TSA told to act like sexual predators

[PhiMed]

The people making tinfoil hat accusations should probably tone it down a bit themselves, too.

Ask yourself this: When's the last time TSA prevented a terrorist attack through screening of individual passengers? Considering the scrutiny they're under, they'd probably be holding that sort of achievement up like a trophy, wouldn't they?

The reason you can't think of one is because it's never happened. It's all reactive to tactics that have already been tried rather than anticipatory, it's all widely announced, and it's all implemented by the least skilled, least motivated workers in the entire transportation system.

Police work, not treating everyone like prisoners, is the only way they're ever going to do what they claim to be doing. I say "claim" because what they actually do is provide the illusion of security so that people will continue to fly. I agree that some small amount of freedom must be sacrificed for the good of fellow travelers in order to use mass transit, but this is not a small amount of freedom. It's excessive.

So that's why there's been a "shitstorm".

 

[theriddlen]

Damn, they stole my lines!

 

[Halvhir]

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.

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.

Well, if getting on a plane requires you to be sexually assaulted and your children molested, what would you call it?

I wasn't aware that airplane travel was a necessity for human existence.
Of course this is rediculous, and I'm sympathetic to anyone who's flying for work or vacation this holiday season, but this crap is why I'm making a 9 hour drive instead of taking a 2-3 hour flight. This story in particular is weird and wrong and rather creepy, but in general, if you're not comfortable with full body scanners, pat downs and the like then just don't fucking FLY.

 

[Mumonk]

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!!!

 

[Lilani]

I think this calls for an epic facepalm.

Seriously, whoever decided this was a good idea doesn't deserve to work for the TSA anymore.

 

[Harrowdown]

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?"

I'm glad to inform you, sir, that you have just won the internet! Congratulations!

 

[Lilani]

The people making tinfoil hat accusations should probably tone it down a bit themselves, too.

Ask yourself this: When's the last time TSA prevented a terrorist attack through screening of individual passengers? Considering the scrutiny they're under, they'd probably be holding that sort of achievement up like a trophy, wouldn't they?

The reason you can't think of one is because it's never happened. It's all reactive to tactics that have already been tried rather than anticipatory, it's all widely announced, and it's all implemented by the least skilled, least motivated workers in the entire transportation system.

Police work, not treating everyone like prisoners, is the only way they're ever going to do what they claim to be doing. I say "claim" because what they actually do is provide the illusion of security so that people will continue to fly. I agree that some small amount of freedom must be sacrificed for the good of fellow travelers in order to use mass transit, but this is not a small amount of freedom. It's excessive.

So that's why there's been a "shitstorm".

People aren't up in arms over this particular instance because of what the TSA is doing. The problem with this is what they're SAYING. It seems you didn't read what the OP said, so I'll explain:

The ones doing the security patdowns were told to tell children it's just a game as they pat them down. The issue with that is it teaches kids that adults touching them in that way is just a game, so if they were to be told the same thing by someone who is not looking out for their security...as Sonic would say, that's no good.

So hop off your high horse and take it to some other stable, because this is not a debate about the current state of security. This thread is about whether or not it's a good idea to tell kids the patdown is a "game."

 

[DeadlyYellow]

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?

Wait wait wait.

We have to pay to get felt-up patted-down?

 

[Cpt_Oblivious]

It's not the best thing to say, but if it gets the children to shut up, be patted down and onto the plane quicker and with less hassle then it's fine. To be honest, the parent should be able to tell the child to let these people do their job so they don't have to resort to this crap.

Personally, I think everyone complaining about being searched should just quit their bitching. It's an airport, you're searched to stop you blowing up the plane - sure, you're not going to but they don't know that and they need to make sure. These searches take 5 minutes maximum and won't delay your flight at all.

As for the "Expert" involved:

Children "don't have the sophistication" to distinguish between a pat-down carried out by an airport security officer and an assault by a sexual predator, he said

He's grossly condescending to children. I think they can tell the difference: One's a brief, non-sexual pat over the entire body to check for concealed items of a suspicious nature. The other is neither brief nor non-sexual and the intent is much, much different.

 

[Jim Grim]

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.

Well, if getting on a plane requires you to be sexually assaulted and your children molested, what would you call it?

Well that's a little over the top. While I do question why it's necesary to check the children, I kinda understand why you'd want to check if people had weapons before they got onto a plane. This really isn't something to start a revolution over.

 

[Woodsey]

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.

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.

Well, if getting on a plane requires you to be sexually assaulted and your children molested, what would you call it?

Do you hear that?

That's me, performing the biggest /facepalm you ever did hear.

Someone's tried to come up with a way to just get children to be more willing to go through airport checks and it's made them sound a bit like a paedophile. Big whoop.

 

[PhiMed]

The people making tinfoil hat accusations should probably tone it down a bit themselves, too.

