Letter to the Editor
Nov 25, 2006, 7:41 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: CO Plat, Priority Club Plat, HH Diamond, Avis First, Hertz #1Gold
Posts: 720
Letter to the Editor
From the Biloxi/Gulfport SunHerald, 11/25/2006:
At least we safe from a Preparation H bomb
My wife and I had occasion to take a trip to the Midwest last month. Our sense of well-being was greatly enhanced by the terrific work of the Department of Homeland Security.
My wife had her 2- or 3-ounce bottle of hand lotion confiscated and disposed of, while the lady behind her had her cosmetics in a plastic bag and was allowed to take her hand lotion on board. An elderly woman had her hemorrhoid cream confiscated and disposed of. Boy, did we feel secure.
On the return trip, a young man was pulled out of line because he was pulling an ice cooler for his medications. He was thoroughly frisked with the wand and a TSA person, wearing latex gloves, felt his body thoroughly several times, including his groin area. All of this was done in plain sight of his fellow travelers.
Amazing, but boy did we feel safe on the way back. These people who are keeping us safe are directed by the same people who brought us "We're fighting them over there rather than over here." What a relief!
JIM WILSON
Ocean Springs
At least we safe from a Preparation H bomb
My wife and I had occasion to take a trip to the Midwest last month. Our sense of well-being was greatly enhanced by the terrific work of the Department of Homeland Security.
My wife had her 2- or 3-ounce bottle of hand lotion confiscated and disposed of, while the lady behind her had her cosmetics in a plastic bag and was allowed to take her hand lotion on board. An elderly woman had her hemorrhoid cream confiscated and disposed of. Boy, did we feel secure.
On the return trip, a young man was pulled out of line because he was pulling an ice cooler for his medications. He was thoroughly frisked with the wand and a TSA person, wearing latex gloves, felt his body thoroughly several times, including his groin area. All of this was done in plain sight of his fellow travelers.
Amazing, but boy did we feel safe on the way back. These people who are keeping us safe are directed by the same people who brought us "We're fighting them over there rather than over here." What a relief!
JIM WILSON
Ocean Springs
Nov 25, 2006, 8:50 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,953
Originally Posted by vassilipan
From the Biloxi/Gulfport SunHerald, 11/25/2006:
At least we safe from a Preparation H bomb
My wife and I had occasion to take a trip to the Midwest last month. Our sense of well-being was greatly enhanced by the terrific work of the Department of Homeland Security.
My wife had her 2- or 3-ounce bottle of hand lotion confiscated and disposed of, while the lady behind her had her cosmetics in a plastic bag and was allowed to take her hand lotion on board. An elderly woman had her hemorrhoid cream confiscated and disposed of. Boy, did we feel secure.
On the return trip, a young man was pulled out of line because he was pulling an ice cooler for his medications. He was thoroughly frisked with the wand and a TSA person, wearing latex gloves, felt his body thoroughly several times, including his groin area. All of this was done in plain sight of his fellow travelers.
Amazing, but boy did we feel safe on the way back. These people who are keeping us safe are directed by the same people who brought us "We're fighting them over there rather than over here." What a relief!
JIM WILSON
Ocean Springs
At least we safe from a Preparation H bomb
My wife and I had occasion to take a trip to the Midwest last month. Our sense of well-being was greatly enhanced by the terrific work of the Department of Homeland Security.
My wife had her 2- or 3-ounce bottle of hand lotion confiscated and disposed of, while the lady behind her had her cosmetics in a plastic bag and was allowed to take her hand lotion on board. An elderly woman had her hemorrhoid cream confiscated and disposed of. Boy, did we feel secure.
On the return trip, a young man was pulled out of line because he was pulling an ice cooler for his medications. He was thoroughly frisked with the wand and a TSA person, wearing latex gloves, felt his body thoroughly several times, including his groin area. All of this was done in plain sight of his fellow travelers.
Amazing, but boy did we feel safe on the way back. These people who are keeping us safe are directed by the same people who brought us "We're fighting them over there rather than over here." What a relief!
