joelfreak

Article
This is more great powertripping by TSA folk. Why don't we now start warning "Anything you say may be used against you" with the "Shoes off" speach?

HeHateY

Thanks for posting this ^

"TSA did not respond to repeated calls for comment.

It could have been worse. Under Homeland Security rules, Redwood could have been detained for up to a week without being able to contact his partner."

...?? How does the TSA or DHS have any authority to arrest and detain? I thought that was the perview of the local LEA? They are usually the only sane people of authority at most airports!

2) On the NEC (Newport News to Portland, ME) Amtrak is the way to go for me just because of this kind of thing.

OrlandoFlyer

So much for freedom of speech. The is yet another disgraceful example of Government employees out of control.

How does this incident makes us any safer flying, which is what the TSA at airports should be concerned with?

alex0683de

'nuff said. Therapy Strongly Advised strikes again.

bocastephen

I cannot believe this happened - there is nothing offensive about his joke, and believe it or not, I have heard the very same thing from other people who were led off to secondary. According to the article, he made no mention of a weapon or planned attack - nothing he said was threatening, and in my opinion, it was legally protected speech. The TSA's reaction is ridiculous and the people involved should be terminated, and subject to criminal charges for illegal detainment, civil rights violations, and other affronts to the Constitution. That agency is out of control and needs to be neutered - perhaps without the benefit of anesthesia.

I am surprised they didn't seize the assets of yahoo for reporting the two were led to secondary because it's a common occurance for passengers who buy one-way tickets - isn't that releasing SSI?

Wally Bird

What makes you think the 1st Amendment is still in effect ? 4th and 5th have been revoked.

Anyway, the "Contempt of Screener" offence trumps everything else. We're at war, don't you know ?

exerda

I'll actually admit to having been worried a few times previously when, after a particularly idiotic encounter with the TSA, making some comments to my traveling partners about how stupid the whole thing was. I worried that some do-gooder infrequent flier would have overheard my criticisms and gone straight to report "suspicious behavior" to the nearest LEO.

This situation, even if taken at a midway point between the detainee's story and the official TSA party line on the incident, is ridiculous and something that should be grounds for a huge lawsuit. Problem is, the TSA would probably claim SSI everything if taken to court.

TSAJohn

1) TSA Officers don't have the power to arrest. It was more than likely an APD Officer that dragged him off in his socks.

2) Why is that fact that's he's gay and black mentioned in this article? There is no need for it to be mentioned.

3) As far as the rest of it, I can't comment because I wasn't there. There are two sides to every story. I've seen many incorrectly reported news articles about incidents that have happened at my airport. I've also seen many passengers and screeners overreact to things such as this...

Gargoyle

Doesn't this makes us proud to be Americans?

It really is impressive when we can attain a level of government behavior which would make both Joseph McCarthy and Osama bin Lauden happy. Politics makes strange bedfellows.

Wally Bird

Perhaps the reporter is suggesting that one or both of these characteristics contributed to the way he was treated ? Which may or may not be the case of course.

joelfreak

The gay part is because its an article for PlanetOut, a gay news service...

J-M

Who cares that he's gay or that his partner is a "gay actor". It contributes absolutely nothing to the story. Sounds a lot like a media sympathy ploy to me.