TSA Agent Calls Passenger an Idiot; Wraps Himself in USA Flag, Flicks off Passenger
Mar 11, 2014, 9:38 am
#17
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One of these days, I'll need empathy when I don't deserve it ... and I hope someone will have pity on me and extend it to me. I can certainly treat others the way I would hope to be treated.
Note that, even in that terribly brief segment, it's not "just" filming. It's filming with an audio commentary. And it's the snarky sound of that commentary that suggests to me that this is the end of a much longer conversation: one that we really should hear in its entirety before rendering final judgment.
Note that, even in that terribly brief segment, it's not "just" filming. It's filming with an audio commentary. And it's the snarky sound of that commentary that suggests to me that this is the end of a much longer conversation: one that we really should hear in its entirety before rendering final judgment.
Mar 11, 2014, 9:47 am
#18
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Note that, even in that terribly brief segment, it's not "just" filming. It's filming with an audio commentary. And it's the snarky sound of that commentary that suggests to me that this is the end of a much longer conversation: one that we really should hear in its entirety before rendering final judgment.
The TSA reap what they sow. In dehumanizing their fellow man, they in turn are seen as bullies by many and are in danger themselves of being treated in the reprehensible fashion in which they treat others. It's almost as if by their very actions, the TSA are saying it's okay to treat others the way they do.
It's nice if you can hold your head high and not stoop to their level, but I won't lose any sleep tonight if someone is "snarky" in their comments during filming a TSO.
Mar 11, 2014, 10:12 am
#19
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Without context, I'm really loathe to make much of a judgment here. I suspect that the passenger filming this goaded the TSO into that remark and that behavior. TSOs are supposed to be better than that, of course. But if the passenger filming this was acting like an idiot for ten minutes before this event, this response may actually be quite admirable.
In short ... this video is so short that it's a Rorschach inkblot. People will see in it what they wish to see.
In short ... this video is so short that it's a Rorschach inkblot. People will see in it what they wish to see.
Yeah, maybe someday I too will ignore the rules governing how I do my job and will need empathy so that people will excuse me rather than require me to do my job the way I'm supposed to.
Last edited by Carl Johnson; Mar 12, 2014 at 5:02 am Reason: Removed a portion that made a point I subsequently made in another post
Mar 11, 2014, 12:28 pm
#20
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More detail and background here (will add to first post):
http://freeinfreedom.com/2014/03/11/...elling-public/
http://freeinfreedom.com/2014/03/11/...elling-public/
Mar 11, 2014, 12:30 pm
#21
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In the past, TSO over-reaction at the checkpoint has been justified, in part, because 'disruptive' pax are a distraction that can 'interfere with the screening process' and put everyone in danger (the excuse, IIRC, for going after the shirtless guy with the 4th amendment painted on his torso).
In the interests of safety, staying focused on the mission, TSOs need to realize that when they allow themselves to be distracted - by pax taking photos, their cellphone, conversations with their bros, hot female pax - they put themselves and everyone else at risk.
Ever see the guards at Buckingham Palace? Or our US military at attention? That's an exercise in not allowing one's self to be distracted.
When a TSO like this allows himself to be distracted, he's demonstrating that he's only human, I get that. But he's also behaving unprofessionally and potentially putting everyone at that checkpoint at risk. He's not only allowed himself to be distracted, by his very actions, he's distracting others.
'Sticks and stones'...they're professional folks and should behave accordingly. Their own training warns them of the dangers of one bad guy creating a distraction to enable another bad guy. Fortunately, it appears that this time no one was harmed.
It's a bit like having an OR nurse who freaks at the sight of blood. If you can't maintain professional behavior, perhaps you're in the wrong line of work.
In the interests of safety, staying focused on the mission, TSOs need to realize that when they allow themselves to be distracted - by pax taking photos, their cellphone, conversations with their bros, hot female pax - they put themselves and everyone else at risk.
Ever see the guards at Buckingham Palace? Or our US military at attention? That's an exercise in not allowing one's self to be distracted.
When a TSO like this allows himself to be distracted, he's demonstrating that he's only human, I get that. But he's also behaving unprofessionally and potentially putting everyone at that checkpoint at risk. He's not only allowed himself to be distracted, by his very actions, he's distracting others.