JIM WILSON
Ocean Springs
Nov 25, 2006, 8:55 am
#3
Moderator: Coupon Connection & S.P.A.M
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Louisville, KY
Programs: Destination Unknown, TSA Disparager Diamond (LTDD)
Posts: 57,952
Originally Posted by doober
May it is pie-in-the-sky thinking (oops, sorry, I forgot no pies in the skies over Cleveland), but I truly believe that the American people are finally beginning to catch on that it's all smoke and mirrors, just an illusion.
Nov 25, 2006, 9:13 am
#5
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: NH
Posts: 5,720
I've been thinking about this type of response for a while now... we as Americans and as Flyertalkers need to start broadcasting our experiences with a concerted effort. Not just here, but to the media, the white house, and our congresspeople.
Each and every time. And we need to encourage others to do the same.
I've posted in the past my experience with the TSA who, unprovoked, yelled at me "what do you think, I'm STUPID!!!!?" when I wanted to watch my laptop to prevent it from being broken again. Time has passed now, so the opportunity to complain is lost.
But my antipathy remains. And my certainty that the TSA is in the hands of aggressive, unintelligent, power-hungry agents. Yes, kindly TSAs exist, but they are offset by too many horrid ones. The fact that the balance is in favor of the negative leads me to conclude that TSA management is aware and condones such behaviour.
We need to start to make real noise.
Or else we're going to see mission creep that will lead to true repression.
Rita
Each and every time. And we need to encourage others to do the same.
I've posted in the past my experience with the TSA who, unprovoked, yelled at me "what do you think, I'm STUPID!!!!?" when I wanted to watch my laptop to prevent it from being broken again. Time has passed now, so the opportunity to complain is lost.
But my antipathy remains. And my certainty that the TSA is in the hands of aggressive, unintelligent, power-hungry agents. Yes, kindly TSAs exist, but they are offset by too many horrid ones. The fact that the balance is in favor of the negative leads me to conclude that TSA management is aware and condones such behaviour.
We need to start to make real noise.
Or else we're going to see mission creep that will lead to true repression.
Rita
Nov 25, 2006, 9:36 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 4,953
Originally Posted by rkt10
...
But my antipathy remains. And my certainty that the TSA is in the hands of aggressive, unintelligent, power-hungry agents. Yes, kindly TSAs exist, but they are offset by too many horrid ones. The fact that the balance is in favor of the negative leads me to conclude that TSA management is aware and condones such behaviour.
We need to start to make real noise.
Or else we're going to see mission creep that will lead to true repression.
Rita
But my antipathy remains. And my certainty that the TSA is in the hands of aggressive, unintelligent, power-hungry agents. Yes, kindly TSAs exist, but they are offset by too many horrid ones. The fact that the balance is in favor of the negative leads me to conclude that TSA management is aware and condones such behaviour.
We need to start to make real noise.
Or else we're going to see mission creep that will lead to true repression.
Rita
Nov 25, 2006, 9:58 am
#7
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: RTP
Programs: AA(EXP), BA, Hilton, Starwood
Posts: 1,250
Dear Editor -
Last week I flew to two different cities on business, with my return the Friday before Thanksgiving - a busy time for everyone in the transportation business.
In all three of my transits through TSA I noticed a definite spirit of customer service and a real attempt by passengers to comply with the new security procedures.
The TSA "water announcer" at SFO was even doing "knock knock" jokes to try to get peoples attention so that they'd understand that juice boxes are a liquid!
I would like to comment the TSA people that I observe every month trying to do a difficult job helping people transit the security requirements.
Sincerely,
A Frequent Flyer
Last week I flew to two different cities on business, with my return the Friday before Thanksgiving - a busy time for everyone in the transportation business.
In all three of my transits through TSA I noticed a definite spirit of customer service and a real attempt by passengers to comply with the new security procedures.
The TSA "water announcer" at SFO was even doing "knock knock" jokes to try to get peoples attention so that they'd understand that juice boxes are a liquid!
I would like to comment the TSA people that I observe every month trying to do a difficult job helping people transit the security requirements.
