TSA is, successfully, being used as a tool/force multiplier for those who resent our way of life. It is a toxic dance, conflating essential elements of air travel security with faux law enforcement. In order to prevent their supplying aid and comfort to the enemy, the TSA -must- adopt a "don't ask, don't tell" policy to anything not directly related to keeping weapons off the aircraft.

The TSA is willing to destroy our country to "save it".

TSA recently introduced a sycophantic iPhone App that is being pounded in its reviews.

Everywhere the TSA has a public presence they are being pounded. Let us all keep up that good work in the hope that the will join McCarthy in the history books.

Birdstrike - very well put, ^^ to you. that sums up the situation nicely.

And there's the problem. I don't think "something [we] believe is illegal" is as clear cut as that.

On Monday, you see someone in line for the checkpoint pull a knife and cut the throat of the person in front of him. Do you call a LEO?

On Tuesday, you see someone take something out of the pocket of a bag held by the person in front of him, without the owner of the bag noticing. Do you call a LEO?

On Wednesday (you're in for a rough week, BTW), you see a photograph of a naked toddler in someone's bag when you open it to do a random ETD swab. The ETD doesn't alarm. Do you call a LEO about the photo?

On Thursday, you see a big stack of $100 bills wrapped in rubber bands in someone's bag when you open it to do a random ETD swab. The ETD doesn't alarm. Do you call a LEO about the cash?

On Friday, you see a bag of white powder in someone's bag when you open it to do a random ETD swab. The ETD doesn't alarm. Do you call a LEO about the powder?

On Saturday, you see a plain DVD hand-labeled "Avatar" in someone's bag when you open it to do a random ETD swab. The ETD doesn't alarm. Do you call a LEO about the DVD?

If you would call a LEO for the first five events, but not the DVD (and previous discussion here suggests that's the "SOP"), why not the DVD? Are you unable to believe that it's illegal? Or is it not illegal enough? Why the difference?

But now let's put this the other way around. I'm a private citizen with no gov't authority, LEO or military responsibility or experience.

On Monday, I see someone attack someone else with a knife. I would call a LEO (immediately, at the top of my lungs!).

On Tuesday, I see a possible pickpocketing. If we were all waiting in line and the pickpocket didn't leave, I would ask someone else to go get the police while I kept an eye on the person. I'd be aware that maybe the two people were together and it was not an actual theft.

On Wednesday, I'm behind you in line at Starbucks. In your wallet is a photo of a nude toddler. I, as a private citizen, would not call a LEO. Do you think I should?

On Thursday, same Starbucks, I see a huge wad of cash when you open your wallet. I, as a private citizen, would not call a LEO. Do you think I should?

On Friday, you get to Starbucks earlier. I see you sitting at a table, with a bag of white powder next to your latte. I, as a private citizen, would not call a LEO. Do you think I should?

On Saturday, you're at Starbucks with a hand labelled DVD that is probably illegally copied. I, as a private citizen, would not call a LEO. Do you think I should?

The question needs to be asked - if there is a difference between what you think you should report, and what a private citizen should report, why? Note that none of the things above (with the exception of a knife that hasn't gone through the checkpoint yet) is a WEI. So the difference between what you report and what I report is not based on your responsibility to screen for WEI. And when your SOP says "report anything you believe is illegal", where do you draw the line?

It's not as clear cut, you are correct. But you seem to assume that many of the senerios you describe that I as a government agent would call a LEO. I would not; thus, the basis of what you state and the question you ask is incorrect.

How can a question be incorrect?

Because the assumptions she makes are incorrect.

Specfically RG asked:

"The question needs to be asked - if there is a difference between what you think you should report, and what a private citizen should report, why?"

I never said there was a difference - what I had said is people here have said on various times, in various threads regarding a wide range of topics, that once we out on the uniform and badge we are tovernmet agents. So they see a difference; I never myself said we are government "agents" - I consider myself a screener and yes, government employee. But I make mo distinction her question states. So the question she specifically asked me is incorrect.

I'm not trying to put words in RG mouth but I think the point she is making is where do you as a TSA employee draw the line on things you would report.

Any assumed illegal activity or just some assumed illegal activites?

I may have it wrong but that is my take.

well, then, that's what you should have said. It is not possible for a question to be "incorrect."

What is the difference between being a government "employee" and a government "agent?"

To the general public, the difference of the two terms is probably negligible. To someone who works in the Federal Law Enforcement or Intelligence community, the two terms have totally different connotations. It depends greatly on usage and context.

FB

I have enough problems with TSA employees calling themselves "officers", trying to call themselves "agents" exceeds all credibility!

I was just commenting on the question asked. I was not implying that TSA employees be called agents.

FB

Okay, same question, with emphasis:
if there is a difference between what you think you (as a government employee, on the clock) should report, and what a private citizen should report, why?

Maybe there's not a difference. You said that you would not call a LEO in "many of those scenarios" but you didn't say which ones. Are you now saying you would never call a LEO if you found photos of naked children, large amounts of cash, or bags of white powder while searching a bag?

There are really only three choices: (1) you can say that you think private citizens should report those things, or (2) you can say that you would never report those things which working at the checkpoint, or (3) you can admit there's a difference between what you think you should report and what you think I should report. If the answer is (3), I'm asking why that is so.

Didn't mean to imply that you were. Just a comment nothing more and certainly not directed at you.

Same question I'd like answered.

And as I clearly stated, the term "agent" comes from this web-site, from critics of TSA. It is not my "term". I consider myself a screener.

You leave much out if your questions. For example, my family has naked pictures of their children - heck, don't most of us? Playing at the beach as a child, running through a sprinkler? We still have a pic of my dad bathing my 2 brothers and I in a shower when we were little. Why would I call a LEO for something like that? (but I will still state, and put up as a bet everything I own, that if a TSO saw pics like I described and did the right thing and minded their own business - and it later turns out those children in the pics were being abused, FT would have a field day bashing TSA for letting it slip by them).

All of your senerios leave much out and it's not possible for me answer clearly yes or no.

But to your first question, regarding is there a difference: I believe thee answer is no, there is not. So since there is ni difference, in my opinion, your next question as to why is moot.

Actually, it is possible. When you look at things the wrong way, you ask the incorrect questions.

I don't exactly know what a government agent is: but I have read quiet a few post on various threads here - written by critics of TSA - who flat out state that once we (TSOs) but on the uniform and badge, we are government agents. So I ran with that I my example, considering many here consider me to be such.

If you find out what it is, please let me know.