Seriously TSA…WTF?!?!?!
I don’t know where to begin, so you’ll have to follow the link to read the entire story. If you want the short of it, please read the excerpt below.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer:
Did you hear about the Camden cop whose disabled son wasn’t allowed to pass through airport security unless he took off his leg braces?
Unfortunately, it’s no joke. This happened to Bob Thomas, a 53-year-old officer in Camden’s emergency crime suppression team, who was flying to Orlando in March with his wife, Leona, and their son, Ryan.
Ryan was taking his first flight, to Walt Disney World, for his fourth birthday.
The boy is developmentally delayed, one of the effects of being born 16 weeks prematurely. His ankles are malformed and his legs have low muscle tone. In March he was just starting to walk.
What happens next is what gets be upset. As the boy passed through security, the alarm went off. No biggie, right? Well, read what happens next.
The screener told them to take off the boy’s braces.
The Thomases were dumbfounded. “I told them he can’t walk without them on his own,” Bob Thomas said.
“He said, ‘He’ll need to take them off.’ “
Ryan’s mother offered to walk him through the detector after they removed the braces, which are custom-made of metal and hardened plastic.
No, the screener replied. The boy had to walk on his own.
I’ve grown very tired of the TSA and how at many airports, they feel like they own the joint. Yes, we must protect ourselves from terrorists. But come on…this is obviously overkill. Couldn’t they at least allow the parents to help him through? That’s all I’m asking…
Thoughts?
Tags: Airlines, Bob Thomas, Casey Anthony, Caylee Anthony, Leona Thomas, National Security, Ryan Thomas, Security, Southwest Airlines, Terrorism, Terrorist, Transportation Security Administration, TSA
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February 15, 2010 at 11:20 pm
Exactly.. WTF! This is absolutely Unbelievable, and I’m sure totally Unnecessary. While I can understand that there have been, and are, Travelers who will go to any length to Disguise illegal items and/or a Weapon from Security Screening (like the Old Lady in a Wheelchair, accompanied by a Relative, who had Coccaine taped to her Legs) this Boy’s Braces were “Out in the Open” and easily Inspectable, and there was no reason that he couldn’t have been carried-through. What difference would “taking them off” actually make?! This kind of Pursecution goes on alot, in alot of places, and it’s just Assinine. What Pisses me off even more, is that there’s usually not a single damn thing you can do about it. There needs to be a Line drawn somewhere.
February 16, 2010 at 5:06 am
OMG….That is ridiculous. If they are overwhelmed with thier job, it seems like they just take it out on innocent passengers just because they CAN. I hope they lose their jobs. I really do.
February 16, 2010 at 7:09 am
Wow! I was recently behind a person in a wheelchair at the airport; they were waiting for something similar to occur. Perhaps a solution would be to have a wheelchair available that can pass the screening and transfer the person into it, or have crutches available.
It amazes me how many people bring their animals on board.Can’t have peanuts because of the allergies, but, pets?
Though I hate the inconvenience, I still think they are doing a good job at the airport. Let’s not forget 9/11 so soon!
February 16, 2010 at 10:43 am
Sounds cruel and ridiculous eh? In this case it turned out that the boy was really what he appeared to be.But the mandate handed to the TSA is that EVERYONE must be checked……even those that look completely OK,child or eighty year old or blind or ANYTHING that gives a hint of “maybe something is amiss, must be checked.
The terrorist threats are getting more and more sophisticated……..whether we like it or not.Americans just don’t get the idea of all this even after 911.
We have had sane personal rights here unlike other parts of the world and we will have to learn to understand the attack we are under won’t allow us that warm and fuzzy security anymore.
NO…..I am not a fear monger………NO I didn’t vote for Bush…..Yes I understand the “fear” control of that administration,but unfortunately there are REAL issues facing us.
I am sorry for the inconvenience that will be thrust upon us but hey…..it’s the world we live in now. Reality sucks sometimes.
February 16, 2010 at 11:18 am
Demanding that he walk on his own is what is outside being security alert. Many have jobs today where they are instructed to follow a guideline and that is it. Obviously in such a situation as with this family such was never considered in how to handle properly. Demanding that he walk thru made no sense at all, to me. I do think they pick and choose, maybe every 10th or so to be more harsh in their attempt to show others following in line that they are on top of security and are mentally stuck on that routine without any personal attention to one who has a physical need for assistance. Would having had a doctors authorization to present have helped in this case, probably not. Unfortunate for this family, but still we voice an opposite opinion at the slightest possibility that something slips thru which could be disasterous for the whole lot of passengers. Knowing themselves innocent, I do understand their position, but still we all have to participate to accomplish the best for our own safety today. standard.
February 16, 2010 at 12:01 pm
Whatever happened to COMMON SENSE??????????
February 16, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Common sense seems to be uncommon these days.
February 18, 2010 at 2:18 am
If Security Measures can be re-vamped, it can as well be re-vamped for the Handicapped.
February 22, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Ah, This is perfect! Puts to bed
some contradictions I’ve heard
February 23, 2010 at 3:11 am
Hi *Home*~ Uh, what exactly do you mean??