My six year-old niece was flying home the other day. Cute girl, strong-willed. TSA confiscated her round-tipped scissors, ones she got in Disney World. Made her incredibly angry and defiant. I doubt she'll ever forget the experience.

Keep it up, TSA. You solidify your reputation as scum a little bit more everyday. ^ ^ ^

We aim to please

If you work for TSA, then what you wrote is apalling and uncalled for. I had a rounded pair taken from me and it pissed me off, but I didn't make a big deal about it. I did, however, still ask the supv why were they taken. Once I explained how they were made, he said that he probably would not have taken them. I guess it was a borderline call and I just had the misfortune of picking the wrong lane.

It's okay. The TSA are dead-set on proving to the public that they are goons. Personally, I think it is great. ^ ^ ^

Let's hope they keep it up over the summer.

It is very dissappointing to have someone like TakeScissorsAway say something like, "We aim to please." I sure hope he is not part of the TSA community. Many in the TSA try very hard to make a decent reputation, but along comes those that in one comment destroy all of our work. It is true that only the bad things and experiences are the ones best remembered. It only takes one person to say the wrong thing to set back an entire organization. I'm just as appauled as anyone else here is. Please remember that his statements only represent himself and not the TSA as a whole.

It isn't the comments your screeners make which debase your reputation, it is your actions.

I'm sorry, but I'm not buying any more of this "most of us are decent people" argument. People who join the TSA agree with their policies. If they don't, they should leave. The policy in question: taking away rounded-tipped scissors from a six-year-old girl is idiotic, over-bearing, and worthy of contempt. Anyone who is on the payroll of an organization that does this is complicit and worthy of contempt.

Luckily, the TSA generates its contempt against itself constantly, and it is getting good at it. Call it karma or something. I hope the cycle continues through the summer. The TSA deserves all of the contempt it can generate.

That is ludicrous! There is only one type of individual who agrees with EVERY policy at their place of employment, a brown-noser! If you are trying to say that you agree with every policy at your job, then you are a pathetic liar.

Hi. I'm new here, but I have been following your forums for a while now. So take it easy on me!

When I say this, I'm not yelling, so don't view this as an attack.

How do you expect someone to take your argument seriously when you generalize like this? Your comment is just as rude as the comment made by "TakeScissorsAway." The only difference is that I think Take Scissors.... was just joking.

It seems to me as if somebody made a mistake by taking the round scissors. It also seems to me that people like to exaggerate around here, so it's quite possible that the event never happened.

I have encountered some great screeners and some rude screeners. I have encountered some great passengers as well as some rude ones. Why generalize? Make your comment about a specific person and not an entire group and you will all get along much better.

Peace, Love, blah, blah, blah...

Okay.

Because it happens all the time. I've had several pairs of rounded tip scissors confiscated. I don't think you've ever had to make the choice between checking baggage and trimming your beard on a trip, Dawn. Maybe you have.

No, there is no mistake. They are supposed to be allowed.

The little girl was my niece. Is there anything else you want to say?

Because the "good" screeners don't make the agency better. The agency itself is flawed and people who work there are complicit in perpetuating the flaws. I don't know how a person with a conscience can work for the TSA. They have to believe that they really are supplying security and that the level of security they supply is worth the incredible cost, inconvenience, and indignity involved. Could it be worth it? Do a search on this forum for any number of ways that people could smuggle a weapon on board an aircraft or fashion one in ways that are currently not checked for by the TSA. Instead of tackling those, or admitting what can not be done, they make little girls cry and distrust their government. I honestly don't know whether that is good or bad.

Or an owner. I'll take the apology whenever you are ready.

It depends. I don't think my employer is the only one that requires all employees to sign a "Code of Ethics" statement where we agree to follow all published policies. So, if we don't agree with every policy, we only have one alternative: leave and look for another job.

I was saying that it was a mistake that they were confiscated. I travel with rounded scissors all the time and I never have any trouble.

If you say this happened, I guess I'm supposed to believe you, but the stand you're taking against "all" TSA employees leads me to believe that you're out to make them look bad at all costs. It weakens your credibility in my book.

While I realize there are holes and things that need improvement, I feel safer when I'm screened. I'm willing to cooperate as long as I'm treated with respect. If I'm not treated with respect, I go to the supervisor and point the individual out.

You are lucky, or maybe yours are blunter somehow.

I'm not so concerned with looking credible, I'm just frustrated. It was a real incident. But you don't even have to believe that. Put out a call for people who've had rounded scissors taken. It happens.

Why do you feel safer? It is nice that you feel safer and if you want to feel that way, fine. But, if you want to know the truth, look around. You won't feel quite as safe and that's because you aren't. None of us are. So, we lie to ourselves. It is a pretty expensive lie. Not just in money, but in aggravation, time, trust, dignity and a whole other set of intangibles.

So, you feel safe, but you aren't. Is it worth it?

Delta Dawn,

In all sincerity, I really have to ask you to explain your statement:

I've heard this statement before, and I really don't understand it. Believe me, I'm not passing judgment. I'm as serious as a heart attack. How does a search possibly leading to confiscation of your personal belongings and your personal detention, arrest, and fine when you know darn well you're not a threat make you feel safe?

If I were to extrapolate this out, would you feel more "safe" if you were strip-searched? Would you feel even more safe if the police searched your house before you left on your trip?

I trust you'll take this line of questioning in the manner asked. There's no hidden agenda. -- Thanks.

Understandable
There are plenty of working men and women that work in places that do not agree with all policies, but there is nothing that can be done about it. The workers understand that is the policy and they must comply. Many people do things they don't agree with. If everyone left jobs they don't agree with, can you imagine the unemployment rate?
There is no policy about taking rounded-tipped scissors. They are not listed on the prohibited items list. They are allowed and not supposed to be taken. I cannot justify the supervisor's actions.
As I always say, it's always the negative experiences that are best remembered. Going through security with little or no "harassment" is a good experience and soon after forgotten.