TSA Abuses Cancer Survivor For Second Time

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TSA Abuses Cancer Survivor For Second Time

Written By : William Teach

And, they apparently knew who they were patting down

Thomas Sawyer, a 62-year-old bladder cancer survivor who made headlines last November after a pat-down left him covered in his own urine, has filed a new complaint with the Transportation Security Administration.

Sawyer, who wears a urostomy bag that collects his urine through an opening in his abdomen, said he was traveling through Detroit Metro Airport on July 14 on his way to Orlando when he was singled out for a pat-down.

“Before I could even get (out) the words, ‘I want this done privately,’ the TSO agent began patting me down in public,” said Sawyer. “I said ‘Whoa! I have a medical condition.’ He said, ‘I know,’ and continued the pat-down.”

TSA policy states that travelers “should be offered a private screening before the beginning of a pat-down inspection if the pat-down will require the lifting of clothing and/or display of a covered medical device.”

Sawyer, of Houghton Lake, Mich., believes the policy was violated and filed a formal complaint with the TSA on July 20, after he returned from his trip.

Hey, Congress, isn’t it high time you reformed the TSA so that situations like this stop happening? We should be able to fly without being subjected to what would be considered assault in the private sector. How many times have people been subjected to these indignities and not have their story told in the news? I’ve mentioned before that I was subjected to these enhanced procedures at LAX in June 2010. Sheesh, they knew where they metal was: the hand wand only went off on my lower right leg, which has a stainless steel rod implanted in the bone. At least the TSA agent looked embarrassed and chagrined to have to do the search.

And let’s not forget all the theft that the TSA has been involved in.

Crossed at Pirate’s Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach.

Martin Hale

What I don’t understand is why the TSA has taken so long to get a “trusted flyer” programme operational. It’s an idea which dates back to their inception, yet they haven’t managed to make it happen. The basic concept is to do an extensive background check on people who apply for the “trusted flyer” status which is repeated at intervals of maybe three or five years. Once cleared, they can be subjected to a much less intrusive airport screening process at the gate.

A person like Mr. Sawyer would be a perfect candidate for a ‘one and done’ sort of screening process. So would people who have metal joint replacements, metal reinforcing plate repairs and the like.

This story is more evidence of bureaucratic stupidity from TSA, if you ask me.

http://www.vega.com Vega – Sugar & Spice

I agree totally, Martin. I don’t see why you couldn’t have an extensive background check for frequent flyers, or even someone who is planning to go on vacation.

The TSA has never ever caught a terrorist in the 10 years since 9/11. We need to go high-tech and modern. This nonsense has gotten out of control.

Anonymous

So you’re saying they need a stronger union and better compensation?

http://www.vega.com Vega – Sugar & Spice

I think we should work a lot smarter instead of being lazy and redundant.

Anonymous

Why do you hate organized labor?

Laziness and redundancy are two of the cornerstones of the American labor movement.

Take those away and what’s left?
Unbridled-greed? Sure, ok.

Inability to fire people who are dangerously incompetent? Well yeah there’s still that.

Using thinly veiled threats against our children to force their way? Well obviously they have to keep that.

Anyway the point is you hate Labor Unions which means you hate workers and America.

Why Vega, why?
http://www.vega.com Vega – Sugar & Spice

This has got nothing to do with labor unions of any kind.

The TSA is doing what they are told to do. They didn’t create this policy, nor are they fighting to keep it that way.

I would assume the TSA would prefer to not have to frisk old ladies.
Anonymous

So we could break the union and not suffer as a result, since it has nothing to do with unions?

Martin Hale

Not only hasn’t TSA caught any terrorists – they’re very unlikely to ever catch any terrorists for two simple reasons: one – they work on a largely “reactive” strategic model; and two – they’re obsessed with the idea that technology is the primary defence against terrorism.

Their actions suggest that they wait until after a new method of sneaking explosives onto aircraft has been uncovered before starting to screen for that method. A classic example of closing the barn door after the horse has escaped.

Their actions also suggest that rather than to develop a highly skilled screening workforce, as the Israelis have, they believe they can do the job effectively by using technology as their primary means of detection while employing a semi-skilled workforce. The flaw in that thinking is that terrorists will always be one step ahead in the cat-and-mouse game of detection. We’ve already heard chatter that the next strategy for terrorists is to bring explosives aboard either in body cavities or surgically implanted.

I can’t wait to see what technology TSA is going to come up with to react to that!

http://www.vega.com Vega – Sugar & Spice

You are right again, Martin. They are reactive, rather than proactive.

They check people’s crotches because there was once a crotch bomber. But terrorists are not going to send another crotch bomber. They adapt and change, like cockroaches.

Bill Dalasio

Why not just dump it and save the money? As I explained to a friend, the TSA is not about protecting travellers, but making travellers feel like they’re protected. Marginal emotional well-being is a poor excuse for a multi-billion dollar federal agency.

Bill Dalasio

Absolutely, my wife had a total hip replacement in January. Any time we fly, its a nightmare.

Anonymous

Somehow the Isrealis have a much better record than we do for airport security, for less money, and (get this) without drenching people in their own urine or otherwise molesting them.

Maybe we should copy what they do.

Anonymous

Hell, we can’t do that. Thier main weapon is profiling and thanks to such groupslike the aclu and cair that’s never going to happen. They’d rather see people dead and maimed than let the “wrong” people be offended.

http://www.vega.com Vega – Sugar & Spice

They profile behavior though, not the ethnicity of the person.

We should learn from them.

Anonymous

But what if behavioral profiling means more young arab men are looked at than old, incontinent grandpartents? Wouldn’t that be the worst thing in the world?

http://www.vega.com Vega – Sugar & Spice

Behavior is behavior, no matter what the person looks like.

