Agreed! After reading this and many other posts where the TSA seems to have photocopied and/or written down personal information, I will REFUSE to surrender my wallet or passport when placed in this situation. Even to a LEO, unless the specific state I am in requires more than a verbal identification of myself. They can try the 'Do you want to fly today' line, but the Ground Services Coordinator for my airline and the FSD will definitely be involved before they are able to deny me boarding.

Sorry to hear of your experiences SAT Lawyer and I hope you do follow up with this.

WOW! This really pisses me off! I try to defend TSA and/or understand their side, but this is going way too far.

What I would do is:

1) Write the TSA. Call them AND email them AND write them snail mail. Explain in detail what happened. If you "bug" them with calling, email, and snail mail, they'll pay more attention to your case.
2) Write your Congressperson and Senators also.
3) Contact the airport FSD and director. Go here. There's a list of numbers and email addresses.
4) Leave a comment on the TSA blog describing your ordeal.
5) Write your airline about this. Yes, I know the airline wasn't responsible for this, and they did help you out by having the airplane come back for you - but if the airline learns about this, and they receive more letters about this kind of incident, maybe they'll tell TSA to stop being so obsessive with SPOTTING passengers, and to do ID checking quickly, because of wasted time.
6) Email or call the local media and share your experience.

I know the listed steps above seem like a pain and will take time, but please do it. This will require a bit of copying and pasting, a few stamps, and maybe 15-30 minutes of being on the telephone, but that's pretty much it. What you went through is unacceptable. We can't allow this abuse to happen to other people, and you seem like a good guy, so they will probably take your side. But please don't let this slide and just sit here - do something about it, ok?

I'm sorry you had to go through this.

However, I have a few suggestions for how you can deal with this, shall it happen next time.

1) Show up earlier. (Yes, I know it's stupid to show up early, especially for a domestic flight, but the TSA is unpredictable.)
2) Follow your gut. If a TSA'er looks nice, then ask him/her a question politely. Otherwise, just avoid talking with the TSA.
3) Don't surrender your wallet. Even if it means missing your flight. You could be a victim of identity theft. Also, don't allow them to photocopy your driver's license or passport.
4) Ask the cop watching the whole thing if he could help you somehow. I don't understand why the cop didn't just tell the TSA to stop altogether.
5) Ask the TSA screener who is screening you why he's doing this. Try to explain your side - that you didn't mean to be suspicious, etc.

Hope this helps. Keep us updated, allright?

Since you believe the end justifies the means in your imaginary war on terror, as evidenced by your unabashed, unwavering and even enthusiastic support for waterboarding and other forms of torture for suspected terrorists, you should be pleased that the TSA was so diligent in acting upon its suspicions. Perhaps they suspected you of being an Arab in disguise. I would think you would have applauded even if they waterboarded you in pursuit of the truth. After all, you can't make an omelette, etc., as you often state more eloquently.

Sauce for the goose ...

Perhaps the TSA guys just hate lawyers and wanted to screw one.

Didn't your mama tell you never, ever argue with a bureaucrat?

Welcome to the real world where we all have to function every day.

Well, I'm probably venturing into OMNI territory on this one, but I find it somewhat amusing over all the fuss concerning waterboarding. Hmmm, three (that's right, a BIG total of three) NON-USC suspected terrorists were subjected to this treatment under controlled circumstances with medical personnel present. So, Teddy Kennedy gets on his pulpit and throws a fit. Statistically speaking, it is safer to be waterboarded by elements within the US government than it is to drive in a car with Ted behind the wheel (especially beware crossing bridges)! Bottom line...don't violate USC rights, but I could give a rat's azz about non-usc suspected terrorists. This method is only a tool, albeit harsh, that causes little or NO physical injury. Sure, it should be used only under the most dire of circumstances. If bad guy knows something that might pertain to an impending attack, location of terror cells, etc., by all means pour that water!

TB

I have as little to no tolerance for the actions (and existence!) of this un-American organization known as the TSA as anyone else here on this Forum, and like all others on this thread I wholeheartedly support the OP and I'm appalled at the treatment he received. Having said all that: Referring specifically to the above-quoted posts, I have to agree with Underpressure here: As sympathetic as I am to your plight, SAT Lawyer, and as unacceptable as it was for TSA to deliberately work to try to make you miss your flight, the fact is that by cutting it so close, both this time and (apparently) all the time, you're a creature of your own making. Let me be clear: There is NO excuse for TSA's actions toward you, but if you continually show up "just in time" to an entirely-variable environment such as the TSA checkpoint at any airport, then you continually run the risk of having an unknown variable such as an unpatriotic and vindictive-for-no-other-reason-than-"because-he-can"-TSO cause you to miss your flight. Start showing up earlier.

I hope those who condone this never have their chickens come home to roost... we are supposed to be the good guys but we're so far gone from that now I doubt we'll see it back in our lifetime. As the OP found out... it's not so much fun when the things you thought were ok as long as it happened to others happens to you one day. Something along the lines of..."and then they came for me."

Well, if you're referring to me, then I've been called a lot worse. If that's the case, then "opinions are like..." If not, well, my apologies in advance.

Have a nice evening,

TB

not worth the effort

I disagree. With some push and shove, we should see improvements. Hey, it already happened--the TSA blog is a perfect example.

Please don't disencourage the OP.

Thanks.

He wasn't referring to the OP.

Welcome to our world

Rule number zero -- don't talk to the TSA. It can only cause problems.
Rule number one -- see rule number zero.

Are you brown?

Whether you are or not, no reason for the TSA to have your wallet. Also if they started shaking me down for various forms of ID and photocopying the same, it would be me, not them, who called for the cops.

Sorry to hear of your problem.

Yeah...and I have bridge in Brooklyn you can buy really cheap...get real.
The TSA blog is a Marxist/Nazi style propaganda bullsh** that anyone with a brain can see was put there to make these goons look "civil and open minded"...

Try mumbling the words "Nazi bast**d" next time you go through....you'll see the "improvements" all right..LOL

Morons and Idiots.

You're kidding, right?