Can we beleive this? Yes I'm afraid we can. From the early edition of the Washington Post.
TSA Tension At a BWI Gate

Sunday, January 21, 2007


On a Saturday evening late last month, my sister and I had a flight out of Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport. We arrived the recommended two hours early and made it through check-in and security at Concourse D in just a few minutes, with no problems.

But when we got to the gate we were told that the flight was delayed by 45 minutes. Suddenly, we had 2 1/2 hours to kill. We went back out through the Concourse D security checkpoint to get dinner, after the security guard at the gate had assured us that it would not be a problem.

After eating dinner at Bill Bateman's Bistro, we attempted to go back through the Concourse D security checkpoint, where a different security guard began taking apart my belongings -- a backpack and tote bag -- the ones that had gone through security once, without issue. She singled out a number of items, all solid, all under three ounces, all in compliance with Transportation Security Administration requirements. She told me that I could not bring these items with me without a separate baggie.

When I asked for one of the baggies that she had right next to her, she told me that she "would not give a white ..... like you a bag" and sent me to a newsstand to buy one. The cashier at the newsstand directed me to an airport employee, who gave me a Ziploc bag.

I tried, once again, to go through the Concourse D security checkpoint, past the same guard who had stopped me before. She was the only one on duty. I was the only traveler being inspected. My sister had gone through already, without issue, with many of the same items (unbagged) that I had. The same security guard told me the bag I had been given was the wrong type of bag, called me "white ....." (repeatedly) and made other derogatory remarks about me when I pointed out that it was the right type of bag, that I had gotten it from an airport employee, that this was discrimination, that it was illegal and that I had done nothing to merit this kind of treatment.

But she refused to let me through unless I left the offending items with her.

At this point, time was getting short, and I was in danger of missing my flight. So I had little choice. I left about $125 worth of my property -- a couple of containers of eyeliner, a couple of hair clips, some eye shadow, some blush and other personal effects -- with her.

Three times during this ordeal, I asked her her name so that I could follow up on the incident. She ignored my first two requests. Finally, after I insisted firmly but politely that she answer me, she responded that I could call her the "black girl with the big hair." A male guard who was nearby simply laughed at this. And, as I was walking toward the gate, the woman yelled another insult at me again.

To me, her behavior seemed unacceptable. It felt like racial discrimination and a blatant abuse of authority. In a situation where a traveler has little or no recourse, people who cannot be trusted with authority should not have such absolute power handed to them.

Why am I not believing this story?

That fact that it originates from the Washington Post doesn't help it's credibility either.

It is a little hard to believe. It is in the "Opinion" section, and it appears as if the author just emailed in her experience. There doesn't seem to be any "journalism" at work (checking facts, interviewing the sister, getting a comment from TSA or BWI officials, etc.)

The online article, "TSA Tension At a BWI Gate", does give the author's name and email address.

I'm less cynical in this regard.

Sounds like complete BS to me.

The part about only one screener being on duty (or something approximating that statement) is obviously nonsense. These people travel in huge herds, like bison.

Bruce

I believe this story without reservation. I've seen and heard much worse. Everyday I wonder how much longer the well-educated, well-heeled crowds who funnel through U.S. airports will tolerate this six-billion dollar plus boondoggle which does little more than harrass passengers and waste their precious time.

Maybe I'm wrong but I believe it also.

After "I nah dem, dey not me" at EWR, this story seems not all that outrageous. If it's bunk and this really was published in the Post, they got a lot of 'splaining to do.

--PP

I actually agree with WWNF.

And just how are we supposed to "not tolerate" it?

Why is this story so hard to believe? You think black racism doesn't
exist? Racists come in all colors, not just white.

THere are some elements of the story that don't sound right.

But... I have seen the exact "you white ...." words and attitude (both) displayed several times by folks working the concession stands in the BWI concourse that's used by NW. (the concession stand that serves pizza and burgers).

Having seen that personally, it puts just enough into my mind that make me think the story is plausible. It may not be true, but I'd call it plausible.

I have no clue how the important people get things done. I merely marvel that senior vp's from Fortune 500 companies, military generals, and members of Congress spend portions of an hour in long queues as some 18 or 19-year old part-time TSA TSO calls bag check after bag check to see if the mini bottle of shampoo in the roll-on bag is in a quart-size Ziploc. And they are prepared to stop the x-ray belt and wait and wait and wait. Their next break is not till seven so they have all the time in the world, plus, it gives them a chance to chat with the walk-through TSO about last night's party.

And let me tell you now, things are going to get inexorably worse. Most major airports are only planning to hire part-time TSO's. Look at the TSO job openings at USAJOBS.gov. Nearly all, if not all, of the openings are for part-time employment. With rare exception, the difference between the person willing to work at TSA as a full-time employee with a salary (albeit low) and the person willing to work part-time at TSA for $11-$13 an hour is night and day in terms of caliber.

BWI was the first (now the model) airport to hire only part-time TSO's. Having seen the "success" of the TSO force at BWI this model is being adopted nationwide.

SHOCKED! Shocked I am at the mere suggestion that even one of the highly trained, highly intelligent, highly PROFESSIONAL TSA employees would have behaved this way! We all know that you don't professionalize until you federalize, and that the moment airport screening became a function of the federal government that each and everyone of these security experts were iddenly imbued with the wisodm and comportment to be completely above reproach in all of their job duties!

--PP