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USA Today on TSA's new badges

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Old Jun 16, 2008, 1:19 pm
  #31  
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Originally Posted by essxjay
How do you know that?
Previous, extensive discussions re: the new uniforms & badges on the blog & the responses posted to them. It's not just the real cops who are against them.
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 1:30 pm
  #32  
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Originally Posted by txrus
Previous, extensive discussions re: the new uniforms & badges on the blog & the responses posted to them.
That answers a question that wasn't asked.

Let me put it another way: How do you "clearly" know that the USA Today reporter hasn't visited the TSA blog? Did you call and speak with him, or exchange emails?

Last edited by essxjay; Jun 16, 2008 at 1:36 pm
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 1:38 pm
  #33  
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Originally Posted by ButIsItArt
The badge is a fundamental LE tool...not really sure how such a tool fits in with the duties of most TSO's. Would be interested in hearing whether the LEO's on this board are of the same sentiment of those expressing concern in the article posted by the OP
Originally Posted by Cee
Most of the LEO's I've talked to, and other TSO's are just waiting for a moronic TSO to use their badge improperly. I know other posters on here have expressed that same concern.
Even more troubling is the likelihood that a Gomer or Kettle will mistake a TSO for LEO when they have a real emergency. Police have both the training and the professional resources to handle emergencies, whether it's a medical problem, a crime in progress or even a lost child. Like almost everyone else, my parents always told me, "If you ever are in trouble, find a policeman -- he or she will help you." And, god forbid, there is ever a terrorist attack in an airport, I want to be able to spot the LEOs so I can hide behind them.

The new uniforms and badges make TSOs look EXACTLY like LEOs. I trust LEOs to protect me, I don't trust TSOs -- it's not their job. I may know the difference, but the Gomers and Kettles certainly wont.
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 2:30 pm
  #34  
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Originally Posted by essxjay
That answers a question that wasn't asked.

Let me put it another way: How do you "clearly" know that the USA Today reporter hasn't visited the TSA blog? Did you call and speak with him, or exchange emails?
No mention anywhere in his article that this has been discussed, repeatedly, on the TSA's blog & that the response has been overwhelmingly negative. To me, that clearly shows he hasn't visited the blog.

That is my opinion. You are free to disagree with it, as you see fit, of course.
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 2:46 pm
  #35  
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Originally Posted by Flaflyer
Nowadays it's all done with lawyers and clerks typing forms, but I like the good ole days in the Union Army when someone was "drummed out" for a dishonerable discharge: Head shaved and uniform stripped of its buttons and insignia while the band played the "Rouge's March."

If some around here ever gets their way and TSA is disbanded, it would be only fitting and proper to line em all up and let a volunteer from the "other side" rip off their insignia. As the uniforms get fancier, all I see is more shiny stuff to rip off!

Someone care to calculate how long it will take People's Volunteer Spiff to rip off 45,000 badges?

Ooooh, like the beginning of Branded. (1965-66 television show with Chuck Conners for those too young to know)
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 3:05 pm
  #36  
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Originally Posted by Oxb
Ooooh, like the beginning of Branded. (1965-66 television show with Chuck Conners for those too young to know)
"Branded.
Scorned as the one who ran.
What do you do when you're branded . . .
And you know you're a man?"

(It worries me that I actually know this. I also know the words to F Troop.)
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 3:10 pm
  #37  
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Originally Posted by PTravel
"Branded.
Scorned as the one who ran.
What do you do when you're branded . . .
And you know you're a man?"

(It worries me that I actually know this. I also know the words to F Troop.)
More people probably know the reworded version involving toilet paper
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 3:14 pm
  #38  
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Originally Posted by Oxb
More people probably know the reworded version involving toilet paper
Come on, share!
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 3:56 pm
  #39  
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Originally Posted by Oxb
Ooooh, like the beginning of Branded. (1965-66 television show with Chuck Conners for those too young to know)
Thanks! I couldn't remember the name of the show, but I could visualize Chuck Connors standing there being stripped of all uniform ornamentation.
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 4:04 pm
  #40  
 
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I really don't understand why the badges are a big deal one way or the other.

I'm reminded of the riff in "Office Space" where the jagoff restaurant manager gives the Jennifer Anniston character a hard time about not having enough buttons and badges ("flair") pinned to her uniform.

Well, that's how I feel about the badge ... it's just one more piece of flair I have to keep track of!

Usually I put all the required crap on my uniform while riding the parking lot shuttle bus in to the airport. No sense wasting time at home!
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 4:33 pm
  #41  
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Originally Posted by Oxb
More people probably know the reworded version involving toilet paper
i do <hee hee>

Originally Posted by Oxb
Ooooh, like the beginning of Branded. (1965-66 television show with Chuck Conners for those too young to know)
who also played for <the soon to be> nba champion boston celtics

Originally Posted by PTravel
"Branded.
Scorned as the one who ran.
What do you do when you're branded . . .
And you know you're a man?"

(It worries me that I actually know this. I also know the words to F Troop.)
yup me too as well (and for both )
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 6:12 pm
  #42  
 
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Originally Posted by PTravel
Even more troubling is the likelihood that a Gomer or Kettle will mistake a TSO for LEO when they have a real emergency.
Bingo. Justification for giving them law-enforcement powers. Well, that and the dragnet that's being run at the checkpoint.
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 6:42 pm
  #43  
 
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What about cutting the non-sense and just screening the damn bags and passengers. All you need is some fine employees, a good training program, black khaki pants, dress shoes, a decent gray sweater, and a blue polo shirt.

Badges won't help any screener better detect threatening passengers or threatening suitcases.

Look at the screeners at courtrooms and government buildings. No need for the hoop-pla.
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 7:20 pm
  #44  
 
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Originally Posted by PTravel
Even more troubling is the likelihood that a Gomer or Kettle will mistake a TSO for LEO when they have a real emergency. Police have both the training and the professional resources to handle emergencies, whether it's a medical problem, a crime in progress or even a lost child. Like almost everyone else, my parents always told me, "If you ever are in trouble, find a policeman -- he or she will help you." And, god forbid, there is ever a terrorist attack in an airport, I want to be able to spot the LEOs so I can hide behind them.

The new uniforms and badges make TSOs look EXACTLY like LEOs. I trust LEOs to protect me, I don't trust TSOs -- it's not their job. I may know the difference, but the Gomers and Kettles certainly wont.
In the event of a terrorist attack at an airport, I am not sure I want to be hiding behind the LEO's. However, if the new uniforms make it harder for the terrorist to identify the real LEOs from the fake LEOs it may not be a bad thing. Maybe that was the plan after all, make it harder for the bad guys to find the good guys with the guns.

Regardless, I think this new uniform is an absolute waste of money. I am going to guess this is a several million dollar program just for the uniforms, not to mention all of the $$$ wasted on research in getting this together. There is no rational reason why this was needed.
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Old Jun 16, 2008, 7:58 pm
  #45  
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Originally Posted by PTravel
Come on, share!
Stranded!
Stranded on the toilet bowl.
What do you you do do when you're stranded.
without a roll.
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