2smrt4u

You can expect that, but the reality is that people find a way to get around that requirement. There are a lot of really smart people in this world who have said and done some really dumb things. Their educational background becomes irrelevant. I did not come to this board to impress upon anyone that I was superior by way of my education. I merely stated how I ended up here. I did not come here and ask for my posts to be graded for academic purpose. They are most certainly not intended to be viewed as such. The issue at hand though is not really poor grammar. It's that people have a really hard time hearing a point of view that is different from their own. Your opinion is not more superior because you used proper grammar. My opinion is not inferior because I incorrectly capitalized within a sentence.

All I've done here is give everyone a different perspective. You can agree or disagree that is your right. The most interesting thing about all of this is that I've really received a great lesson in reading between the lines and sorting through the language people use to force their beliefs upon you.

2smrt4u

I would say to all of you in regards to flying.. If you don't like the rules then don't fly, drive to your destination. Everytime one of you pulls these antics at security you are infringing upon me. The time spent dealing with you is more time I have to spend waiting in line. If you want to demonstrate against the rules do it in another place. Make some picket signs and stand outside, take out a newspaper add, circulate a petition, run for office, the options are unlimited. You are free to exercise your constitutional rights but not at my expense.

nai02fungoid

You decided to act like an idiot and got called on it. You may not like the actions of the TSA people but why should they have to put up with your actions in retaliation. You were not detained. You were asked and you were questioned. You responded, you were checked out and you were cleared to fly. That you are responding here is just to get the pats on the back from other travelers. That does not mean that you were acting like a spoiled brat in what you did.

Now you are ticked off because they acted as you wanted them to act and you get to bloviate about it. Just imagine how they would feel if you had had something in that bag that would have exploded and they had not checked up on it. Think how you would feel on your way to wherever you end up after the explosion. The TSA people may overstep their bounds at times but they have a job to perform. Failure of them to perform it could mean your life. Your being a spoiled brat doesn't help them and only makes you look like an idiot. Just think for a change!!

2smrt4u

So lets look at it from this perspective. The screener lets MKEbound pass without any further review. MKEBound turns out to be mentally unstable and flips out on the flight. This causes the plane to be diverted, all of the other passengers inconvenienced, and heightens the security even more for others boarding planes that day. So who is to blame? What freedom did he lose in an effort to gain one?

hoyateach

Ah, the truth comes out: it's all about your convenience, not the OP's rights.

PTravel

It's been a while since I looked at this law, and I may be wrong, but my recollection is the fact of the seizure of personal items by the supervisor transformed what happened to MKEbound into detention.

Travellin' Fool

Don't be stupid, of course it's about convenience. Like convenience is a dirty word or something??

{EDIT to add...} Why should I have to sacrifice my travel experience for a juvenile stunt. Personally I think it's funny and i'd do it myself. But I would understand that others can be upset in their own right. Let's not blow this out of proportion here, there was no "statement" being made. Kip Hawley isn't going to change his ways... I'm sorry it's just not that big a deal. It's a juvenile, though ammusing, prank.

2smrt4u

So, I'm not entitled to any rights? Remember, he went there looking for the attention, he got it and now he's complaining! I'd like to reiterate that what he posted as his version of the events is strictly hear say. You weren't there so you are not the authority on rights judgement.

PTravel

And just to be clear, the Tian Anmen was violating Chinese law by impeding the tank. MKEbound violated no law. I think it's important to stay focused on that. Regardless of what people thought of MKEbound's form of protest, it was 100% legal and, moreover, the exercise of a fundamental right under the Constitution. This was not an act of Ghandi-esque civil disobedience, but a completely legal, privileged action.

justhere

Not that this hasn't been said before several times in this thread....but:You're right, they don't have to put up with it. Had they ignored it like they should have, it would be a non-issue.
He was detained. Even those that have SSSS on their boarding passes do not take anywhere near 25 mins to clear security.
Are you suggesting that the TSA save us from ourselves? I'm sure that anyone who wants to blow up a plane isn't too concerned about how anyone feels. Plus, why would he want to draw attention to a bag that contained explosives?
Aside from the numerous instances where the TSA have failed to perform their job, you are indeed correct that they do have a job to perform however ineffective it might be. With that in mind, they need to stick to their job regardless of how much they might disagree with someone's political viewpoint. "I have a bomb in this bag", yes check it out. "Kip Hawley is an idiot", just ignore it and move on.
You are certainly entitled to your opinion of the OP but may I suggest you take your own advice and think for a change about the ramifications when government entities start ignoring the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The fact that they spent an inordinate amount of time on a non-issue speaks volumes about their understanding of the job that they are trying to do (speaking about the TSA employees involved, not necessarily about all TSA employees).

Wally Bird

Insert the one word "some" before "rules" and you earn a great big BINGO!

Congratulations on your perspicacity.

Wally Bird

I hope so; before the TSA bans bag-writing that is. Mine will simply say Tiny Suspicious Articles.

justhere

There most certainly was a statement being made. Maybe not one you would make and maybe not at a level you would make it but it was a statement nonetheless. There aren't really degrees of statements. A statement is a statement and the OP is free (regardless of what a couple of TSA employees think) to make that statement.

hoyateach

Wow, where to begin with this? (BTW, welcome to FT.)

Bolding mine. I'm not sure what you mean by this. Who are you saying is doing the retaliating? The OP or the TSA? If the latter, why should any government agency by allowed to "retaliate" against its own citizens?

Yes he was...unless you're suggesting he could've just walked away without anyone yelling at him to stop. I'm certain the TSO involved would not have let him just walk off without calling security.

Correct - it does not mean the OP was "acting like a spoiled brat." I would actually take your argument further and say he was acting like a reasonable adult. But somehow, I don't think that's what you meant to say.

So... it's all about the feelings of the screeners? The OP should've acceded to the screener's incompetent boobery just to avoid hurting his feelings?

This isn't clear - do you mean on his way to the hospital or the afterlife? Either way, if as you suggest the OP made something go "boom," I imagine he'd be feeling pretty good. This question does nothing to further your argument.

That job does not include selectively interpreting the Constitution of the United States.

Assuming they stick do doing their jobs, I concur.

The OP didn't actually do anything. He wrote an opinion about a public figure on a piece of plastic, a perfectly legal act. The TSO could have, and should have, just ignored it. But what he said in his capacity as a goverment agent - words to the effect that the First Amendment doesn't apply in airports on U.S. soil - were a clear violation of the OP's Constitutional rights and should not have happened.

The OP's decision to think, rather than follow along like a good little sheep, is indeed a refreshing change.

sonofzeus

Live long and prosper, mon frere.