Ask yourself this: When's the last time TSA prevented a terrorist attack through screening of individual passengers? Considering the scrutiny they're under, they'd probably be holding that sort of achievement up like a trophy, wouldn't they?

The reason you can't think of one is because it's never happened. It's all reactive to tactics that have already been tried rather than anticipatory, it's all widely announced, and it's all implemented by the least skilled, least motivated workers in the entire transportation system.

Police work, not treating everyone like prisoners, is the only way they're ever going to do what they claim to be doing. I say "claim" because what they actually do is provide the illusion of security so that people will continue to fly. I agree that some small amount of freedom must be sacrificed for the good of fellow travelers in order to use mass transit, but this is not a small amount of freedom. It's excessive.

So that's why there's been a "shitstorm".

People aren't up in arms over this particular instance because of what the TSA is doing. The problem with this is what they're SAYING. It seems you didn't read what the OP said, so I'll explain:

The ones doing the security patdowns were told to tell children it's just a game as they pat them down. The issue with that is it teaches kids that adults touching them in that way is just a game, so if they were to be told the same thing by someone who is not looking out for their security...as Sonic would say, that's no good.

So hop off your high horse and take it to some other stable, because this is not a debate about the current state of security. This thread is about whether or not it's a good idea to tell kids the patdown is a "game."

I did read it, but the comments in this thread referred to the "shitstorm over the TSA the past couple of weeks".

So if you would, take your own advice, and tone down the condescension.

 

[antidonkey]

It's probably not helping that they do the child pat-downs in the back of a nondescript van.

 

[DiMono]

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.

Well, if getting on a plane requires you to be sexually assaulted and your children molested, what would you call it?

Well that's a little over the top. While I do question why it's necesary to check the children, I kinda understand why you'd want to check if people had weapons before they got onto a plane. This really isn't something to start a revolution over.

Thin edge of the wedge. First it was warrantless wiretaps, which got through in the name of security. Then it was torturing people "in the name of freedom" with things like Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo. Now it's this. It isn't necessarily this specific measure that will start anything (though if anyone ever tried to do that to my theoretical children it would be the last thing they do for a long time), but if you guys keep losing liberties like this then it's only a matter of time.

 

[Twad]

THese security agents are just there to provide the -illusion- of safety when its been shown to be pretty much useless anyway. That, and to make sure the eyes of the media tell that "there is security everywhere" until people's brain forget and get distracted by some tv show or some other smoke screen event.

If someone is determined to bomb an airport, he will use the employee's entrance, or just use the back door where no one ever bother protecting.
IIRC, In canada, some reporters were able to enter some big airport by the backdoor and do pretty much whatever they wanted for a while (until, eventually, security showed up). So if they were "terrorists" they could have done a crapton of damage in that time.

Or that time where a reporter in Quebec (canada)just walked in one of the biggest hydroelectric damn in the province, with no one to stop him (again, if he was a bad guy, he could have done a LOT of damage). THis screated a "scandal", so for a month or so there were rent-a-cops on each dams.. just being there not doing anything.. it was just for shows and to shup the medias up.

 

[thethingthatlurks]

In this hypothetical scenario, the TSA guy is around 40, overweight, smells, unshaved, recently divorced, and his right forearm is the size of a ham if you know what I mean.
TSA guy: hey there, little guy. I know a really fun game, and you get candy for playing!

Yeah, that's essentially what came to mind when I read about this. I kinda want to pop a few viagra next time I fly, and surreptitiously give the TSA screener a phone number with a wink after he's done. Stupid security bullshit...completely useless. These measures have failed to catch any of the would-be terrorists, and are just herding people into tight spaces. If your aim is to kill as many people as possible, would you rather target an airplane and get molested beforehand, or just go for the large crowd at the security check points?

Anyway, something a bit more amusing:

 

[Frozen Donkey Wheel2]

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.

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.

This. I don't think these kids really understand what they're talking about.

 

[DiMono]

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.

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.

Well, if getting on a plane requires you to be sexually assaulted and your children molested, what would you call it?

Do you hear that?

That's me, performing the biggest /facepalm you ever did hear.

Someone's tried to come up with a way to just get children to be more willing to go through airport checks and it's made them sound a bit like a paedophile. Big whoop.

I'm going to guess you didn't read the article then? Experts in the field have said that calling it a "game" is exactly what paedophiles do, and that children don't have the sophistication to know the difference between a TSA employee touching them and a stranger touching them. It's not just that it makes them sound like a paedophile, it's that what the TSA is being told to do is basically training children to go along with paedophiles, because the last time it happened was okay, so this time must be too. That is the big whoop.

 

[Jackhorse]

Cor blimey does the community look bad on that site if you scroll down :O

OT: Is searching children really that necessary? Surely those most likely to commit senseless mass murder must be those without a supportive close knit family that wouldgo as far as to kill for each other. If your family would die for you surely you wouldn't ask them too? Isn't this aimed at those least likely to be terrorists at their own expense?