was this TSA guy a jerk?
 

I was sitting in RDU waiting for my flight talking to a coworker who was waiting for his flight. (all east coast flights were delayed)

Im a chinese guy in my 30s, hes a white guy in his 50s.

A TSA agent walks up to me and says "what flight are you on?"
I said "this one (points to gate) going to NY, why?"
he just walks off, so I asked again "Why?"
He looked at me and kept walking, so I asked again "Why?"
He just walks off.

Then 5 minutes later, he comes up to me and says "Show me your id and boarding pass"
I give it to him, then ask "Why?"
He said "random check" and walks off.

Was he being a jerk?
Ive seen random checks as you are boarding, but never when you're just sitting there.

that's not exactly what I would call random.

"Sorry, that's Sensitive, (Personal) Security Information". ;)

The response to the question posed in the title "is the pope catholic?"

I think you're being too kind if you think he's a jerk.

If it ever happens to you again, I would just get the person name and file a complaint.

That is just fantastic. I see them really making sure the country is safe from everything by waiting until everybody is sitting on the plane in their seat and then TSA can come through and ask for your boarding pass and id. That'll help expedite the whole flying process. Think of how safe you'll be then!

If this ever happens to you again:

1. You are under no obligation to answer any questions of a TSO or, as this most likely was, a BDO ("Behavior Detection Officer").

2. You are under no obligation to show your boarding pass and ID to a TSO or BDO after you have already done so to clear the security checkpoint.

3. TSOs are not law enforcement officers and have no powers of arrest or detention. They can deny you access to the secured area at the checkpoint. They can't kick you out of once you're already in.

My inclination would have been to give the TSO a lecture about both civility and the Constitution and then tell, "I have no interest in speaking with you. If you don't like it, get a policeman."

Is that published someplace?

My guess would be the smurf "random" checks in the gateway would fall under #3 as detention and I'd be glad to whip out something that tells them to go smurf themselves.

Agreed, is there a source? If I'm not obligated to show BP/ID after clearing the checkpoint, then what could i do if I had a flight that was selected for ID checks?

I was under the impression that as soon as I enter the sterile area TSA can search me any time.

Sounds pretty pathetic to me ... like he was trying to make some kind of lame point about having the power to waste 3 minutes of your life. Reminds me of once when I got tired of waiting to get out of airport parking while the cashier/security guard was having a drawn out personal conversation/party with the car in front of me. I tapped the horn a couple of times. When I rolled up she walked around tapped my inspection sticker and made a comment that she was making sure it was valid. I laughed, she glared, I left.

Just curious, were you following him screaming "Why?", politely asking "Why?", or something in between? What does being Chinese have to do with it?

I wasnt screaming.
He was in front of me, I asked "Why" he started to walk away.
I said again "why" (he was 3 feet away)
I asked "why?" (he was 5 feet away)

I stated chinese, and the ethnicity of my coworker, just in case someone thought we might have fit a "profile".
We were both different races...actually come to think of it, he only asked me and not my coworker.

I thought about complaining, but I didnt want the guy to put me on some kind of watch list or something

so a tsa agent walks up to me and says......

simply respond with "please go spot someone else" and then proceedto ignore them

The flip answer is, "Yes, it's published someplace: the U.S. Constitution." The longer answer is, no, it's not published in any one place, but is a correct statement of law regarding non-LEOs, public places, producing identification, etc.

Yes. Some people are. Maybe you did not assimilate enough. :D