TSA retaliation

by Lisa Simeone on September 6, 2012


Anyone who’s been paying the slightest bit of attention already knows the TSA retaliates against passengers who don’t toe the line. The punishing gropes, the pawing of every single thing in someone’s luggage, the magic wand “testing” passengers’ drinks, the deliberate destruction of property, the detention in the glassed-in gulag — all these things have nothing to do with security, everything to do with punishment.

But for those of you who still don’t get it, we have this little bit of proof on tape. Uploaded by a passenger to YouTube on September 1, 2012, with the following text:

This was inside the terminal at the Houston airport. I was not allowed to board a plane (even though I had already been through airport security) because I drank my water instead of letting the TSA “test” it. The TSA agent finally admitted that it wasn’t because they thought I was a security risk–it was because they were mad at me!
I was able to get on the very next flight out of houston-and even managed an upgrade! (thanks United)
Sorry for crappy phone video-but the audio is what I wanted to post.
I know this is not really news (it seems like the TSA is retaliating all the time against people), but it was a little satisfying to get that statement on video.

Tagged as: abuse, Airport, crime, DHS, Security, Travel, TSA

  • cjr001

    This should be used as evidence in every case against TSA.

    EVERYTHING about TSA is centered around retaliation, bullying, submission, and leaving all of one’s rights at the airport entrance.

    Unfortunately, we lost another battle yesterday when a Federal court ruled that Arizona can indeed play Nazi with the “Let me see your papers” part of their (anti-)immigration’ law.

    • http://tsanewsblog.com/214/news/history-repeats-itself-with-tsas-strip-search-tactics/ Lisa Simeone

      cjr001, Exactly. But we’ve been presenting evidence on top of evidence on top of evidence for years now, and still, people choose to live in denial. Unfortunately, many more of them have to get a personal taste of the TSA’s medicine before they get it through their thick skulls what’s going on. And even then, some of them will still deny it.

      • Kitten

        I am in the process of reading CHANGE OF HEART: WHAT PSYCHOLOGY CAN TEACH US ABOUT SPREADING SOCIAL CHANGE by Nick Cooney. It’s worth reading for considering how best to get the message out. There are plenty of people who do not want to believe that this could be anything but a just world, and will therefore close their eyes. And that is the problem.

        • http://tsanewsblog.com/214/news/history-repeats-itself-with-tsas-strip-search-tactics/ Lisa Simeone

          Kitten, I’m not familiar with that book but I am familiar with the concept in general.

          Unfortunately, lots of research shows that many people (perhaps most), when presented with empirical evidence that refutes their deeply held beliefs, not only won’t be persuaded, they’ll dig their heels in deeper and cling more tightly to those disproven beliefs. I’ve written about that research here at TSA News several times.

          Here’s one article on the phenomenon:
          http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/07/11/how_facts_backfire/

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Robert-Hollis-Weber/100000095895830 Robert Hollis Weber

    And yet John Pistole, John Halinksi , Blogger Bob, Karin Glasgow and the rest of the TSA management team insist that Americans are really happy with the TSA; that “most press stories of TSA abuse were exaggerated if not unfounded.”

  • http://twitter.com/LibertyBuys Liberty Buys

    Just wanted to say also that this is how we restore our freedoms: simply by talking back. A friend’s retail store was raided by police the other day and a bunch of us stood outside the store and yelled in at the cops and videotaped the whole thing, then put it on youtube (youtube.com/user/DecriminalizeKY). Crappy video but when TPTB are afraid we’ll stand up for ourselves, they’ll think twice about doing their dirty work. THEY are even more sheeple than us!

    • http://tsanewsblog.com/214/news/history-repeats-itself-with-tsas-strip-search-tactics/ Lisa Simeone

      LB, I got this error message at YouTube: “We’re sorry, the page you requested cannot be found. Try searching for something else.”

      Can you try posting the link again? Better yet, give us the exact title and we can search for it ourselves. Thanks.

  • mountainaires

    GESTAPO.

  • Matt Butcher

    Fuck this god-damned police state country. I hope terrorists attack again and maybe this time, for real. And fuck you, it is my right to hope for these things.

    • ogwun doidson

      ahhahahha and your name is Matt Butcher

  • Cryaboutit

    You said it yourself, you had an “attitude”. Of course people are going to do whatever they can to say F#$! you if you’re going to get an attitude with them. Just stfu, get through the airport quietly, you know.. like an adult, and get on your plane. It doesn’t exactly take a masters in rocket science to figure out how to just get through the airport.

    • http://tsanewsblog.com/214/news/history-repeats-itself-with-tsas-strip-search-tactics/ Lisa Simeone

      Cryaboutit, I’m afraid you’re repeating a shibboleth. And a dangerous one at that. Many of us have gone through security with a “good attitude” and gotten abused anyway. We’ve documented thousands upon thousands of such accounts.

      Do you also blame rape victims? For wearing the wrong clothes perhaps?
      Moreover, the sentiment of “stfu, get through the airport quietly, you know, like an adult, and get on your plane” is just another way of saying Don’t Question Authority. Or, more simply, bend over and spread ‘em.

      • Frequent Flyer

        I’ve been told several times that I should not be so happy going through security, it is not a joke! Then if I don’t smile, they ask me what’s wrong and tell me I won’t be able to fly if I’m upset…..what is the right expression for me to get through without a hassle?

        • TSAisTerrorism

          It’s whatever expression that particular screener on that particular day at that particular time wants to see. And then his colleague standing next to him is welcome to his own interpretation of your expressions. They each on their own determine whether or not your attitude and behavior are appropriate at that time in that manner in that place.

          I hope that clears things up for everyone.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Oline-Wright/772108468 Oline Wright

    The really sad thing is the TSO actually believes it is legal. At least I hope he was wrong.

    • http://tsanewsblog.com/214/news/history-repeats-itself-with-tsas-strip-search-tactics/ Lisa Simeone

      Absolute power corrupts absolutely. It’s been true since the dawn of time, it’s true now. Doesn’t matter what TSA “policy” is; as long as TSA agents have absolute power, they will abuse it.

  • Beth

    If this was in retaliation, as the agent admitted, and not for actual wrong doing, can she not press charges for illegal detention against that officer?

    • http://tsanewsblog.com/214/news/history-repeats-itself-with-tsas-strip-search-tactics/ Lisa Simeone

      Beth, maybe. But courts are cold comfort. Lawsuits are expensive, time consuming, and soul sucking. Most people can’t afford to sue. One of our writers at TSA News is involved in a protracted lawsuit over this that’s been going on for years. It’s already eaten up thousands of dollars, with no end in sight. So are other people I know of.

      The courts usually side with the powers-that-be anyway. Telling people they can sue is no remedy.

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