doober

Tough. Get used to it.

bocastephen

I'm in - but for both myself and others, I'd suggest choosing an airport that you don't use. So for me, I'd be willing to hand out leaflets at MIA or PBI, but not FLL.

For the LAX crew, you might want to swap between LAX, SNA, ONT, LGB and BUR depending on which airports you rarely use.

Also, we should check local ordinances regarding 1st Amendment access to the non-sterile area, or even the departures roadway outside the terminal building. In some cases a permit might need to be applied for.

clrankin

I'm in for IAD and DCA, perhaps BWI if that's where we get more people willing to do this.

If we pick DCA might I also suggest that if there are enough of us to make it newsworthy, we hop on the Metro and go a few stops down to Pentagon City where we can stand in front of TSA HQ and issue some sort of press release/statement to the media?

Edited to add another thought too... if we can get these signs ready before Labor Day weekend, I'm willing to spend a bit of time at DCA putting them in places like restrooms, etc. Hanging them up in stalls and leaving a few around when no TSA/LEO folks are in there might prove useful and certainly would be a method of distributing information that could keep folks out of trouble. (Unless there's cameras in restroom stalls, nobody knows who's taping the signs to the back of the doors.)

Boggie Dog

Exactly how is it interfering with the screening process to educate travelers?

Perhaps if TSA had done some education instead of feeling up little kids there would be less anger.

Oh, if you really feel handing out leaflets violates your rights in some way then I suggest you use that court system you talked about.

essxjay

I have no fear of ridicule from pax, and would be willing to hand out fliers on my own if I could get some legal coaching (other than watching Flex Your Rights videos) on what I may and may not do beforehand.

Ping me when you've got a flier or pamphlet. ^

A born promoter!

neko

Here would be my agenda. It's actually not very online oriented. I think many people rant on FT when they are badly treated, then they "feel better" and, having busy lives, they don't always go to the hard effort of following up. (guilty)

Communicate Write to your Congresspersons and ask about their position on intrusive physical searches in airports. Write back to support or oppose their position. If you make a complaint to TSA that's not resolved to your satisfaction, contact them. They do have aides who deal with this stuff (constituency services). It might be useful to contact congresspeople on relevant subcomittees.

If you are outside the US and have bad experiences in the US, write to the American embassy or consulate in your home country and let them know that your experience negatively impacts your willingness to travel or do business there. (Not a good idea in some countries, of course.)

I'd include the usual letter to newspaper, online forum, social network, etc. But I think perhaps people rant too much on FT and similar and don't follow up. OTOH, don't underestimate the netroots...

Contact local authorities State legislature/city mayor, also state/city tourism agencies. There's less volume of mail, it can get more attention. Take the time to look up legislative districts, people's names, etc. TSA is federal, but economy and tourism are local issues. If you have problems at an airport where you have been a tourist and it discourages you from traveling there again, make sure relevant people know it. Don't just rant on FT, then blow it off.

Show impact. Your travel has economic and business impact, so leverage the influence of those who are affected.

If you are or have been a frequent flyer and reduce your air travel a lot, let your airline(s) know why. "It's not about you..."

Bring it up with your employer that travel is becoming a problem and why (obviously not a good idea for everyone, but many companies want to be responsive and don't want to lose their best employees). If women seem to be disproportionately targeted, raise that issue as well.

Complain effectively If you have a problem, complain and followup effectively. Don't just rant on FT, then blow it off.

Try to get to the airport in plenty of time, so you don't have to overlook inappropriate behavior because you're rushing for your flight.. Make sure to get names, write them down. File a complaint form. Report it to the TSA number. Make it clear that you expect a response. Follow up with registered letters to the airport security director, TSA, and cc your Congressperson, if need be. If an LEO is involved, follow up with the relevant police department, even if it's only to ask for a copy of a report.

Donate. Write or email to find out all relevant candidates' positions on this issue (it's an election year, they want to know what hot button issues are). Donate and/or work for campaigns (or not) accordingly. Make sure you let them know why.

If there aren't suitable candidates in your district, keep an eye on this board for pointers to news reports about politicians/candidates who are addressing this problem. Support them. Let them know why. Ditto ACLU or similar.

Put your money where your opinion is. Don't just rant on FT, then blow it off. One flight you don't take is a couple of $100 donations, no?

Don't fly Don't fly if you can avoid it. But a lot of flying isn't really optional - work or family obligations, so I don't see that this is much use other than for personal protection.

Emigrate. Not joking. With foot is by far the most impactful vote.

Gargoyle

I thought the TSA has made it abundantly clear that they are above the constitution and that they courts have no jurisdiction over them.

GUWonder

As I suggested before in another thread about this approach, handing a pamphlet -- and perhap an additional copy or two -- to the person(s) behind you in the security line to keep it and/or pass it along to the passenger behind them should be fine since passenger-to-passenger communication is not generally prohibited at US airports. However, it will first come down to local ordinances/state law compliance.

Getting EPIC/EFF/ACLU involved in advance may be useful. The above suggestion to do this at an airport that you don't intend to use again any time soon/regularly also makes sense since if there is local meddling in the exercise of a First Amendment right, there may well be a TRO-type injunction that gets put into place.

doober

Did some googling of "PANYNJ leaflets in airports" and found a couple of items:

http://www.zundelsite.org/basic_articles/alert.002.html

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/script...=482&invol=569

How the PANYNJ would look at someone distributing leaflets voicing displeasure with the TSA could be a different story.

I am nearest ABE which I don't think is yet in line for NoS. I could go to EWR but as Deb said, I'd want someone with me who knows the law. (I'm an even older grandma, Deb.)

greentips

And don't forget on car windshields in the parking lots. Alas, I'm away from the air carrier airports.

InkUnderNails

We need a catch phrase. Here is my stab at it.

TSA Gawk or Grope? No to both!

essxjay

Not bad! ^

FriendlySkies

I'd love to help, especially if we can get some helpers in DEN! We can even visit a DEN TSO who I believe is on FT.

Oh noes!!

I've always thought about bringing signs about the nude-o-scopes to the airport bathrooms. With two or three people, you could probably cover the un-sterile area of an entire airport..

His shirts are great! I love wearing my "Blogger Bob Says:..." shirt when I go through the checkpoint. I've gotten a lot of looks from TSOs, but I smile back, muttering things under my breath

Wally Bird

AIRPORT not AIRPORN !

InkUnderNails

^