TSA screener accosts 3-year-old at airport checkpoint

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CycloWizard

Lifer
Sep 10, 2001
12,348
1
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Well then... What exactly do you suggest we do for airport security?
What is the goal of the security? To prevent a hijacking? To prevent destruction of the plane? To prevent taking hostages on a plane? The former is already accomplished by isolating the cockpit (except by taking hostages, but that cannot directly affect a hijacking). No airport security will stop someone from destroying a plane because it's technically impossible to detect things that could be used (or an idiot standing outside an airport with a stinger missile). The latter is likewise impossible because I can easily use a piece of plastic, or even my bare hands, as a weapon undetectable by any method available. So, the real question is: what is the point of airport security?

edit: As others have said, the reason for existing airport security is to provide the illusion that government is doing something. This is not a valid reason to compromise my rights. Ever.
 
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May 16, 2000
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Your interpretation of our rights is not absolute. If you think something is wrong in our country there are avenues to express your thoughts and work toward change. Assualting TSA workers is not a right of citizens.

According to the Declaration of Independence it's a right, and duty, of all humans.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

I don't expect people to agree, but that doesn't alter my mind or course. Touch my child like that and you will go down. Decide if the paycheck is worth that.
 

IcePickFreak

Platinum Member
Jul 12, 2007
2,428
9
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Security, LOL. THey frisk a 3 year old kid, yet when there's something people question 35 miles off the coast of the second biggest city in the county (LA) it takes several days for the government to officially come out and say "Yeah that was definitely just an airplane." Not saying it wasn't, but they should of had a flight number, destinations, etc within an hour of being questioned about it. Instead for several days their only answer was "We don't know what it was, but we're certain is was no threat to the nation." Bang up job guys.
 
May 16, 2000
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Well, what do you suggest we do to keep air travel safe, yet not "erode" your rights?

1. You cannot ensure complete safety. Ever. Do not attempt to do so. Especially not where doing so sacrifices liberty for that safety. Liberty is more important by far.
2. Learn from, and emulate, those groups/agencies with the best track record at successfully preventing incidents. Make it a comparative analysis, not accepting any one view on the matter.
 

CycloWizard

Lifer
Sep 10, 2001
12,348
1
81
HERE'S AN IDEA, HOW ABOUT YOU REMOVE ALL THE FUCKING METAL OFF YOUR BODY AND YOU WILL BREEZE THROUGH! IDIOTS!

*beep* Sorry sir, you need to remove all metallic objects from your pocket

*puts change in tray and beeps again* Sorry sir, do you have anything else?

*puts keys on tray and beeps again* Seriously? Take your belt off

*puts belt on tray and beeps again* Ok, you SURE you have everything out of your pockets?

*puts cell phone in tray and beeps again* Are you retarded? What is wrong with you?

*puts misc. metal objects like paper clips and crap in tray from back pocket and beeps again* WTF?????

*Says to security worker, I have 10 metallic pins in my hip and knee* ARGGHGHHHHH!!!
While this is endlessly frustrating, why is the magnetometer so sensitive? Is it to detect a gun/knife, or detect how much ferromagnetic metal was used in making the frames on my glasses? Not only that, but the settings are different at different airports, even on the same make/model of detector.
 

Wingznut

Elite Member
Dec 28, 1999
16,968
2
0
1. You cannot ensure complete safety. Ever. Do not attempt to do so. Especially not where doing so sacrifices liberty for that safety. Liberty is more important by far.
2. Learn from, and emulate, those groups/agencies with the best track record at successfully preventing incidents. Make it a comparative analysis, not accepting any one view on the matter.

What is the goal of the security? To prevent a hijacking? To prevent destruction of the plane? To prevent taking hostages on a plane? The former is already accomplished by isolating the cockpit (except by taking hostages, but that cannot directly affect a hijacking). No airport security will stop someone from destroying a plane because it's technically impossible to detect things that could be used (or an idiot standing outside an airport with a stinger missile). The latter is likewise impossible because I can easily use a piece of plastic, or even my bare hands, as a weapon undetectable by any method available. So, the real question is: what is the point of airport security?

edit: As others have said, the reason for existing airport security is to provide the illusion that government is doing something. This is not a valid reason to compromise my rights. Ever.

So what... You guys are suggesting we do absolutely nothing?
 
May 16, 2000
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So what... You guys are suggesting we do absolutely nothing?

