The TSA is the American federal organization entrusted with ensuring that no flights over United States controlled airspace are ever hijacked again. The TSA is also overstepping its legal boundaries.
At this point, I thought it was all over. I began to make my way to the stairs to exit the airport, when I was approached by another man in slacks and a sport coat. He was accompanied by the officer that had escorted me to the ticketing area and Mr. Silva. He informed me that I could not leave the airport. He said that once I start the screening in the secure area, I could not leave until it was completed. Having left the area, he stated, I would be subject to a civil suit and a $10,000 fine. I asked him if he was also going to fine the 6 TSA agents and the local police officer who escorted me from the secure area. After all, I did exactly what I was told. He said that they didn’t know the rules, and that he would deal with them later. They would not be subject to civil penalties. I then pointed to Mr. Silva and asked if he would be subject to any penalties. He is the agents’ supervisor, and he directed them to escort me out. The man informed me that Mr. Silva was new and he would not be subject to penalties, either. He again asserted the necessity that I return to the screening area. When I asked why, he explained that I may have an incendiary device and whether or not that was true needed to be determined. I told him that I would submit to a walk through the metal detector, but that was it; I would not be groped. He told me that their procedures are on their website, and therefore, I was fully informed before I entered the airport; I had implicitly agreed to whatever screening they deemed appropriate. I told him that San Diego was not listed on the TSA’s website as an airport using Advanced Imaging Technology, and I believed that I would only be subject to the metal detector. He replied that he was not a webmaster, and I asked then why he was referring me to the TSA’s website if he didn’t know anything about it. I again refused to re-enter the screening area.
The sweet taste of freedom in America is pretty much absent these days.
I can handle terrorists. I am less prepared for the enemy within. If government treats all of us as if we are terrorists then eventually we will all become terrorists. Submit or else is an inappropriate position to take when you are dealing with the general public. Right now, we are our own worst enemy and somewhere, Osama bin Laden is laughing at us. He won. Read the comments in the gentleman’s post linked above. This brave man stood up for his civil rights and I applaud him. Not everyone feels the way I do.
I’m on the side of the naked masses in this war between blind authoritarianism accompanied by security theater and real patriots who understand that human freedom is important. I will not live in a fear-based authoritarian society. I demand better from my government and will take action it if my petitions fall on deaf ears. Security theater has failed as an experiment in populace obedience training. Let’s acknowledge that and come up with some less offensive and more humble security procedures. The TSA needs to hear the message before this turns into a flash point in American history.
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