Sincerely,
A Frequent Flyer
Nov 25, 2006, 10:05 am
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Originally Posted by TierFlyer
Dear Editor -
Last week I flew to two different cities on business, with my return the Friday before Thanksgiving - a busy time for everyone in the transportation business.
In all three of my transits through TSA I noticed a definite spirit of customer service and a real attempt by passengers to comply with the new security procedures.
The TSA "water announcer" at SFO was even doing "knock knock" jokes to try to get peoples attention so that they'd understand that juice boxes are a liquid!
I would like to comment the TSA people that I observe every month trying to do a difficult job helping people transit the security requirements.
Sincerely,
A Frequent Flyer
Last week I flew to two different cities on business, with my return the Friday before Thanksgiving - a busy time for everyone in the transportation business.
In all three of my transits through TSA I noticed a definite spirit of customer service and a real attempt by passengers to comply with the new security procedures.
The TSA "water announcer" at SFO was even doing "knock knock" jokes to try to get peoples attention so that they'd understand that juice boxes are a liquid!
I would like to comment the TSA people that I observe every month trying to do a difficult job helping people transit the security requirements.
Sincerely,
A Frequent Flyer
The squeaky wheels are the criticisms about the TSA ... and eventually those wheels will get the governmental grease, whether some like it or not.
Nov 25, 2006, 10:27 am
#9
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 13
You know, I am an American-Israeli and I avoid flying into or through the USA like wildfire for these exact reasons. In Israel, every time I fly I am also subjected to questions and scans but in Israel (where security is very tight), we use some common sense, especially when it comes to our own citizens and employ 'passenger profiling'. Trained personal assesses whether you are likely to be dangerous or not. So most people are not harassed. Only time I was 'harassed' was when I was travelling with a single French male friend who was obviously not Israeli and also did not shave that day...
I think it is disgusting to hear how normal people are harassed everyday. And we all know that this doesn't help anyone, makes flying a nightmare, and at the end terrorists win. I never thought I'd see the day when I am not allowed to bring on board a bottle of shampoo! Just think about how ridiculous this sounds! Also it is very difficult to find all these liquids in small packages as marketeers over the years have supersized everything! At the end all this extra 'security' is tacked onto the price of our airfare, but the time you arrive at your destination you are broke, stressed out, and humiliated. Very good, great progress!
I think it is disgusting to hear how normal people are harassed everyday. And we all know that this doesn't help anyone, makes flying a nightmare, and at the end terrorists win. I never thought I'd see the day when I am not allowed to bring on board a bottle of shampoo! Just think about how ridiculous this sounds! Also it is very difficult to find all these liquids in small packages as marketeers over the years have supersized everything! At the end all this extra 'security' is tacked onto the price of our airfare, but the time you arrive at your destination you are broke, stressed out, and humiliated. Very good, great progress!
Nov 25, 2006, 10:28 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 10,037
Originally Posted by GUWonder
Sending in such letters as above don't constitute a squeaky wheel.
The squeaky wheels are the criticisms about the TSA ... and eventually those wheels will get the governmental grease, whether some like it or not.
The squeaky wheels are the criticisms about the TSA ... and eventually those wheels will get the governmental grease, whether some like it or not.
Nov 25, 2006, 5:55 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: ORD
Programs: CO PLT, HH DIA
Posts: 1,461
Reminder: The TSA has NOTHING AT ALL to do with security. It is a giant, $6BB a year federal jobs program and nothing more. It employs the unemployable. Few shining points of security exist (Bart) but they are in the vast, vast minority.
--PP
--PP
Nov 25, 2006, 6:04 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: RTP
Programs: AA(EXP), BA, Hilton, Starwood
Posts: 1,250
Originally Posted by VideoPaul
Reminder: The TSA has NOTHING AT ALL to do with security. It is a giant, $6BB a year federal jobs program and nothing more. It employs the unemployable. Few shining points of security exist (Bart) but they are in the vast, vast minority.--PP
I have a friend who quit his job with Glaxo to go run IT security for a (very small) part of the TSA. He's smarter than most people. Ahem.