Like a good TSAer, you're playing language games. A BDO who lies ought to be fired but we both know that won't happen, whether you state it explicity, imply it or simply advocate it. It's moot so there's no point even mentioning it.

I think all BDO's should be fired whether they lie or not, but that's a whole other topic ;) .

^Completely agree. The program is a total waste.

Fantastic. I agree that it is always about individual rights. So let's take care of the individual rights of each individual that is part of the traveling public, visits an airport, or wishes to be safe in her home without worrying about LEOs barging in with guns blazing.

When you see "individual," it seems you think most about the cops' families. I think first about the people in the previous paragraph. Maybe we each relate more closely to those respective groups. Great. Let's protect both by fixing law enforcement and TSA so that hatred for their people doesn't fester in the law-abiding public.

I will clarify that I don't like the idea of punishing families for the actions of one. I really don't. I don't like a grade school teacher taking away privileges from an entire class because of the actions of a few troublemakers either. But absolutely nothing else is working to deter these law-enforcement thugs and TSA thugs that have been described in other incidents (e.g., PHL). The government is doing nothing about it, so it leaves the people to "handle" it themselves, which means the use of blunt techniques. Sometimes blunt, evil actions are necessary to preserve the greater good. The United States killed literally hundreds of thousands of "innocent civilians" in World War II. Is that a good thing? No IMO. Was it better then having let Hitler and Tojo have the world? Yes IMO.

Sadly, the bad seem to me to be outweighing the good in law enforcement these days. There does seem to be a shift in attitude toward being more militant/hostile in their interactions with the public.

As I've said before, I'm a mild mannered, upper middle class white professional and my interactions with the police have been overwhelmingly negative. I can only imagine what minorities experience.

Is it then legal for a citizen to follow a TSA screener (BDO or otherwise) around, in and outside the airport?

What, exactly, do you think the reaction would be within your community of screeners if someone started doing that? And what if the citizen stated (at the inevitable detention) that he believed the screener was doing something suspicious?

122 posts until Godwin. Must be some kind of record.

Folks, let's keep this thread focused on the travel safety/security aspects of the topic and away from politics and religion. If the primary focus moves that direction we're going to move the thread to OMNI/PR.

Thanks for your cooperation.


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Cholula
TS/S Co-Moderator

You are correct in those statements. But do you really think the police would have come to harass if a BDO had called them and said something "We have someone here in the public, non-sterile area of the airport with a camera. He's taking pictures of the public area. When we asked him for ID, he demonstrated knowledge of his rights and told us he didn't have to show us. Please come and harass him, since we know we can't."

Obviously the TSA airport monkeys had to have lied to the police on the phone to get them to come. Since the OP presented no threat and was doing nothing illegal, that would have been the only way to get the police to intervene.

It's just a shame that the whole conversation wasn't recorded. If it had, I'd have loved to have seen it be posted online. Name and shame the TSA airport monkeys and the IAH airport pigs.

Actually, yes I do.

:(

Maybe it would be a good idea for the TSA to have their own police officers, then, and not have to use local law enforcement, if it has got this bad. At least they can control the training and focus on how to avoid being militant or hostile, if they see that as an issue.

Let me get this right, you think an agency that can't even train people to glance at boarding passes and stack plastic bins without developing an I Am Powerful And You Must Bow Down To Me attitude could have its own police officers and train them otherwise? Hahahahahahahaha.

Whatever issues anyone may have with local police I would far prefer one of them to be involved in these types of situations rather than TSA's own cops.

I am sorry to read all that you went through. What on Earth is this world coming to really? I remember back to the good old days when especially at Newark, the photographers would be at the end of the concourse taking pictures not only of the airport itself, but the landings and takeoffs of the aircraft. I too am an avid photographer and I think we have seen the end of those days and of following a passion.

The same kind of quality training the screeners get you mean ? Yep, no militancy or hostility in that group fer sure.

Boggle.

most of the time, getting local LE involved in alterations w/ TSO's results in the TSA backing away from an unreasonable request or position. I'd be screwed if they had t
heir own police force!

I think it would be the worst thing - ever.