, but I do resent the nonsensical TSA policies such as the banning of my gel-filled insoles from being worn onto the plane, or the fact I have to take off my thin flip-flops to go through the WTMD. Add to these ridiculously dumb policies some of the power hungry TSA agents I have encountered, it's no wonder people resent the TSA.

The one thing I think that is great about America is when something is wrong, we Americans don't just put up with it - we let other people know why we think it's wrong.

Your point is taken, to a degree. However, you're missing the real debate, once again, completely, by a mile.

PS - I have not seen the thread complaining about the clip-on ties. If that was all it was about I would conjecture that it was done as a farce to relieve some tensions and frustrations about the TSA. I seriously doubt I would take it at face value. Unfortunately you will probably never get it, as a TSA apologist.

PPS - Just one final thought on this issue:

Standing up for passenger rights is never wrong. Standing up for one's rights and asking for professional treatment will never lead to a security lapse or a terrorist attack.

However, not standing up for one's rights or asking to be treated professionally can lead to disastrous consequences, such as bullying, theft of one's property, loss of essential items like medication, being falsely detained and worse.

I fail to understand those shills who claim, in spite of overwhelming and complete evidence all over the net and the media, that the TSA doesn't abuse and if a traveler "shuts up and puts up with the minor inconvenience" that there's no big deal.

Unfortunately it IS a big deal, and will continue to be a big deal, until TSA policies are changed to ensure consistency, professional and courteous treatment, accountability, and removal of bad apples when eregious passenger treatment occur.