Austin, Texas, Forming Solid Resistance to TSA
Feb 8, 2011 | 1:50 pm
#16
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I doubt the Port of Portland Commission is reading this thread. You're going to have to do a little more work than that.
PDX is owned by the Port of Portland.
THE PORT OF PORTLAND
BOX 3529
PORTLAND, OR 97208
The Port Commission is appointed by the Governor and approved by the State Senate.
They also have a community outreach program and open meetings, but don't seem to have a citizens' advisory board, as in Austin.
PDX also has an International Air Service Committee. This is a group of business leaders who lobby airlines to support international flights to PDX - they may also be interested in factors that affect the desirability of PDX as a int'l transport hub.
PDX is owned by the Port of Portland.
THE PORT OF PORTLAND
BOX 3529
PORTLAND, OR 97208
The Port Commission is appointed by the Governor and approved by the State Senate.
They also have a community outreach program and open meetings, but don't seem to have a citizens' advisory board, as in Austin.
PDX also has an International Air Service Committee. This is a group of business leaders who lobby airlines to support international flights to PDX - they may also be interested in factors that affect the desirability of PDX as a int'l transport hub.
Feb 8, 2011 | 1:54 pm
#17
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All three Houston area airports are owned by the City of Houston (Houston Airport System) contact information, and community affairs.
It would be better to pose the question to the City of Houston, which has a city council and a mayor ([email protected]).
Austin is perhaps unusual in having a citizens' airport advisory board (and, yes, in other ways too
). But that doesn't mean that their progress isn't the result of a lot hard work on the part of a lot of people.
It would be better to pose the question to the City of Houston, which has a city council and a mayor ([email protected]).
Austin is perhaps unusual in having a citizens' airport advisory board (and, yes, in other ways too
). But that doesn't mean that their progress isn't the result of a lot hard work on the part of a lot of people.
Feb 8, 2011 | 3:31 pm
#18
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,145
I agree that this is mostly symbolic. There are two very definite (potential) positives that I see here though:
1. There is actual organized opposition to the TSA on the local level. Once you have local organization in numbers those people can show up en masse at the local airport to picket and hand out literature for a day. Once you do this, they can go from having 10 opt-outs a day to 1000, and the number of calls and letters to the local congressman will increase likewise.
1. There is actual organized opposition to the TSA on the local level. Once you have local organization in numbers those people can show up en masse at the local airport to picket and hand out literature for a day. Once you do this, they can go from having 10 opt-outs a day to 1000, and the number of calls and letters to the local congressman will increase likewise.
Feb 8, 2011 | 3:39 pm
#19
Join Date: May 2010
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Feb 8, 2011 | 3:43 pm
#20
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SXSW is coming up in a few weeks (March 11-20)... anyone in a position to introduce the organizers to the Airport Advisory Board?
Can you imagine the effects of thousands of tech/media savvy professionals all opting out at the airport that week?
Can you imagine the effects of thousands of tech/media savvy professionals all opting out at the airport that week?
Feb 8, 2011 | 5:34 pm
#21
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 111
An organized group could buy refundable tickets for an evening flight, show up at 8am, go through the line, exit and repeat all day long. Each time through they could leave some metal in their pocket to make sure they triggered the alarm, resulting in a pat down.
It might be a bigger story than the national opt out day.
It might be a bigger story than the national opt out day.
Feb 8, 2011 | 8:27 pm
#22
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http://www.thenewamerican.com/index....istance-to-tsa
I wish my state had leaders instead of walking, talking sewer pipes. Why can't every state be Texas?
I wish my state had leaders instead of walking, talking sewer pipes. Why can't every state be Texas?
But if every state was Texas, then no state would be.
And I have to admit, as heartening as it is to see organized resistance to TSA, old cynical me doesn't really believe that they have a snowball's chance in the Abode of the Fallen Angels of actually making a dent, either in the Fed or in nation-wide public opinion.
Feb 8, 2011 | 8:46 pm
#23
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Well done Austin. Alas, this would never have happened in DFW, where the predominant personality is a judicious mix of Yosemite Sam and Hermann Goehring.
Feb 8, 2011 | 11:33 pm
#24
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From the story, a link:
http://tsatyranny.com/
Wow. Wonder if these folks could be requested to travel around and educate others...that website looks awesome.
http://tsatyranny.com/
Wow. Wonder if these folks could be requested to travel around and educate others...that website looks awesome.
Feb 9, 2011 | 6:35 am
#25
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 629
Then, on Dec. 22, Austinite Claire HIrschkind was arrested at ABIA, as reported in The New American.
When she showed up for a flight and simply asked a question about the presence of scanners, her inquiry prompted the TSA to require her submission to a pat down. Her objection caused the TSA to become hostile and resulted in a public treatment of Mrs. Hirschkind that horrified Austinites. The incident ended in her arrest and banishment from the airport for six months. She has retained counsel and is currently seeking legal redress. Her story gained national attention and rallied the support of others who had already had enough of TSA assaults.
