TSA workers feel victimized
 

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...zed.html?cat=9

"The complaints of the poor, put-upon bureaucrats getting abused for feeling up passengers are not likely to garner much sympathy from those very same passengers. This is especially true when the reaction of TSA officials to complaints about the intrusive security procedures seems to be, "If you don't like it, don't fly."

The response, so far, seems to be, "If you don't like the complaints, don't work for the TSA."

What do you think?

Pardon me while I go weep for the TSO's.

Yeah, right. If you don't like it, TSO, go get another job. I mean, isn't that what you like to tell us when we object to the draconian screening methods?

"Do you want to fly today?"

"Do you want a job today?"

Sympathy for the TSA can be found in the dictionary...somewhere between **** & Syphilis.

If you quit groping my wife, I might contribute to your food bank ... maybe.

My sympathy bone almost quivered.

bummer. DYWAJT

"Molester, pervert, disgusting, an embarrassment, creep."
That's exactly what you are. Glad to see the general public is calling it like it is ^.

"when a woman refuses the scanner then comes to me and tells me that she feels like I am molesting her; that is beyond verbal abuse"
No, sorry that is not beyond "verbal abuse", rather what you are doing is sexual abuse :td:.

Honestly there was a time, not so long ago, my wife and I were partaking in one of our favorite airport pastimes. We were observing the checkpoint and I told her I thought working for the TSA might be a decent job I wouldn't mind having if I were to ever find myself unemployed.

Today? Ain't no way in heck I would take that job.

Who gives a good godda** if TSOs have their feelings hurt or not? They're advancing a monstrous, anti-American, anti-constitutional policy. Zero sympathy. There are more respectable jobs for the taking: pornographer, Four Loco marketer, cockfight organizer...

When I have an awkward, invasive or painful medical or dental procedure done, the doctor/nurse/technician/dentist always tells me ahead of time what is going to happen. And without exception, they are apologetic about it.

"OK, I'm sorry, but this is going to be pretty uncomfortable. I'm going to bla-bla and you're going to feel bla-bla, but...."

I understand that some TSOs need the job and I understand that the frisks wer not a part of the job when most of them hired on. (I have noticed that it seems to be disproportionately female TSOs doing the frisks, because the male TSOs seem to be getting really good at avoiding patdowns - afraid of getting clocked or aversion to touching a guy, I don't know).

But is there something in the SOP that prevents a TSO from acting like a good, aware medical provider and making it clear, 'neither one of us is happy about this, but we've got to do it'? Maybe that, plus treating passengers like a family member (a respected one) would make it marginally more tolerable for everyone.

If they feel victimized NOW, just how will they feel when they find out that the X ray scanners are not perfect (no machines are) and they've all at risk of melanomas?

The hard time we're giving them is literally helping to assure their safety.

Victimized? They should be charged with treason.

C'mon guys, this is over the top.

Some of them are creeps, for sure. Others are decent people who got more than they bargained for on the job. If later on they find out that they were lied to about the scanners, then they are victims too. None of us deserve to be lied to by the bosses in power.

I do agree that some of them aren't happy and take it out on the pax ("if you wouldn't opt out, I wouldn't have to feel you up, this is disgusting, I'll teach you a leson"). I believe there are quite a few out there like that and I have no sympathy for them.

Don't like it? Neither do I. You want me to suck it up, be polite, submit the complaint forms and write my congressman or don't fly? I think you should do the same: suck it up, be polite, submit the complaint forms and write your congressman or don't come to work.

Certainly there are too many complicit TSOs. As far as I'm concerned, if one TSO is snickering at me or gawking while I'm getting frisked, it is the obligation of the frisker to stop, look at the loser TSO and say loudly and clearly 'Yes? Are you watching for a reason or are you supposed to be doing something useful?'

If TSO-A sees TSO-B doing something inappropriate or unprofessional and doesn't call him/her out on it, well, then I don't have any sympathy. In my eyes, that makes TSO-A just as guilty as TSO-B.

