TSA told to act like sexual predators

[Vykrel]

Ok, so telling them it's a game is a little creepy, but I'm not really sure in what way it restricts people's freedom.

they randomly (and sometimes, not so randomly) force people to take a full body scan, which shows massive disrespect for the persons privacy and embarasses them, as well as possibly causing health issues due to the fact that they are using x-rays.

and although nobody objects to going through the metal detector (which should be enough for a US citizen), the TSA does not allow them to do that if theyve been selected for advanced screening.

and if they opt out of the full body scanner, they have a choice between getting sexually molested, or leaving the airport and being treated to a nice, big lawsuit. by that, i mean they actually threaten you with a $10,000 suit if you choose not to fly.

if they were to put it in a way that shows absolutely no BS, it might sound something like this: "Let us grope you, or you'll pay."

"...and let us grope your kids too."

 

[kouriichi]

Hey! i used to play that game with Pastor Pat!

...... T.T i dont want to live anymore......

OT: Yeeeeep. Sometimes people dont think. Thats really an understatement.
Alot of people dont think. And this is just more proof.

 

[Crazy_Dude]

This huge fuss just because security needs to check children for guns/explosives.

It may sound a bit paedophile but if the scanners show something up he has to be checked period. Some people do crazy things and some people use children to do crazy things.

And even then only 1/100 of the people who go through the scanner actually have to be checked. The thing works perfectly fine if something is wrong they will see it.

 

[742]

so wait, how does training kids to be molested help security? honestly, the choice for adults (let us see you naked and possibly give you cancer, or you can just let us grope you-tough shit if you have physical contact issues or prosthetic limbs or happen to be intersex/transgender)is bad enough, but this choice for kids is appalling because iirc the radiation is even worse if your younger(below a certain point obviously) and where to even start on children with prosthetic limbs or intersex disorders? you know these idiots are going to do a double take when they find something like that and its going to traumatize the kid for life.

how does *any* of this help against a biological attack, even a simple one? your only as strong as your biggest point of weakness-it doesnt matter how tall your walls are if you leave your door open.

also: havent all the airplane-based terrorist attacks til now that have been stopped been stopped by passengers? shouldnt we be encouraging passengers to be paranoid instead of complacent or tired and frustrated? maybe even giving discounts to people with martial arts training or bomb disposal experience?

 

[Underground Man]

I agree it's a big, needless hassle. But it's not technically a limiting of our freedom or rights. It infringes on our comfort and convenience. I think we too often play fast and loose with that terminology, and it creates a culture in which too many of us are "The Boy Who Cried 'Rights.'"

I think it infringes on my rights regarding the prohibition on unauthorized search and seizure...of my manparts.

 

[Gilhelmi]

Do they not realize that's exactly what a child molester would say?

Did that not even cross their minds? At all??

This is really just one more thing on the list of reasons why I need to move.

My guess is no, no they did not.

snip image

Jokes aside, I actually have to say something relevant that isn't crap.

What's wrong with just telling the kids "We need to check if you've got any weapons?"

THIS! (not the pic although funny =P) I'm so sick of people sugar coating the world for these fucking little brats. They grow up thinking the world is made of marshmallows and magic and everything should be easy, then when they are teens they act like complete spoiled little shits.

If you love your kids stop lying to them, tell them the truth about EVERYTHING!!!

I agree, maybe not go into the details but we need to stop saying 'the world will be better in ten years, the children do not need to know'. The truth is we do not know what will happen tomorrow. Our children can not care for themselves like they could 50 years ago. Take a child from 1940 and one from 2010 and drop them in the middle of Kansas (or other fertile land), the 1940 child would be able to build a house, grow crops, and can food (in mason jars). The 2010 child would look for a computer/cellphone, wonder aimlessly for three weeks, then die. Children today are too weak for the real world because we overprotect them.

 

[Lem0nade Inlay]

The TSA fail.

It's times like this I actually ENJOY living in Australia.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

TSA Director to staff: "when performing an enhanced pat-down on a child, tell them it's a game" [http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/airport-patdowns-grooming-children-sex-predators-abuse-expert/]

An expert in the fight against child sexual abuse is raising the alarm about a technique the TSA is reportedly using to get children to co-operate with airport pat-downs: calling it a "game".