I said nothing of the sort. In fact, I clearly said to perform a comparative analysis of other successful agencies and implement policy based on that...providing it is not unduly intrusive/counter to liberty compared to its actual effectiveness.
 

dainthomas

Lifer
Dec 7, 2004
14,635
3,507
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Do all 3 years old act like that? Sure, the child isn't responsible, she's only 3. I'm just saying maybe the parents could've taken better responsibility to prepare her. For example, the father/reporter noted that the kid's teddy bear had to go through the screener and that is likely what set the little girl off to being with. Maybe telling her beforehand this was going to happen would have helped?

Holy Christ, have you ever traveled for hours through airports and on planes with a three year old? They barely need a reason to go off, then you assume it's bad parenting when a stranger swipes their teddy bear and starts groping them and they fly off the handle?

I would personally have trouble lying to my kid to tell them why that kind of treatment is necessary. Especially when I am fully cognizant of the fact that some minimum-wage baggage handler could be loading a bag of C4 in the cargo hold as we're speaking. "Don't worry honey! The government lackeys have to hassle three year olds and old ladies so all the ignorant sheep are deluded into thinking the they're doing something."

Sorry, but I don't think it's exaggerating to say that the terrorists have gotten exactly what they wanted.
 

Wingznut

Elite Member
Dec 28, 1999
16,968
2
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I said nothing of the sort. In fact, I clearly said to perform a comparative analysis of other successful agencies and implement policy based on that...providing it is not unduly intrusive/counter to liberty compared to its actual effectiveness.
Oh c'mon... That's just BS, not an actual solution.

It's very difficult to respect someone who has nothing but negative things to say, and never ever offers a tangible solution.
 

Gooberlx2

Lifer
May 4, 2001
15,381
6
91
Meh, kids have tantrums. Especially if they're tired, hungry, stressed, over-stimulated, etc.. Shit happens. Move along.

The only way I see it improving is if they have someone on staff who's the "kid specialist" who knows how to get their attention, work with their outbursts, make a game out of it, whatever...
 

theflyingpig

Banned
Mar 9, 2008
5,616
18
0
Touch my child like that and I'll drop you where you stand. I don't care if I spend my life in prison, you're at LEAST going to spend yours in a wheelchair. Consider that before you take a job with a fascist agency. When enough agents are dead or paralyzed they'll refuse to take part in bullshit like this and we'll get our country back.

lolHHAHAHAAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAAHAH
You would just stand there and do nothing. People like you are all the same. lol. Everyone knows this.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
64,137
12,457
136
For decades, I've been a firm believer that children should be banned from air travel. Having to deal with a screaming brat who kicks the seat in front, or runs up/down the aisles can turn an otherwise miserable flight into several hours of agony. For some unknown reason, beating and choking someone else's un-controlled brat is looked down on...so you have to endure it...like it or not.
Just ban all kids under the age of 25, and air travel can be relatively comfortable again.
 
May 16, 2000
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Oh c'mon... That's just BS, not an actual solution.

It's very difficult to respect someone who has nothing but negative things to say, and never ever offers a tangible solution.

I just did. I can't be more specific because I'm not a national representative...I can't just call Tel Aviv and ask to speak to the security director.
 

Malak

Lifer
Dec 4, 2004
14,696
2
0
I have to say some of the responses in this thread are some of the most ignorant responses I have ever seen in the history of ATOT.
 

Nintendesert

Diamond Member
Mar 28, 2010
7,761
5
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If you "patriots" are so gungho about the Constitution and your belief that these kinds of things erode it, where is your lawsuit? Where are the suits being filed by you forcing the courts to rule on the behavior in question?
 
May 16, 2000
13,522
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If you "patriots" are so gungho about the Constitution and your belief that these kinds of things erode it, where is your lawsuit? Where are the suits being filed by you forcing the courts to rule on the behavior in question?

A) Lawsuits don't always work
B) They require INCREDIBLE sums of $...at least to be effective
 

NetGuySC

Golden Member
Nov 19, 1999
1,643
4
81
Maybe if the father would have comforted the child during this search rather than film it it would have went much much better.

Better yet, try to get her teddy bear, after it was screened, and give it back to her.
 
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sygyzy

Lifer
Oct 21, 2000
14,001
4
76
How could the screener have done a better job? The parents need to do their job. The screener was being extremely patient with the bratty kid.