Nightmare at DCA
Jun 14, 2007 | 2:29 pm
#1
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Nightmare at DCA
If you travel enough, you've seen it all -- and possibly some of the awful things that can happen while traveling will have actually happened to you. But nothing I've read about or experienced comes close to what Monica Emmerson experienced while at Reagan National Airport on June 11th while traveling with her 19-month-old toddler. This isn't one of those Catch-22 bureaucratic snafus; this isn't about rules being applied to the letter. This story is mostly about what can happen simply because the authorities in charge decide that they're going to exercise their authority because they can, regardless of whether it's legal or right or makes any sense at all.
The incident started when Monica was stopped while going through airport security because there was water in her son's sippy cup. The sippy cup was seized by TSA. Monica wanted the cup back because the sippy cup was the only way her son would drink -- and it was a long flight between Washington, DC and Reno, Nevada where she was going for a family reunion. If you've ever had a toddler you understand about sippy cups.
So she was willing to spill the water out. Drink the water. Anything -- all that she wanted was to be able to have a cup that her 19-month-old toddler could drink from.
Here's what happened in Monica's words:
The incident started when Monica was stopped while going through airport security because there was water in her son's sippy cup. The sippy cup was seized by TSA. Monica wanted the cup back because the sippy cup was the only way her son would drink -- and it was a long flight between Washington, DC and Reno, Nevada where she was going for a family reunion. If you've ever had a toddler you understand about sippy cups.
So she was willing to spill the water out. Drink the water. Anything -- all that she wanted was to be able to have a cup that her 19-month-old toddler could drink from.
Here's what happened in Monica's words:
http://www.nowpublic.com/nightmare_a...curity_stories
Jun 14, 2007 | 2:38 pm
#2
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Sure as night follows day, there will undoubtedly be a post or two questioning the veracity of the story.
If it happened as Monica says it did, it would not surprise me. Much of the TSA's behavior the past five plus years can only be described as the exercise of arbitrary and irrational authority over the traveling public. Sad, as I believe Americans deserve better than this sort of mistreatment.
If it happened as Monica says it did, it would not surprise me. Much of the TSA's behavior the past five plus years can only be described as the exercise of arbitrary and irrational authority over the traveling public. Sad, as I believe Americans deserve better than this sort of mistreatment.
Jun 14, 2007 | 2:45 pm
#3
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Yup, the despicable behavior and arbitrarily applied "author-i-tah" is eerily similar to that exhibited by the AVH in communist-ruled Hungary and by the Stasi in East Germany.
Some people are keeping score, folks, and when this disgusting experiment in federal airport "security" is ended, there may very well be serious reprisals against those who shamefully harassed and wronged their fellow citizens.
Some people are keeping score, folks, and when this disgusting experiment in federal airport "security" is ended, there may very well be serious reprisals against those who shamefully harassed and wronged their fellow citizens.
Jun 14, 2007 | 2:54 pm
#4
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<devil's advocate>
"Accidentally spilled". Uh-huh.
</devil's advocate>
Of course if the first screener hadn't been such a TSAss, she wouldn't have had the opportunity to spill the water, accidentally or otherwise.
Why on earth couldn't she be allowed to drink the water RIGHT THERE ?
Oh, it was DCA - 'nuff said.
Jun 14, 2007 | 2:56 pm
#6
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Read the rest of the story:
http://www.nowpublic.com/nightmare_a...curity_stories
http://www.nowpublic.com/nightmare_a...curity_stories
Commenter 'fooba':
I think it's time for another Tea Party- everyone should peacefully protest this tyrannical behavior and bring through security a bottle of plain old iced tea...
Jun 14, 2007 | 4:43 pm
#8
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This isn't the first slap of negative publicity that's hit the TSA - there's been a long legacy of flaps dating back to the teacher and her dangerous bookmark, and perhaps even before then.
Given the turning tide of public opinion against the TSA and its use as the butt of jokes on late night TV and the movies, one would think TSA management sent a memo down to the field asking them to exercise good judgment when dealing with these types of situations to avoid further embarrassment to the agency.
Or - do they sit in ivory towers claiming they are accountable to no one, invincible in their authority, so it matters not what anyone thinks of them?
Given the turning tide of public opinion against the TSA and its use as the butt of jokes on late night TV and the movies, one would think TSA management sent a memo down to the field asking them to exercise good judgment when dealing with these types of situations to avoid further embarrassment to the agency.
Or - do they sit in ivory towers claiming they are accountable to no one, invincible in their authority, so it matters not what anyone thinks of them?
Jun 14, 2007 | 5:36 pm
#10
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I'm all for tarring and feathering overzealous federal officials. Unfortunately, any "backlash" will be limited to scaling back and (with a bit of luck) dismantling the agency and returning their work to the private sector.
Since the advent of the liquids stupidity, it does seem that public sentiment has shifted, but I wonder how much of that perception is do mostly to who I hang out with and what I read (esp. FT)?
I can dream, can't I?
Since the advent of the liquids stupidity, it does seem that public sentiment has shifted, but I wonder how much of that perception is do mostly to who I hang out with and what I read (esp. FT)?
I can dream, can't I?
Jun 14, 2007 | 6:21 pm
#11
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:
Outrageous? Yes. New/s?? Not even close.
[...]
To call this incident "A Security Story to End all Security Stories" is stretching it ... because there have been far worse endings than this one. And because there's no end in sight to Kabuki Security.
[...]
To call this incident "A Security Story to End all Security Stories" is stretching it ... because there have been far worse endings than this one. And because there's no end in sight to Kabuki Security.
but ^
Jun 14, 2007 | 7:00 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 736
Think of the children (being indoctrinated)
The children angle reminds me of something very scary and sad I saw at CMH recently. A mom was going through the line with an approx 4-6 year old son. ID checker checks mom's ID and BP, looks at child's BP and then stoops down and looks at the child
"What is your name"?
The boy replied with his name.
The revenue checker/ma-pa kettle satisfier looked carefully at the boy and let them go.
I recall questions like this being asked years ago on a land crossing to Canada, but that's reasonable since its changing borders - not simply flying on a plane!
The guy asking the kid for his name to be able to travel made me think I was in the old Eastern Europe. Really Hacked me off!
"What is your name"?
The boy replied with his name.
The revenue checker/ma-pa kettle satisfier looked carefully at the boy and let them go.
I recall questions like this being asked years ago on a land crossing to Canada, but that's reasonable since its changing borders - not simply flying on a plane!
The guy asking the kid for his name to be able to travel made me think I was in the old Eastern Europe. Really Hacked me off!
Jun 14, 2007 | 7:05 pm
#13
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Jun 14, 2007 | 7:37 pm
#14
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I'm sorry to say this but none of this will change unless enough people refuse to patronize the airlines that permit their customers to be treated like this. They are willing partners in our harrassment and humiliation and yet their planes are full. If they experience financial pain, they will insist it be changed.
Jun 14, 2007 | 8:10 pm
#15
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It is not just the TSA...
In the story the word "officer" is used a lot, I think this is in reference to the Police Officer.
"At this point, I was detained against my will by the police officer and threatened to be arrested for endangering other passengers with the spilled 3 to 4 ounces of water. ..."
So it is not just the inept seemingly power hungry TSA that should be cause for concern... but also the inept seemingly power hungry police as well.
"At this point, I was detained against my will by the police officer and threatened to be arrested for endangering other passengers with the spilled 3 to 4 ounces of water. ..."
So it is not just the inept seemingly power hungry TSA that should be cause for concern... but also the inept seemingly power hungry police as well.