That's the first paragraph, and then it gets worse. How much worse does it have to get before Americans figure out they're not free any more? It seriously wouldn't surprise me to see a full-on revolt within 10 years if things keep going how they're going.

Lost me at the bold. Yes, this is horrible and should be stopped, but it isn't oppression.

I mean, I know it's hyperbole, but what country are you from? Enlighten me in the innumerable ways it's better.

Canada. There's a thread somewhere about how Canada and the U.S. compare to each other, and I made most of my points in there. Ironically, the only thing better about Canada than the U.S. that's relevant in this thread is that it's easier for an American driving across the border to get into Canada than it is to get back home.

Which raises an interesting question: if travelling back and forth between Canada and the U.S., would you rather fly and go through airport security, or take the (potentially significantly) extra time to drive, for a more comfortable border crossing?

Damn it, Canada is actually pretty good about these things. I was hoping you were living somewhere like, oh Switzerland or something (cue getting quoted by Swiss escapists).

Regardless, we still aren't exactly on the path to a police state. And as for your second question, I'd drive. Cheaper, and I live near Canada anyway.

 

[JoJo]

Is it just me or are some overreacting here? There's a big difference between simply patting down a child (which shouldn't have any permanent effects) and molestation (which will likely haunt them for the rest of their life). Anyone who says they're the same thing is just trivialising child abuse by making it seem far more tame than it actually is.

 

[Croix Sinistre]

By many people's arguments here, everybody who works with kids at all can possibly be a pedophile. Those doctors that do your kids physicals? Healthcare workers in general? How about teachers and babysitters they see you kids each day probably as much as you do oh noes!

Saying TSA employee's actually "grope" you for their enjoyment, or "molest" your kids because they went through all the trouble to get this really stressful and hectic job to do so is crazy. People need to wisen the fuck up and realize this is no different than a metal detector, or a security guard watching a liquor store in a bad part of town, people are going to invade your privacy (however you see it as invasive) to prevent what they don't want from happening, happening.

To summarize other people's posts, no one is MAKING you fly on their airplanes. The nation demands security (or at least an illusion of security) and airports are complying. What do smokers do when they raise taxes on tobacco? continue to smoke. What do airline commuters do when the amp up security measures? they continue to fly. You want to fly you do what the airlines say you do and shut up about it. And just because you paid money for the service, doesn't mean your entitled to anything you want, and to be treated how you want.

No one is stealing your freedom or restricting your ability to do anything within the bounds of the law, and the possibility of your TSA screener being a pedophile who deliberately picked his job just for the chance of touching your kids is as unlikely as an airline pilot who went through the training just to wear the sweet hat.

Another thing, I want to see all those who are making such an uproar about this make the same arguments when an organization does convince a kid to carry explosives into an airport. From what we are all saying kids are dumb as shit and can't tell the difference between a security check and a sick pedophile, why would they be able to tell the difference between a toy gun and a real gun? If the TSA can convince them that a criminal activity and a legal activity is the same, then how can we not see that a terrorist can influence them also?

Also, its a catch 22, damned if you do, damned if you don't. I'd hate to be security personnel in any capacity in this day and age.

 

[Thedayrecker]

Just like my uncle! /bad joke

 

[DiMono]

By many people's arguments here, everybody who works with kids at all can possibly be a pedophile. Those doctors that do your kids physicals? Healthcare workers in general? How about teachers and babysitters they see you kids each day probably as much as you do oh noes!

Saying TSA employee's actually "grope" you for their enjoyment, or "molest" your kids because they went through all the trouble to get this really stressful and hectic job to do so is crazy. People need to wisen the fuck up and realize this is no different than a metal detector, or a security guard watching a liquor store in a bad part of town, people are going to invade your privacy (however you see it as invasive) to prevent what they don't want from happening, happening.

I don't think anyone here said at any point that the TSA guards are doing it for their own enjoyment. In fact, it's been made quite clear over the last month or so that the TSA agents are actually quite uncomfortable doing this, but they have to make the best of it because it's their job. Nobody's focusing on the actions of the TSA agent, the issue is what effect it will have on the children.

And if you seriously think there's no difference between an "enhanced pat-down" and a metal detector, I'd like to point out that the metal detector doesn't touch your junk.

 

[Sutter Cane]

By many people's arguments here, everybody who works with kids at all can possibly be a pedophile. Those doctors that do your kids physicals? Healthcare workers in general? How about teachers and babysitters they see you kids each day probably as much as you do oh noes!