When she showed up for a flight and simply asked a question about the presence of scanners, her inquiry prompted the TSA to require her submission to a pat down. Her objection caused the TSA to become hostile and resulted in a public treatment of Mrs. Hirschkind that horrified Austinites. The incident ended in her arrest and banishment from the airport for six months. She has retained counsel and is currently seeking legal redress. Her story gained national attention and rallied the support of others who had already had enough of TSA assaults.
I had planned to fly out of the US from an airport without the scanners with a refundable ticket, and then just reschedule after refusing a rubdown, but this 6 month ban thing puts a new wrinkle in that strategy. It is like they have foreseen such plans and have attempted to thwart them. Notice how there is no talk of any kind of a 6 month ban until it actually happens. This kind of story should sicken anyone who cares about freedom to even the smallest extent. Read the story the article links to. The DHS/TSA is out of control and obviously answerable to no one. I'd like to imagine a mexican standoff between Austin Police and a cadre of Air Marshalls, but that is fantasy. In the US cops are *always* pro-government. They will do exactly what the DHS/TSA tells them to.
Feb 9, 2011 | 7:18 am
#26
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An excellent article:
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Bravin.....-a0142206826
^^
Braving the culture of fear: an elected official examines how Americans have become prisoners of their own anxiety.
Benjamin Franklin warned that those who would sacrifice liberty to seek safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. But even worse are those who sacrifice liberty without achieving any greater safety. Much of this might be justified if there were some rational relationship to the actual threats. But that is rarely the case.
Feb 9, 2011 | 8:28 am
#27
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Interesting coming out of Texas. The same state that thought taking over 500 kids from their parents in a paramilitary raid with no probably cause was a good idea. Texas' stomping on people's freedom and liberty and basic human (and child) rights makes the TSA seem like patriots.
That said, I hope what's happening in Austin with regard to the TSA spreads. It keeps light on the issue, raises awareness, and each credible opposition (as opposed to exaggeration and FUD) lends weight. Wimpie, good post btw.
That said, I hope what's happening in Austin with regard to the TSA spreads. It keeps light on the issue, raises awareness, and each credible opposition (as opposed to exaggeration and FUD) lends weight. Wimpie, good post btw.
Feb 9, 2011 | 8:37 am
#28
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Interesting coming out of Texas. The same state that thought taking over 500 kids from their parents in a paramilitary raid with no probably cause was a good idea. Texas' stomping on people's freedom and liberty and basic human (and child) rights makes the TSA seem like patriots.
That said, I hope what's happening in Austin with regard to the TSA spreads. It keeps light on the issue, raises awareness, and each credible opposition (as opposed to exaggeration and FUD) lends weight. Wimpie, good post btw.
That said, I hope what's happening in Austin with regard to the TSA spreads. It keeps light on the issue, raises awareness, and each credible opposition (as opposed to exaggeration and FUD) lends weight. Wimpie, good post btw.
Feb 9, 2011 | 8:44 am
#29
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I believe he was referring to the YFZ Ranch raid in 2008
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YFZ_Ranch
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YFZ_Ranch
Feb 9, 2011 | 9:01 am
#30
Join Date: Oct 2008
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About 3 years ago Texas authorities raided the YFZ ranch and took over 500 children (infants through 17 year olds). The raid was based on a single phone call from a girl claiming to be a 16 year old held against her will at the ranch. Investigators later admitted they knew that the call was placed from Colorado, not from YFZ or anywhere in Texas.
The ranch is a group of Mormons, most of whom live a polygynous lifestyle. Court rulings found the raid to be unwarranted, illegal, and eventually ordered all children returned to their parents. Five people ended up being prosecuted for sex with underage girls (who they were supposedly married to). Only one of the girls would testify against her husband, the others said that they were happy in their marriage and had sex with their husbands willingly.
I interviewed a number of people connected with this thing. Warren Jeffs, their leader when the raid happened, is creepy and IMHO probably should be locked up. The guy whose wife testified against him was kinda creepy too. The rest of the people at the ranch are extremely nice, intelligent, hard-working folks who just want to live their lives. Just about everyone in every family I talked to was far happier in their family, marriage, and daily life than other average Americans. There are no kids born and raised out of wedlock or by single-parents. Investigating for potential child abuse was as warranted at YFZ as in any neighborhood or apartment building in the U.S. Removing over 500 children without cause was not.
The ranch is a group of Mormons, most of whom live a polygynous lifestyle. Court rulings found the raid to be unwarranted, illegal, and eventually ordered all children returned to their parents. Five people ended up being prosecuted for sex with underage girls (who they were supposedly married to). Only one of the girls would testify against her husband, the others said that they were happy in their marriage and had sex with their husbands willingly.
I interviewed a number of people connected with this thing. Warren Jeffs, their leader when the raid happened, is creepy and IMHO probably should be locked up. The guy whose wife testified against him was kinda creepy too. The rest of the people at the ranch are extremely nice, intelligent, hard-working folks who just want to live their lives. Just about everyone in every family I talked to was far happier in their family, marriage, and daily life than other average Americans. There are no kids born and raised out of wedlock or by single-parents. Investigating for potential child abuse was as warranted at YFZ as in any neighborhood or apartment building in the U.S. Removing over 500 children without cause was not.