'Sticks and stones'...they're professional folks and should behave accordingly. Their own training warns them of the dangers of one bad guy creating a distraction to enable another bad guy. Fortunately, it appears that this time no one was harmed.
It's a bit like having an OR nurse who freaks at the sight of blood. If you can't maintain professional behavior, perhaps you're in the wrong line of work.
On another note, some years back my nephew, about age 10 at the time, took a bad spill from his bike and went to the hospital. His upper lip had been peeled back by the road and he had a bunch of tears where it met the gums. The doctor numbed him up, but good, and proceded to clip out damaged tissue and stich together what was left.
Meanwhile, an LPN who worked in the ER was holding his head still for the doctor. But this LPN was so disturbed by what was happening that she squatted at the head of the bed so the wound was out of her sight. All of this while the boy's mother and stepfather watched, and so did I, all without blinking, crying, puking, or turning away.
I was, frankly, digusted with this LPN's behavior. If the boy's family could watch it, a professional ER nurse who had never seen him before and had less emotional attachment to him should have been able to watch it. If she got that upset at a fairly minor injury, she would have been completely useless when a car crash victim came in torn to shreds.
I just hope she got out of nursing and into something less upsetting, like maybe the food service or housekeeping industries.
Mar 11, 2014, 8:31 pm
#23
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Forgive me if I don't shed a tear for the TSA. Here is an organization that sees fit to dehumanize travelers at every turn: from "moat dragons" to "barkers," from pat downs of one's "resistance" to private room molestations screenings, it's hard for me personally to garner too much sympathy for the TSO in the video, regardless of "goading" or whatnot that occurs before the film starts.
The TSA reap what they sow. In dehumanizing their fellow man, they in turn are seen as bullies by many and are in danger themselves of being treated in the reprehensible fashion in which they treat others. It's almost as if by their very actions, the TSA are saying it's okay to treat others the way they do.
It's nice if you can hold your head high and not stoop to their level, but I won't lose any sleep tonight if someone is "snarky" in their comments during filming a TSO.
The TSA reap what they sow. In dehumanizing their fellow man, they in turn are seen as bullies by many and are in danger themselves of being treated in the reprehensible fashion in which they treat others. It's almost as if by their very actions, the TSA are saying it's okay to treat others the way they do.
It's nice if you can hold your head high and not stoop to their level, but I won't lose any sleep tonight if someone is "snarky" in their comments during filming a TSO.
Mar 11, 2014, 11:01 pm
#24
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I agree, although my assessment of the "risk" posed by innatentive TSOs is somewhat less than the risk of being struck by lightening twice on the same night (and yes, I saw the recent Facebook viral video of a guy getting struck by lightning twice in a 30 second period). Not impossible, just highly improbable.
On another note, some years back my nephew, about age 10 at the time, took a bad spill from his bike and went to the hospital. His upper lip had been peeled back by the road and he had a bunch of tears where it met the gums. The doctor numbed him up, but good, and proceded to clip out damaged tissue and stich together what was left.
Meanwhile, an LPN who worked in the ER was holding his head still for the doctor. But this LPN was so disturbed by what was happening that she squatted at the head of the bed so the wound was out of her sight. All of this while the boy's mother and stepfather watched, and so did I, all without blinking, crying, puking, or turning away.
I was, frankly, digusted with this LPN's behavior. If the boy's family could watch it, a professional ER nurse who had never seen him before and had less emotional attachment to him should have been able to watch it. If she got that upset at a fairly minor injury, she would have been completely useless when a car crash victim came in torn to shreds.
I just hope she got out of nursing and into something less upsetting, like maybe the food service or housekeeping industries.
On another note, some years back my nephew, about age 10 at the time, took a bad spill from his bike and went to the hospital. His upper lip had been peeled back by the road and he had a bunch of tears where it met the gums. The doctor numbed him up, but good, and proceded to clip out damaged tissue and stich together what was left.
Meanwhile, an LPN who worked in the ER was holding his head still for the doctor. But this LPN was so disturbed by what was happening that she squatted at the head of the bed so the wound was out of her sight. All of this while the boy's mother and stepfather watched, and so did I, all without blinking, crying, puking, or turning away.
