TSA Pat-Down of 6-Year-Old Ignites Web
According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), an officer who conducted a pat-down of a 6-year-old girl at the New Orleans airport last week “followed proper current screening procedures”.
From CNN:
The child was patted down in order to resolve an issue that arose when she went through an advanced imaging technology, or body imaging machine, a TSA official said.
“TSA has reviewed the incident and determined that this officer followed proper current screening procedures,” TSA said in a statement. “However, in line with his vision to accelerate TSA’s evolution into a truly risk-based, intelligence-driven organization, Administrator (John) Pistole has tasked the agency with exploring additional ways to focus its resources and move beyond a one-size-fits-all system while maintaining a high level of security. As part of this effort, TSA has been actively reviewing its screening policies and procedures to streamline and improve the screening experience for low-risk populations, such as younger passengers.”
Tags: ACLU, American Civil Liberties Union, John Pistole, Marjorie Esman, New Orleans, Pat-Down, Patdown, Transportation Security Administration, TSA
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April 13, 2011 at 8:33 am
Don’t put up with this unconstitutional garbage! It’s all worthless security theater that does nothing to keep you “safe”. Boycott Flying ENTIRELY until sanity returns! Please join us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-Flying/126801010710392
April 13, 2011 at 5:14 pm
What world are you living in Mark?
Killing each other is the name of the game here on planet earth.What would you have us do?
The same energy it takes to be”anti everything government” could be used to find peace through alternative thinking.
This is where we find ourselves in this huge disconnect of rational social problem solving on a personal level as well as politically.
We humans use our children as carriers of bombs and other lethal things all the time……….nothing new there.
April 14, 2011 at 4:25 am
THANK You Zelda!… You have spared me from getting my Feathers ruffled and typing in all CAPS.
ANYway… You are absolutely right about Would-be Terrorists and/or Drug-Smugglers using Children, the Handicapped, and the Elderly, to attempt to get through. Such cases HAVE occurred, and if certain individuals would be given Exemption from the Procedure, it would surely provide an easy “opening” for such Criminals. In this case, I have to say that the Parents of this little Girl are the ones to Blame for making a Stink over it and causing their Child to be “upset” in the first place. If Children are traveling on an Airplane with their Parents— or any Adult for that matter— it is the responsibility of those Adults to EXPLAIN to the Child what they can expect— and WHY—, that EVERYBODY— including themselves— will be doing it too, assure them that it’s nothing to be afraid of, and that it doesn’t mean they’re “Bad” or have done anything wrong…. That it’s Okay. Any Parent with a Brain in their Head can do this effectively, and the Child would be fine. The minute a Child detects your own Dislike or Apprehension in a situation right in front of them, and especially with other people around and watching, what the hell did they expect their little Girl to feel like. There are ways to handle this with a Child, as well as with any other strange or uncomfortable situation they may find themselves in, and it makes me sick that some people are so Stupid, and then have the Nerve to complain about and challenge a System which, so far, does seem to be working since its implementation. This is Life… This is the way it IS in Airports— Children can be made to understand and accept that, just as they come to understand and accept anything ELSE after being introduced to it and supported properly. Of course NOW, these two Parents can probably FORGET about any plans of taking their Daughter on an Airplane Trip anytime soon, thanks to the Drama they’ve caused her. Personally, I feel that if people don’t like the neccessary enforcement of these Security Measures for their own Good, and they don’t have the Common Sense and Capability to prevent an awkward or traumatic experience for their Child, just don’t Fly, and/or leave the Kids at Home.
April 14, 2011 at 4:07 pm
I certainly would not mind my child being examined if it means safety. Some people will jump at any reason to FIND a cause for a dollar and the news media. As far as I am concerned the parents are USING their child for their need to be a headliner. It has nothing to do with the rights of their child being invaded. Let them find their child or themselves on a plane where there is a hijacker or a terrorist then hear what they would say about our security. You better believe they will be hollering their head off that we were lax in security measures or it wouldn’t have happened. Sorry Mark, you need to look at this in the broader view.
April 15, 2011 at 3:31 am
Just saw on the News that ANOTHER set of Parents are making Waves over the “Pat-down” of their 8-year-old Son at an Airport in Oregon which caused him to be
“upset”. What I found interesting is, the little Boy said, in the Footage, “I didn’t know anything about what was going on”…. Why the hell DIDN’T he know what was going on!!— I rest my Case above! I’m beginning to think and agree with *OneOp*— that Adult Flyers out there who don’t like and are against these “Pat-downs” on THEMSELVES, are using their Children for Media Exposure in an attempt to get what THEY want, and stop it altogether. We DO not NEED this shit, but watch now how many more of these “upset Children” we start to see and hear about. I think that every Airport should incorporate “Instructions” or “Tips” or “Guidelines”— whether on a large Sign, in a handed-out Leaflet, etc— for Adult Passengers with Children, requiring/helping them to properly inform, prepare, and support young Children before and during the Security Process. It’s time, in general, some Parents and Caretakers stop pushing-off their responsibilities and expecting everyone to accommodate them, and be made to understand that, because we DO have an Airport Security Procedure in place— for ALL Travelers— they need to handle it accordingly. Period. Whatever way they have to be told to make them realize their Obligations in this Process with regards to their Children, that’s what needs to be, and can be, done.
May 5, 2011 at 12:15 pm
For the life of me, I can’t understand all of this nonsense with folks being so upset about our security. We are in a war here people! Anyone with a shred of intelligence knows dangerous things can be hidden on a child. The TSA is just trying to keep us safe. They deserve to be treated with more respect.