Another One Bites The Dust...
 

First and foremost, I do understand the anger concerning the new screening methodology and I'm on the fence on whether or not these policies push beyond the original intent for administrative searches; I feel that the efforts of many of those on this forum and elsewhere may have actually gained traction in legislative action and Court review to finally determine where that line lies. However, it is an utter fallacy and repulsive when so many members of this forum continually insult TSA employees with such colorful names as "goons," "apes," "pedophiles," Nazis," and "rapists" (just to name a few), insult their intelligence by calling them "workfare workfarce," "high school drop out burger flippers," and actually assert that most are criminals. As unfounded and untruthful these statements are when applied to the majority of the workforce, I still attempted to participate in discussions and debates on FT; however, that has come to an end with the disgusting assertion by some posters on TS&S that the TSA employees' actions are treasonous. A good number of those TSA employees were veterans of the uniformed services prior to joining the TSA; these veterans have served in peacetime and in war and continue to do so, since many of them are still members of the National Guard and the Reserves. I count myself proudly among these individuals and have NO REGRETS WHATSOEVER about my chosen profession and the agency in which I serve. I take my Oath seriously, as I have done since first swearing to it over twenty one years ago, and will continue to do so for as long as I am blessed to serve. It is not a responsibility I take lightly; I carry a battered pocket copy of the Constitution in my "bug-out" bag every day to work with me. My fellow employees and I neither ask for kudos or recognition for our efforts nor are we close-minded to legitimate criticism; as public servants it is our duty to have such exchanges with those whom we serve. It is unfortunate that the vitriolic diatribes that have become so prevalent here on TS&S have quelled any real hopes of exchanging information and discussing these issues with all of the concerned parties involved. I actually had a poster earlier this morning hope for me to die in the line of duty upon reading in a post that I was a Federal LEO and also wish for all TSA employees to die from cancer. It is unfortunate that I have even caught myself angrily responding from time to time and that is not the hallmark of an individual making a reasoned response. Since it is quite clear that the opinions of those who serve in the TSA are not really welcomed by so many on FT TS&S in an effort to further discussions and debate, this shall be my final post. For a long time, I have enjoyed the discussions here and have gained a perspective from the traveler's point of view that I have valued and considered when performing my duties and I am thankful to all who aided me in gaining this insight.

Happy holidays and good travels to you all,

TB

Insulting TSA workers only makes it easier for them to dehumanize you.

It's counterproductive.

See: http://www.prisonexp.org/

I agree with everything you have said......and what is funny is you posted at 6:42 this morning and not 1 person has posted a "slamming" reply, which seems that most of the posts in this forum are "slams". I too have opted out of FT, and although I am thick skinned it is beyond me how some people are just plain angry in their lives.....and nothing is ever truly positive in here.....good luck to you and thank you for keeping our country free and safe!!

Nice post but further proof that people can be brainwashed. "Take my oath seriously" and "carry a copy of the Constitution in my bag every day"?

How bout this: try reading it sometime.

You are not a federal LEO. You are a screener. It's that attitude that breeds the disdain you talk about.

Thank you for your military service and Happy Thanksgiving.

OK, I lied. This IS my last post, so off to work I go! Anyway, to your comment above...that's strange because my SF50 says I am a Federal LEO, plus they were kind enough to provide me a badge, credentials, and a firearm to confirm this status. I never have claimed to be a screener, but I am indeed a member of OLE/FAMS. ;)

Thank you and to you as well.

TB

I'm sorry that you are leaving. I hope you will lurk from time to time.

Yes, we get abusive and over the top in our criticism from time to time. It is a somewhat normal thing to do when one feels out of control and is passionate about trying to get things done. Anonymity helps to grease the skids to unnecessary vitriol.

I, for one, do not feel that TSA employees are treasonous and I that you are correct that this goes over the top. But, I do feel that the TSA as an agency has adopted policies that are antithetical to the protection of liberty that The Constitution was formulated to protect. It appears that its goal is to specifically try to find ways to further circumvent those liberties while operating just at the edge of legal permissibility. And they do it with absolutely mind numbingly poor public relations and attitude.

I apologize if any of my criticisms of your employer seemed directed at you personally. I do not know you, except from your postings, and I try to create dialog with some of the TSA folks here and I usually end up being accused of useless rhetoric, or lies, or I do not know anything about what I am writing about. So that door swings both ways.

As for me, if I were to examine the job that I do and how it affects people and the value that it provides, and I found that what I do insults millions of people, alienates them from the government, subjects them to dehumanizing procedures, instills fear whether accurately or not, and is done with an attitude of superiority of we know best so shut up, I would consider that I might look for an opportunity in which I did not have to put myself in that position.

And I would take less money if that is what it meant. My conscience can not be sold.

where was this alleged post?

I find it impossible to speak with respect or appreciation about someone who continues his employment as a paid molester of innocent people who do not want his hands on their body and who can be forced to submit to such monstrous indignities under coercive, punitive laws, and rules and who implements a system of "SECRET LAWS" which the people who are held to obedience of those laws are not even permitted to READ or know that law.

For the people who enable and empower such a system I have nothing but contempt.

Yet, I must agree the poster who wished death and cancer to anyone was "Out of bounds", over the top. That was itself repugnant and unacceptable speech.
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edited to add: I too, thought you presented yourself as a TSA screener. My comment in this thread was framed around that perception of your online persona.

It is unfortunate, but certainly understandable, why the American traveler now sees the TSA as an agency to despise. I have had a good opinion of the TSA employees that I normally encounter, usually MSP, for many years. I am hoping that the employees will understand the reason for the public animosity and also lobby for changes to the current system. Pressure from all sides, including from the ranks, would move the cause along faster.

I've said several times on here that we can hate the TSA without hating the TSOs.

I firmly disagree with what the TSA has implemented as the policy. I personally believe it is unconstitutional. I do not believe touching passengers between their legs or virtually strip-searching them is a reasonable search under the Fourth Amendment -- even administrative and special needs searches must be reasonable. I do not believe one person who decided to sew explosives into his underwear is justification for touching passengers between their legs any more than one person shoving C4 inside themselves would be justification for cavity searches.

It is easy for many to say that they would quit their job if they were forced to grope people. But if, say, you're a single parent with children, knowing that if you quit you cannot get unemployment compensation and until you find another job your children may not be able to eat (it takes awhile for food stamps to get approved), it's a much different situation. "If you don't like it you can just quit" is therefore not, in my opinion, the attitude that we should be using to justify abusing individual TSOs.

If you are still reading this thread though, and care to respond, I have a question for you. Have you received the same type of abuse from passengers as you have on here in response to the new procedures?

I am going to somewhat disagree.

The TSA is made up of TSO's and other employees. People make decisions, people take actions. Organizations don't do anything. The people who make up those organizations are the ones doing it.

We shouldn't hate TSO's personally, but we can surely hate the decisions they make and the actions they take. Attempting to transfer responsibility to the organization of the TSA is simply deflection.

What bothers me is hearing one TSA officer comment to another officer, "that I (she) just had an opt-out and that women is going to learn a lesson".

Clearly, you nor your colleagues (on the screener level) developed these new rules, but surely you should not take pleasure in enforcing them as a means of punishment.

Dan

Personally, I'd prefer the OP stick around. We have enough TSOs posting, yet not many FAMs/LEOs. If they really are an LEO, then they have a specific perspective about administrative vs. authoritative searches.

Sorry to see you go, TerminalBliss. You and I have had a number of healthy debates, and there have been times when I've agreed with you, and I've made an effort to acknowledge that.

Safe travels to you. ;)