My heart bleeds....

It's that pesky little "With the consent of the governed" statement that will get you every time.

Actually, this is a huge chink in Pissy's armor and we have to exploit the vulnerability every chance we get. Perhaps screeners will quit at a higher rate than we opted out a couple of weeks ago if we keep the heat on.

This will begin to cost us more money as the number of cases of depression, anxiety attacks, and other psychological disorders among the screener workforce begins to mount up. We taxpayers will get stuck with the bills for medical care, meds, and workmen's comp, and perhaps even disability retirements.

Since when do TSA employees give a rats *** about victimizing travelers? Even the head of the agency is defiant.

cry me a river....

How many TSO's do you think have written their congressmen/senators urging them to get rid of the NoS/Grope? Do you think any on this board have?

I think it is more likely they have written to get rid of the opt out.

If they don't like it, they can quit & look for a respectable job, in that order. I have no sympathy for the vermin that grope my wife.

Nuremberg.

I dunno guys. I think that this might be a bit harsh. While there are far too many TSOs who are going along with the new instructions, we as passengers should assume that every single TSO is a un-american totalitarian-supporting sheeple. People have situations in life that cause them to go along with the flow because they have no choice. The economy right now isn't the best time to leave your job, even if you have moral qualms with what you are doing. When your house, car, and children's education is relying on a job, its amazing how much of a blind eye you can turn. I've had absolutely awful power-hungry TSOs, but I occasionally get a professional, polite TSO and then I feel bad for stereotyping.

I do remember reading Pistole's proclamation: "Submit or don't fly." My, what consummate tact, what adroit diplomacy from the head of a government agency whose mission it is to serve the people.

And as for the TSOs, the ones I've encountered (except at ACV--tip of the hat to you good folks) have had a belligerent, adversarial attitude, if not a power-crazed stance of "put it to the rich ......"

If the shoe is pinching, I suggest THEY take it off and put it through the x-ray machine.

I started to compose a long, erudite and well-argued (I thought) response. But then...

Nah, think I'll just stick with GOOD.

I really do try to be polite to people, and that includes TSOs. I'm sure many of them don't like this job, and let's be charitable, maybe some of them are starting on the mental work of morality, and considering whether they really can go on. I also completely agree with the Nuremberg assessment - sooner or later, there is moral culpability involved.

Nonetheless, for TSOs who feel harassed and abused, I have this suggestion. Be polite and respectful to us, and we'll be polite and respectful back. As I think Chollie (??) suggested elsewhere, even just saying, "I know this isn't fun, and I don't like it any more than you. I'm sorry that it has to be done, but I'll try to make it quick, ok?" would go a long ways. I have doctors that do procedures on me that make me suck in my breath, or even cry out a little in pain or discomfort, and they all respond with, "I know, I'm sorry." I think we'd all get along better if passengers were allowed to ask questions without being interrupted, if we were able to request to stay in view of our belongings or for the TSO to put on clean gloves without being met with rudeness, if we were allowed to opt-out without being mocked. What it comes down to, discussions of Nuremberg aside, is that if TSOs could be reliably counted on to act like professionals (which includes consistency across various airports), I think they would find passengers much more pleasant and compliant.

In other words, if you want to claim that TSOs are professionals, they need to actually act like professionals. This is going to involve training, extensive supervision, and "sure and certain punishment" up to and including termination for agents who mistreat passengers. The average encounter with the average TSO is not (I don't believe) anything approaching what would be termed "professional" in any other field. Fix that, supervisors (clear on up to Sec. Napolitano), and you will fix a lot of the morale issues among your employees.

And look - I worked at Starbucks for 3 years and heard plenty of rude comments directed at me, my coworkers, and my company, and that's without my ever having touched anybody's crotch. Just sayin'. ;)

Well, no.