I was, frankly, digusted with this LPN's behavior. If the boy's family could watch it, a professional ER nurse who had never seen him before and had less emotional attachment to him should have been able to watch it. If she got that upset at a fairly minor injury, she would have been completely useless when a car crash victim came in torn to shreds.
I just hope she got out of nursing and into something less upsetting, like maybe the food service or housekeeping industries.
They're the ones who have pointed out the grave risk posed by a distraction at the checkpoint; I'm just taking them at their word and asking them to behave accordingly.
The LPN's behavior was completely unacceptable! It's fortunate that she was able to find a way to do what was required of her on that occasion, but she really needs to find another line of work. I hope the doctor follows up on this.
My niece (RN) was training a group of nurses in the hospital once. One of them kept playing with her cellphone. She announced that she had no intention of working in a hospital, ick, she fully intended to work in a doctor's office, so she didn't really need the hospital skills.
As my niece pointed out to her, even in a doctor's office, sometimes things go wrong and if you are the nurse on duty, you had better be able to keep your wits about you and do your job.
Mar 11, 2014, 11:10 pm
#25
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Mar 12, 2014, 4:47 am
#26
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Note that, even in that terribly brief segment, it's not "just" filming. It's filming with an audio commentary. And it's the snarky sound of that commentary that suggests to me that this is the end of a much longer conversation: one that we really should hear in its entirety before rendering final judgment.
Too bad we have no way to hear previous parts of this conversation (if any) or previous conversations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tyVZu3KRJ8
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtj...kZuuSSA/videos
And no videos showing background explaining the behavior recorded in the original video. Like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8qoVX3I_Ac
Too bad the passenger left so much room for speculation about his own behavior and motivations.
Last edited by Carl Johnson; Mar 12, 2014 at 4:58 am
Mar 12, 2014, 10:56 am
#27
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,657
Look, the OP's first posting only had the final 17-second video. No need to be snarky about those of us who weren't willing to do the extensive search to find all of the other videos from the same author. (Occasionally, I do have to spend time at my day job.)
So, following the links provided, I read the webpages describing the interactions on all of those other videos. I'll grant that the TSO (and many others) were wrong about the use of video at the checkpoint, and that the passenger was correct about asserting his rights to record at the checkpoint.
I'll also assert that the video creator seemed to be goading the particular TSO, by deliberately coming back to the same TSO over and over again to assert his legal rights. In that context, the TSO's reaction seems pretty subdued.
So ... yes, the videographer was right, and the TSO was wrong. Mea culpa. Now that the schadenfreude is over, what should we discuss next?
So, following the links provided, I read the webpages describing the interactions on all of those other videos. I'll grant that the TSO (and many others) were wrong about the use of video at the checkpoint, and that the passenger was correct about asserting his rights to record at the checkpoint.
I'll also assert that the video creator seemed to be goading the particular TSO, by deliberately coming back to the same TSO over and over again to assert his legal rights. In that context, the TSO's reaction seems pretty subdued.
So ... yes, the videographer was right, and the TSO was wrong. Mea culpa. Now that the schadenfreude is over, what should we discuss next?
Mar 12, 2014, 11:50 am
#28
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What if the video creator films every time he or she uses a checkpoint and he or she uses the same checkpoint each week on the same date and sees the same agents week in and week out?
Mar 12, 2014, 12:05 pm
#29
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Youtube is filled with videos of Buckingham Palace and the Honor Guards at Arlington reacting to being provoked and challenged..... and several of these videos show that it doesn't always end well for the person who did the provoking.
Last edited by RatherBeOnATrain; Mar 12, 2014 at 12:54 pm Reason: typo
Mar 12, 2014, 1:14 pm
#30
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But I find it just a bit curious that he always encounters exactly the same TSO every time he enters that particular checkpoint. We've heard that TSOs rotate positions from time to time. Gee, why do we only see videos of this one TSO? Why is the videographer so interested in seeing that this one specific TSO learns how to tolerate his videotaping? Why aren't we seeing any videos of him with other TSOs ... presumably, there are a few TSOs who aren't giving him a hassle about this?
Again ... he's completely within his rights to do what he's doing. That doesn't make him a national hero.