Saying TSA employee's actually "grope" you for their enjoyment, or "molest" your kids because they went through all the trouble to get this really stressful and hectic job to do so is crazy. People need to wisen the fuck up and realize this is no different than a metal detector, or a security guard watching a liquor store in a bad part of town, people are going to invade your privacy (however you see it as invasive) to prevent what they don't want from happening, happening.

To summarize other people's posts, no one is MAKING you fly on their airplanes. The nation demands security (or at least an illusion of security) and airports are complying. What do smokers do when they raise taxes on tobacco? continue to smoke. What do airline commuters do when the amp up security measures? they continue to fly. You want to fly you do what the airlines say you do and shut up about it. And just because you paid money for the service, doesn't mean your entitled to anything you want, and to be treated how you want.

No one is stealing your freedom or restricting your ability to do anything within the bounds of the law, and the possibility of your TSA screener being a pedophile who deliberately picked his job just for the chance of touching your kids is as unlikely as an airline pilot who went through the training just to wear the sweet hat.

Another thing, I want to see all those who are making such an uproar about this make the same arguments when an organization does convince a kid to carry explosives into an airport. From what we are all saying kids are dumb as shit and can't tell the difference between a security check and a sick pedophile, why would they be able to tell the difference between a toy gun and a real gun? If the TSA can convince them that a criminal activity and a legal activity is the same, then how can we not see that a terrorist can influence them also?

Also, its a catch 22, damned if you do, damned if you don't. I'd hate to be security personnel in any capacity in this day and age.

Well,actually for some it isn't a choice. If you need to travel for business, often they won't give you the extra days off so you can drive. Also what about those that wish to travel overseas, are you suggesting that they should have to either submit themselves to these ridiculous procedures or to travel by boat? If you're looking just at vacations within the country, that's one thing, but what do you tell the people who have to fly?

 

[Aerodyamic]

Why don't you Airport Security Staff have a seat over there?

*snip*... but what do you tell the people who have to fly?

Flap harder?

 

[spartan1077]

I understand what they are trying but I don't see the big deal. Sure, some kids or abuse victims can become hysterical but some terrorists hide cocaine/weapons in their goddamn kids stuff! So it's important to do this. Sure, they could just say to the kids, "We need to check for weapons, drugs, or anything illegal" but no matter what, 4chan pedophiles will use techniques and still sexually assault kids. So why the shitstorm? Call it a game or tell the truth, it is necessary.

 

[likalaruku]

Pedobear Hokey Pokey.

Speaking of Pedobear, everyone heard about the time Fox News was calling him a legitimate peophile mascot, right?

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

/snip

LOLOLOL

OT: From what I've heard of the TSA, this isn't surprising in the slightest.

Cruel, disgusting, detestable, but not surprising.

Also, did anyone read the comments section? Holy crap...

It thought this [http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/airport-patdowns-grooming-children-sex-predators-abuse-expert/#comment-107933009] was a laugh.

 

[Croix Sinistre]

Well,actually for some it isn't a choice. If you need to travel for business, often they won't give you the extra days off so you can drive. Also what about those that wish to travel overseas, are you suggesting that they should have to either submit themselves to these ridiculous procedures or to travel by boat? If you're looking just at vacations within the country, that's one thing, but what do you tell the people who have to fly?

Okay, I did make a broad generalizing statement that all air commuters are doing it because they want to. Hell I have to take a plane whenever I go somewhere for the army whether I want to or not. My point still stands however, airport security, be it as lax a just an ID check, or full on pat downs, is just a fact of life, and more attenuated by our current state of affairs. Birds fly, fish swim, airport security checks will be tedious.

Until they are seriously imposing on our freedoms and rights, I'm not concerned. I'm also not exactly taking it enjoyably either, but like I said, you deal with it like you do other inconveniences that happen to be a fact of life in a world like ours.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I enjoyed some of the comments at the end of that article. Anyone who complains about our community need only to read those comments from news sites to appreciate how great we are. Anyway, from what I've heard on the news, People are still more upset about the full-body scanner. If people would just shut up and go through the scanner nobody needs to be touched at all. That's probably not going to happen though because, people are so sensitive about their bodies.

Also: This only effects the freedoms of people who fly. I've only flown twice and luckily, it was before all this crap started.