I know there has been talk of females traveling alone getting targeted for the Scope 'n' Grope, but after I was picked yet again this morning, a lawyer friend suggested that I might be on a local watch list for CMH. Why?

1) I have been selected at CMH 3 out of the 4 times I have been there in 2011
2) My FT handle leaves little guessing as to my identity
3) I post frequently about experiences at CMH
4) I have never been selected at BOS (yet)

Does anyone know if a list like that exists? Is there a clue or signal I should be watching for between the TDC and the (always male) screener who gives me the dreaded, "Are you wearing a belt? Do you have anything in your pockets?" line?

I am just trying to figure out why I am so frequently picked at CMH, and ONLY at CMH. I suppose it is possible that the screeners there are just "exceptional", but really, it is getting old. I get a free grope almost every month!

They're grooming you up for "Trusted Traveler," so you'll be willing to give up a lot more personal information to stop the groping.

The gropes are the TSAs punitive measure. Ask too many questions? More groping. Mouth off to one of the blue-shirts? That's more groping, too. Opt out of the Nude-O-Scope? More groping.

And for most of the sheeple, it seems to be an effective training method. Moreso when Pistole can lie to CNN and claim that the gropes only happen to people who opt-out.

If such a list was in place, you are assuming that the guy checking your ID has it memorized and when he sees your ID or boarding pass signals they need to check you.

It's possible the list is very short and they all have it memorized (if there was such a list) but I would think it was for other reasons.

See, this makes me wonder what the response would be to someone who's clued in about this and responds with quips like "Bring it, Adolf" or, after the grope, "Is that the best you got? Pathetic." Or even "Well if it's the cancertron or this, I'll take this every time!"

Clearly they want to make us uncomfortable or remorseful over opting out of the Chertoffomizer. So what happens if we (vocally) make sure it backfires on them?

I understand that my gropes are a direct consequence of opting out.

What I don't understand is why I am consistently selected for the NoS. There were 10 other people in line with me today. None of them were selected for the NoS; they all got to proceed through the WTMD. And it is ALWAYS like that here. I'm not worried about being retaliated against as a result of my opt out decision, I'm concerned about why I am always asked to make the decision in the first place.

In 2011, I have been selected for the NoS for 75% of my flights out of CMH. That is hardly "random and unpredictable." I have written emails and letters multiple times to everyone I can imagine, and it is useless. I feel totally helpless and unfairly targeted.

Based on what you have said I suspect you are an attractive woman. I'm willing to bet the one that selects you is trying to hook his buddy in the back room up.

Here is the current listings for CMH on TSAStatus.net. It reads as if some self-selecting opt outs are possible.

TSA seems to be building a pattern of selecting young and/or attractive females or people who "look like" they will be compliant sheep that won't make a fuss, which seems to include the elderly and also women traveling alone.

If you have the means and inclination consult an attorney about sexual harrassment by government employees.

Thanks for the link. I updated it for CMH and bookmarked it for future reference. ^

Unfortunately, I had tried to do a self-opt out, as I was already in the WTMD lane when I was selected for the NoS.

I am actually dating one. He travels probably three times as much as I do and has only ever been selected once. He has some very good suggestions and has helped me write some of my letters to legislators. I am trying to bring him to the FT dark side.

Does it look like the TDC is checking your name against a list or on some kind of electronic system? I assume you print out your boarding pass at home - does it look marked in some way? If not, you'd pretty much have to be on a list that they're memorized.

Like a couple of other posters, I'm more inclined to think that you are victimized because you are young, attractive, and/or traveling by yourself. It's still odd that you get picked on at CMH, but not BOS - otoh, your sample size is fairly small.

Here's my suggestion: Contact your congressperson. But rather than write a policy complaint, write to his/her nearest local office (check their website) and ask them for help in finding out how to get off the list at CMH because getting groped is upsetting and time consuming. That is, treat is as a "constituent service" problem dealing with a government agency snafu, rather than a policy issue...

If it is because she is attractive, the discrepancy could be explained by certain screeners at CMH being much more attentive about the appearance of the women they send to the NoS. It could even be just one particular screener there who has a thing for her. The other male screeners remember her and immediately send her to the NoS in case she decides to relent this time and give them a peep show. Even when she refuses she still gives the guys outside of the peep room a bit of a lesbo show. So it's a win-win. I know that if I had that job I would be selecting every single pretty girl who went through there without exception. And then there is the possibility of a lesbian female screener or two who has the hots for her and wants to feel her up whenever they get the chance. No need for any kind of "list" to explain it. So the bottom line is that maybe CMH screeners are more open and shameless about preferentially selecting attractive women than the ones here at BOS. It's kind of funny to me because usually being attractive is an unqualified good. Here is a strange case where being attractive is actually a disadvantage. If I were attractive I would do whatever I could to make myself seem less attractive when I traveled. This would be true for both men and women. I'm sure that there are plenty of male screeners who have the hots for attractive male pax as well. Making yourself less attractive should be something we all strive to do during our travel preparations. It's nice to see there is at least one area of life where we ugly people have the advantage, albeit a very small one.

Folks,

Gratuitous, inflammatory references to others such as mouth breathers, thugs, thieves, goons, morons, pervs, pedophiles, rapists and the like are unacceptable. Clean up the invective or we'll bid you adieu from the forum for a spell. You're all intelligent enough to make your point without leaving a negative vibe behind. Thanks to the 98% of you who generally maintain a civil tone.

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essxjay
TS/S moderator

Some people are really good with faces. It's possible some of the scanner selectors remember you.

Just reading the thread and had to post. I get picked for the NOS everytime it is working at checkpoint C at CMH. This is my home airport and I am considered a trouble maker for pushing back against the blue shirted nazi's everytime they do something questionable. I was even called and a$$hole a couple of weeks ago by a 2 stripper when I asked him to change his gloves. This week when I went thru the check point the 5 people in front of me and the 6 people behind me were sent thru the WTMD, but of course I get picked for the cancer box. It was pretty funny during my pat down I noticed 3 or 4 of the goons observing the pat down, but trying not to be caught observing. They actually had 1 stand about 3 feet behind me and he gave a play by play to the supervisor over the radio. One of these times, I may have to bring my attorney along just to even the playing field!