Forbes reporter prohibited from filming wife's patdown
Nov 24, 2010 | 11:41 am
#16
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This guy's blog said he was detained yesterday, 11/23, for taking pictures.
http://erratasec.blogspot.com/2010/1...ed-by-tsa.html
http://erratasec.blogspot.com/2010/1...ed-by-tsa.html
While sitting there, I was drawn into other conversations, like this one with a higher level manager (she was dressed I in a suit rather than a uniform):
TSA: Dont you have normal operating procedures at your work?
Me: Yes
TSA: How would you like it if somebody came to your work and disrupted your procedures? How would you like it if people took pictures of you at your work?
Me: I dont work for the government. Government agencies need to be accountable to the public, and therefore suffer disruptions like this.
TSA: Not all parts of the government are accountable to the public, especially the TSA.
Me: Wow. No, ALL parts of the government are accountable to the people, especially the TSA. Im not sure what type of country you think we live in.
TSA: Dont you have normal operating procedures at your work?
Me: Yes
TSA: How would you like it if somebody came to your work and disrupted your procedures? How would you like it if people took pictures of you at your work?
Me: I dont work for the government. Government agencies need to be accountable to the public, and therefore suffer disruptions like this.
TSA: Not all parts of the government are accountable to the public, especially the TSA.
Me: Wow. No, ALL parts of the government are accountable to the people, especially the TSA. Im not sure what type of country you think we live in.
Nov 24, 2010 | 11:46 am
#17
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Agreed. Read an earlier post by his "co-author."
Nov 24, 2010 | 12:00 pm
#18
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The TSA will probably argue that the pat-down is part of the security process, and they don't want photographic documentation of what takes place during a pat-down (or any other part of the security process). Then we'd be giving the terrorists a road-map of how to bypass security (or so they'd say).
Of course, all of those pics in the papers of people getting a pat-down don't apply.
Of course, all of those pics in the papers of people getting a pat-down don't apply.
Nov 24, 2010 | 12:29 pm
#19
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Incidentally, it's not merely a "pat down." Napolitano herself has described it as a "law enforcement-style search."
Nov 24, 2010 | 12:45 pm
#20
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So then what did you do? Stop like an obedient ewe? Why on EARTH would you do that???
Any reporter worth his salt would have simply said "Please... PLEASE confiscate my phone. Please. I know my rights, and I will be all over EVERY CABLE NEWS CHANNEL in the country before the day ends. I'm a reporter, and I want to improve my visibility in the market, so do me a favor and PLEASE take my phone. I. Dare. You."
Any reporter worth his salt would have simply said "Please... PLEASE confiscate my phone. Please. I know my rights, and I will be all over EVERY CABLE NEWS CHANNEL in the country before the day ends. I'm a reporter, and I want to improve my visibility in the market, so do me a favor and PLEASE take my phone. I. Dare. You."
Nov 24, 2010 | 1:10 pm
#21
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So then what did you do? Stop like an obedient ewe? Why on EARTH would you do that???
Any reporter worth his salt would have simply said "Please... PLEASE confiscate my phone. Please. I know my rights, and I will be all over EVERY CABLE NEWS CHANNEL in the country before the day ends. I'm a reporter, and I want to improve my visibility in the market, so do me a favor and PLEASE take my phone. I. Dare. You."
Any reporter worth his salt would have simply said "Please... PLEASE confiscate my phone. Please. I know my rights, and I will be all over EVERY CABLE NEWS CHANNEL in the country before the day ends. I'm a reporter, and I want to improve my visibility in the market, so do me a favor and PLEASE take my phone. I. Dare. You."
This... a thousand times THIS!
Nov 24, 2010 | 1:37 pm
#22
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TSA: Not all parts of the government are accountable to the public, especially the TSA
The fact that anyone working for the govenment let alone TSA would actually make a statement like this shows the real problem we have in this country
That would make a hell of Tshirt
The fact that anyone working for the govenment let alone TSA would actually make a statement like this shows the real problem we have in this country
That would make a hell of Tshirt
Nov 24, 2010 | 3:04 pm
#24
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Being abrasive as the roughest sandpaper in order to get under the veneer is not a reliable career-making/-keeping way.
Nov 24, 2010 | 3:09 pm
#25
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Nov 24, 2010 | 3:15 pm
#26
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No, the story has legs now. It's about ratings now, and winning the numbers game. Like I said on another thread... money talks, BS Walks.
It would even provide what the current administration calls a "Teachable moment"... TSA director could come on and say "That screener was wrong, and we're going to take actions to correct them". Then he looks all reasonable, viewers wonder what the hubbub is, and all it costs is 4 hours of remedial training for one lowly smurf foot soldier.
Can't BUY that kind of PR.
It would even provide what the current administration calls a "Teachable moment"... TSA director could come on and say "That screener was wrong, and we're going to take actions to correct them". Then he looks all reasonable, viewers wonder what the hubbub is, and all it costs is 4 hours of remedial training for one lowly smurf foot soldier.
Can't BUY that kind of PR.
It is the same with the NOS. We need to keep it on the front page. The current administration can't dis-invite every news organization to the press conferences.
Nov 24, 2010 | 3:27 pm
#27
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When I contacted the TSA, public affairs officer Greg Soule pointed to the unless the activity interferes with a TSOs ability to perform his or her duties clause. That can be interpreted at the discretion of the checkpoints agents, apparently, to mean that anyone who takes pictures is interfering with their duties.
Usual TSAspeak
.
Nov 24, 2010 | 4:35 pm
#28
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I would have simply ignored the TSO "yelling at me" and would have kept on filming. Let the TSO come and try and take my camera. I would not do one thing until the TSO put his hand on either me (assault and battery) or my camera (robbery or at the very least, attempted robbery) and then before the TSO could think twice, he would be face down on the floor with his arm twisted hard behind him and my knee in his back with me yelling as loud as I could, "I need a police officer, I need a police officer" When the police officer arrives, I simply say that I was assaulted and this person (the TSO) tried to rob me and if you don't believe me, play the surveillance tape.
Nov 24, 2010 | 5:46 pm
#29
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Now a quick question, that article had a link to a TSA SOP handbook hosted on abcnews.com ---
I'm surprised that's considered public information? It's not classified or proprietary info?
I'm sure this had to be discussed on this board at some other time (but I guess I'm lazy with the search feature
)
Last edited by mht_flyer; Nov 24, 2010 at 5:47 pm Reason: clarification
Nov 24, 2010 | 6:19 pm
#30
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