Profiles in Professionalism: LAX Edition
 

By the time I arrived at my gate I was actually feeling relatively little TSA related rage. Nothing stolen, no belligerence or screaming, Nude-O-Scope out of commission and no line-up. My previous journey through this checkpoint was practically an SNL sketch.

However once I arrived at the gate I found there was a couple TSA dudes hanging around, for no apparent reason and having a very loud conversation about video games which included the repeated loud use of what you might call "The 7 Words You Can't Say in an Airport" - others in the area seemed visibly uncomfortable.

Now it just so happens I am a huge fan of video games and have been playing them for thirty years and recognized the subject of conversation as two missions in Grand Theft Auto 4 and believe them to have been discussing these:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GdR4liSa2M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uknJ6mKgLg

Now imagine if you will two passengers were having a loud conversation at the gate about the content of the aforementioned - what might occur out of "an abundance of caution"

The dudes eventually just wandered off, no gate screening - they were just standing there telling loud stories about their Xbox glories.

See this is where a video of these two clowns in action posted on youtube would be the best anti TSA agitprop out there.

+1,000,000

It also would have been good to engage them in conversation while taping the whole thing - find out their names and attempt to help them find the extra time to achieve that community college diploma dream of theirs. ;)

Clearly the PSA campaign isn't working. Don't you know that if you See (or hear) Something, you should Say Something?;)

I would have found the nearest real cop and reported two suspiscious individuals discussing various violent misdeeds...

Bonus points if you can get their names in the police report...

I've seen this with the "under 30" crowd of TSA employees; loud boisterous conversations among themselves about inane subjects. I like to stare at them until they notice I don't enjoy feeling like I'm back in the high school cafeteria.

If the TSA was serious about projecting an image of professionalism within their workforce, they would adopt the following work and conduct rules:

• No lounging in areas meant for passengers
• No consumption of food or beverages in view of the public, unless seated in a restaurant or food court area
• No use of tobacco products in view of the public
• No use of cell phones or other personal electronic devices in view of the public

I think your hypothesis above is absurd. :)

The only way that the word "professionalism" can be used in conjunction with TSA is if you're asking grade school children to provide antonyms of adjectives that could be used to describe specific proper nouns.