It is a government sanctioned invasion of privacy and an assault. I'm sympathetic to the position the screeners are in, but they chose that position and only deserve the respect that accrues to the position.

In the military you salute the rank, not the man.

I'll not give a screener a pat on the head just because they are polite. They are not just assaulting me, they are threatening our way of life. That goes way beyond live-and-let-live.

That said, I've had screeners who have told me that their job is distasteful and they are looking for a way out. I'll cut them some slack.

Again, Nuremberg.

I wish there was a violin icon on here.

No sympathy. NONE.

The same folks who told us "do you want to fly today" are now complaining because we're angry at them for abusing us?

You're not even worthy of the crud I scrape off the bottom of my boots. And I'll say it to your face too.

I have to tolerate the TSA screeners on a regular basis just to go to work. I am told that if I do not like it, I do not have right to go to work that way and find another way to get to work.

Hey screeners, if you do not like it, find another job. You do not have a right to work at the TSA, it is a privilege. It is exactly what I am told to do. You are no better than I am.

Yeah I don't know what kind of person voluntarily chooses to work for the TSA as a screener and then gets the nerve to complain against public backlash? Some twisted mess of "I want to feel patriotic" along with a dash of "I like having power over the masses"? It can't be for the money (the Walmart down the road's always hiring) or benefits (it's not military or real LE)...:confused:

The stereotyping of TSOs pales in comparison to the blanket allegation by the TSA that all U.S. citizens traveling on a plane are potential terrorists.

Great observation. As long as they treat me like a terrorist, they should not be surprised if the passengers treat them all like molesters.

I wonder if the brownshirts often felt the same way?

<rubs index finger and thumb together>

Listen to the sound of the world's smallest violin, playing just for those poor poor screeners who feel SO put upon by passengers objecting to being treated as though they were convicted terrorists for daring to want to fly to Grandma's for the holiday. My heart just WEEPS for those poor, put-upon screeners.

:rolleyes:

I agree wholeheartedly with your take on the response - fair's fair, after all, and they've been telling us for YEARS that if we didn't like what they were doing, "well, the bus terminal's over thataway." Well, you blue-shirted tin-badged cop-wannabes, don't let the door hit you in the butt on your way out, if you've got a problem with the honest reactions you're getting from millions of peaceful, innocent, law-abiding travellers who are fed up with your assaults.:mad::mad::mad:

Perhaps the TSA would like to allow the traveling public to randomly grab private areas of their body in the name of airport/aircraft safety while the screeners are on their way to work? Because then they could stop complaining of feeling victimized and get in line to complain about actually being victimized.

Not much sympathy here either...he who lies down with dogs will rise with fleas.

They should have paid more attention in school and then maybe they could have gotten a better job than being a glorified mall security guard who rapes kids all day. No sympathy.

Whether they feel victimized or not is a nonissue. The point is that they aren't making enough noise about it, and until they do I will treat them without respect.

I am sure there are some that generally get abused for no reason and do not like doing the pat downs.

However, there are others that are creepers and pervs that direct desirable looking people to the NOS or a friendly pat down.

When TSA stops taking away people's rights and dignities, I will stop calling them molesters.

When TSA stops hiding the SOP from the traveling public I will stop calling them the gestapo.

When TSO's actually know the regulations that they are supposed to follow and don't partake in abusing their power over the traveling public, I will stop calling them criminals.

I think you get the idea.

Apologies if this is in the wrong place; I rarely leave the United forum so don't know my way around, but a friend sent me this link to one of the funniest musical youtube videos I've seen in ages. TSA is the theme, of course.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9a8jGVXOMsw&hd=1

They won't make noise about it because (ahem, 9/11), life stopped for them (ahem, 9/11). They have no existence (ahem, 9/11). Their sister could be raped and killed, but (ahem, 9/11).

Like many issues in life, like African Americans or Gays being all allowed to live open lives, their oppressors will need to be given time to die off. Too bad TSA sucked up a young group (Hitler youth?) who should have been educated better.