So if grandma is acting suspicious, then she is scrutinized.
http://www.wordaroundthenet.com Christopher Taylor

That’s fine with me but that can’t be the only criteria, and it certainly isn’t the only one they’re using.
http://www.wordaroundthenet.com Christopher Taylor

That’s fine with me but that can’t be the only criteria, and it certainly isn’t the only one they’re using.
http://www.vega.com Vega – Sugar & Spice

You’re right, CT. Again, smarter, not lazy.

Any idiot can stop someone who “looks” muslim. It takes brains to profile according to behavior and reactions.
Anonymous

Right, but if it just so happens that more young arab/muslim men are seen to be “acting suspicious” we can assume you would have no issue with them being scrutinized more so than other demographics?

Since nearly all plane hijackers in the US have fit this mold I think it’s safe to assume that if behavioral profiling works then it would mostly net those kinds of people.

Anonymous

But what if behavioral profiling means more young arab men are looked at than old, incontinent grandpartents? Wouldn’t that be the worst thing in the world?
gfchicago

Vega, you are truly delusional if you think that a person ethnicity is not taken into account.

I know a big part of what they do is based on behavior, however you have to know that ethnicity is taken in to account as well.

http://www.vega.com Vega – Sugar & Spice

It can be taken into account. What is cannot be is the main characteristic.
Anonymous

Why? beacause it makes you feel bad? If I’m robbed at gun point by 2 black men and I tell the cops these guys were both about 6’2″ early twenties and about 230 pounds, that’s who they should be looking at. Not patting down ninety year old white grandmothers because various left wing political groups will crap themselves. Like it or not they vast majority of terrorist acts that have occured in the past 30 years or so have been perpetrated by young muslim men of middle eastern descent. That’s a fact like it or not. I’m truly sorry that’s the way it is but until you can come up with abetter way these are the people we should be looking at the closest. I agree that behavior must be the most telling clue but to act like young men of middle eastern decsent aren’t the most likely to carry out an attack is just naive.
Anonymous

Actually according to liberals and the standing doctrine of the TSA appearance may not be taken in to account.

That would be profiling.

And it is better that a thousand hijackers slip through than one innocent Muslim be slightly inconvenienced for a brief period of time (although it is perfectly acceptable to harrass the elderly and force them to piss on themselves because hey, fuck ‘em if they aren’t muslims)
Anonymous

Actually according to liberals and the standing doctrine of the TSA appearance may not be taken in to account.

That would be profiling.

And it is better that a thousand hijackers slip through than one innocent Muslim be slightly inconvenienced for a brief period of time (although it is perfectly acceptable to harrass the elderly and force them to piss on themselves because hey, fuck ‘em if they aren’t muslims)
Anonymous

Actually according to liberals and the standing doctrine of the TSA appearance may not be taken in to account.

That would be profiling.

And it is better that a thousand hijackers slip through than one innocent Muslim be slightly inconvenienced for a brief period of time (although it is perfectly acceptable to harrass the elderly and force them to piss on themselves because hey, fuck ‘em if they aren’t muslims)
Anonymous

Actually according to liberals and the standing doctrine of the TSA appearance may not be taken in to account.

That would be profiling.

And it is better that a thousand hijackers slip through than one innocent Muslim be slightly inconvenienced for a brief period of time (although it is perfectly acceptable to harrass the elderly and force them to piss on themselves because hey, fuck ‘em if they aren’t muslims)

Martin Hale

In all honesty, as much as I admire the Israeli programme of pre-flight screening, it probably isn’t scalable to the demands of the American flying public. Israel has a small handful of airports, only one of which is an international airport and a limited number of passengers. Their screening process is very time and labour intensive so it’s not well-suited to the volumes of passengers we handle daily.

The Israeli system puts passengers under scrutiny from the parking lot all the way to the gate looking for behavioural cues that they are not being truthful. Passengers who warrant a closer look are stopped and questioned multiple times by multiple people. Their screeners are highly trained in behavioural observation techniques and definitely represent a higher-calibre of employee that the droids who work at TSA.

That said, I agree we’d be wise to incorporate some of their methodology into our process. The behavioural screening techniques are darned effective when done by competent screeners.

Anonymous

Somehow the Isrealis have a much better record than we do for airport security, for less money, and (get this) without drenching people in their own urine or otherwise molesting them.

Maybe we should copy what they do.
Anonymous

Somehow the Isrealis have a much better record than we do for airport security, for less money, and (get this) without drenching people in their own urine or otherwise molesting them.

Maybe we should copy what they do.
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http://www.wordaroundthenet.com Christopher Taylor

Is there anyone who remotely is sympathetic toward the TSA or supports these kind of actions? Anywhere?

http://davidscommonplacebook.wordpress.com/ David Hoffman

I do. I look forward to being groped when I am at an airport.

Toastrider

That’s because you write bad porno fanfiction about your experiences :)

http://davidscommonplacebook.wordpress.com/ David Hoffman

It is not fiction. Everything I write is true.
http://davidscommonplacebook.wordpress.com/ David Hoffman

It is not fiction. Everything I write is true.

http://www.vega.com Vega – Sugar & Spice

Free prostate exams for everyone!
Anonymous

Now when the doctor examines your prostrate, he’s not supposed to have both hands on your shoulders, right?
http://www.vega.com Vega – Sugar & Spice

Free prostate exams for everyone!
http://www.vega.com Vega – Sugar & Spice

Free prostate exams for everyone!

http://www.wordaroundthenet.com Christopher Taylor

Is there anyone who remotely is sympathetic toward the TSA or supports these kind of actions? Anywhere?

Who Is Brett Kimberlin?

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