UPDATE: Obama refuses to change TSA policies, even though he NEVER gets patted down when he boards Air Force One. Click here to read more. Also: TSA Administrator John Pistole now waffling on changes as public uproar continues. Click here to read more.
The Transportation Security Administration knows with 100 percent certainty that John Tyner, the 31-year-old Oceanside man who refused to submit to one of those embarrassing body scans or be searched by TSA groin-grabbers during his recent attempt to fly from San Diego to South Dakota, poses no security threat to the United States or anywhere else. He is not a terrorist, just a citizen frustrated by the growing intrusiveness of TSA screening procedures, writes Steven Greenhut in an op-ed at the O.C. Register.
I looked up Tyner’s video and posted it above. Listening to the TSA screeners is unbelievable. They truly believe in groin-grabbing. I love Tyner’s reaction that if they weren’t the government it would be considered molestation!
Tyner wrote about what happened on his blog. Here are a few excerpts:
This morning, I tried to fly out of San Diego International Airport but was refused by the TSA. I had been somewhat prepared for this eventuality. I have been reading about the millimeter wave and backscatter x-ray machines and the possible harm to health as well as the vivid pictures they create of people’s naked bodies. Not wanting to go through them, I had done my research on the TSA’s website prior to traveling to see if SAN had them. From all indications, they did not. When I arrived at the security line, I found that the TSA’s website was out of date. SAN does in fact utilize backscatter x-ray machines.
I made my way through the line toward the first line of “defense”: the TSA ID checker. This agent looked over my boarding pass, looked over my ID, looked at me and then back at my ID. After that, he waved me through. SAN is still operating metal detectors, so I walked over to one of the lines for them. After removing my shoes and making my way toward the metal detector, the person in front of me in line was pulled out to go through the backscatter machine. After asking what it was and being told, he opted out. This left the machine free, and before I could go through the metal detector, I was pulled out of line to go through the backscatter machine. When asked, I half-chuckled and said, “I don’t think so.” At this point, I was informed that I would be subject to a pat down, and I waited for another agent.
A male agent (it was a female who had directed me to the backscatter machine in the first place), came and waited for me to get my bags and then directed me over to the far corner of the area for screening. After setting my things on a table, he turned to me and began to explain that he was going to do a “standard” pat down. (I thought to myself, “great, not one of those gropings like I’ve been reading about”.) After he described, the pat down, I realized that he intended to touch my groin. After he finished his description but before he started the pat down, I looked him straight in the eye and said, “if you touch my junk, I’ll have you arrested.” He, a bit taken aback, informed me that he would have to involve his supervisor because of my comment.
We both stood there for no more than probably two minutes before a female TSA agent (apparently, the supervisor) arrived…
Click here to read the rest of Tyner’s post.
As it turns out, airports have the right to fire the TSA screeners and hire private security.
Republican Rep. John Mica of Florida sent a letter to the nation’s 100 busiest airports this month urging them to consider using contractors, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Mica is a longtime critic of the TSA.
If this is true, we should ask the John Wayne Airport Commissioners to fire the TSA.
Commission Members:
Mr. Stephen Blythe, Chair, Fifth District
Mr. Bruce B. Junor, Vice Chair, Third District
Mr. Tony Lam, First District
Mr. Chris Welsh, Second District
Mr. Stephen W. Bristol, Fourth District
Here is how to contact them:
Meetings:
5:00 pm, 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month
Meeting Location:
John Wayne Airport
Eddie Martin Administration Building
Airport Commission Hearing Room
3160 Airway Avenue
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Contact:
Ms. Elsa Garcia, (949) 252-5237 or egarcia@ocair.com
If there is any good news, it is that Congressman Ron Paul has introduced legislation to stop all of this.
Paul introduced a bill in the House that would stop the TSA dead in its tracks with its ridiculous touchy-feely pat downs and the kiddie porn pictures they generate on their x-ray machines. It is called the American Traveler Dignity Act.
Check out this video:
This is insanity! Crazy!!! No words! When I fly in April I am going to give the TSA trouble as well. We should get the ACLU involved.
That is what you get when the Liberals are in control!.
No profiling because we are all equal and “one for all / all for one” doctrine applies.
I say….
If you see Arab grab him by the balls!
If you see Mexican ask for legal status!
If you see white guy like me ask nothing!
Tim McVeigh? Unabomber?
“Don’t touch my junk” before a pat down? haha. Ice Cube was rappin’ that sentiment DECADES ago.
Tyner’s no folk hero.
Sure, Tim McVeigh had his truck bomb attached to his junk and Unabomber was carrying his packaged bombs openly in his hands.
FYI Gabriel, the white people are freedom fighters and the rest are the terrorists.
HAHA!
“That is what you get when the Liberals are in control!.”
Please stop this silly talking point. It has no maening whatsoever, except on Fox “news.”
Great post Art. It’s time to do something about this madness.
The searches aren’t really popular with anyone, but privatization? Too much of that these days with no good results (ask an Iraq/Afghanistan veteran)
example please?
(Vet’s are not private enterprise, they be govenment employees)
Let the Public owned airports hire their own personal and charge a add-on price to each ticket.
D’uh and many jobs that they usually do are getting outsourced to corporations (whose employees make more money and are less efficient – angering soldiers)
But those corp employees are ex-military, now being paid market wages.
“less efficient – angering soldiers” Is this your own opinion?
If you don’t want your parts touched or looked at, don’t use public transportation, buy your own plane.
No.
Yeah, let’s get patted down now by Blackwater! That sounds a LOT better. *snark*
Only the Liberals and you comrade sub. Vern should have their balls patted down by the Blackwater…….. that is if you have any.
Any Republicans in Congress who served with valor? I thought they all dodged the draft, like their henchmen Hannity, Limbaugh, Rove, etc.
A few … but most military veterans in politics seem to be serving as Democrats these days.
One notable exception – maniac Tea Party Congressman from Florida Allen West, who was given a dishonorable discharge out of Iraq for torturing an Iraqi police officer.
Vern, are you suggesting that the government take over for the TSA?
Correct me if I am wrong, but wasn’t Rep. John Mica the idiot that introduced a post 9/11 bill that helped create the TSA? And now he’s a critic?
An example of Homeland Stupidity at its finest…
America, you get the government you deserve
http://www.startribune.com/nation/109893934.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUsX
Think what TSA is doing is OK? Check out what happened here!
I’m sure that “compassionate progressive” Crapinlewski over at the FibOC is apologizing for his BFF Barack Obama on this.
Let’s not pretend that the private sector has nothing to do with this. “Don’t scan my junk, dude”
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-11-22-scanner-lobby_N.htm
You know that if a private security company is hired they still must follow tsa regulations….
and FYI john wayne airport/SNA doesnt have body scanners…
Obama never gets patted down when getting on Air Force one? Did you really say that?
That is one of the stupidest statements I have ever seen uttered from a human being.
Go back to your cage and think about it. Sorry, you probably can’t think.