Tuesday
Nov232010
Too much power, too little judgment in the hands of TSA
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
As most people probably know, the TSA has ramped up its security screening recently. There is an excellent description of the situation in my fellow Care2 blogger Robin Marty's post Groped or Nudie Pics: TSA asks which method you prefer. It describes children being patted down as they scream and beg for it to stop. It includes links to the stories of women, including rape survivors, describing what amounts to a sexual assault as they had their breasts, their buttocks and their labia felt by TSA agents. Later posts describe a flight attendant and breast cancer survivor being forced to remove her prosthetic breast. All of this is being done in the name of safety. If it were true that it would make us safer, perhaps we could have the debate about whether it is worth giving up all personal dignity in order to increase safety. But it isn't. The TSA hasn't caught a single terrorist trying to board a plane. There are other methods, like Israel's, that are considered more effective, more efficient, and less invasive.
I think the TSA guidelines and procedures are scary, unnecessary and abusive. But what is even more outrageous than those policies is the amount of power that TSA agents yield and the frequent absence of knowledge about their own guidelines and procedures. A lot of people are saying, don't blame the poor TSA agents for these horrible policies because it isn't their fault. That is true, but it is their fault when they do not know their own policies and when they mistreat and harass travellers who ask them to follow those guidelines. One example is the pregnant and breastfeeding mother in this video who was transporting breastmilk home to her baby and requested the alternate screening for medical liquids (which includes breastmilk), which she is allowed to do under TSA guidelines. She even had a printed copy of those guidelines with her, but that did her no good as she was held captive, harassed and missed her flight.
This is one of the reasons why I vacation in Cuba and Europe with my children instead of in the United States. They want to go to Disney World one day, but I don't think they should be subject to a nightmare in order to realize their dreams. The TSA is just one more example of American "authorities" abusing their power and severely lacking judgment as they carry out their duties. I wrote about another example previously in my post called Shaking the Bush out of America, but apparently this goes far beyond Bush's stupid policies.
Fear of terrorists, illegal immigrants or whatever else Americans are afraid of is not an excuse to stop treating people like human beings.
Note: There is an update and more information available on Sustainable Mothering.
I think the TSA guidelines and procedures are scary, unnecessary and abusive. But what is even more outrageous than those policies is the amount of power that TSA agents yield and the frequent absence of knowledge about their own guidelines and procedures. A lot of people are saying, don't blame the poor TSA agents for these horrible policies because it isn't their fault. That is true, but it is their fault when they do not know their own policies and when they mistreat and harass travellers who ask them to follow those guidelines. One example is the pregnant and breastfeeding mother in this video who was transporting breastmilk home to her baby and requested the alternate screening for medical liquids (which includes breastmilk), which she is allowed to do under TSA guidelines. She even had a printed copy of those guidelines with her, but that did her no good as she was held captive, harassed and missed her flight.
This is one of the reasons why I vacation in Cuba and Europe with my children instead of in the United States. They want to go to Disney World one day, but I don't think they should be subject to a nightmare in order to realize their dreams. The TSA is just one more example of American "authorities" abusing their power and severely lacking judgment as they carry out their duties. I wrote about another example previously in my post called Shaking the Bush out of America, but apparently this goes far beyond Bush's stupid policies.
Fear of terrorists, illegal immigrants or whatever else Americans are afraid of is not an excuse to stop treating people like human beings.
Note: There is an update and more information available on Sustainable Mothering.
Reader Comments (75)
Zrecs just posted a good article on the US scanners: http://www.zrecommends.com/detail/a-few-words-about-unknown-risks-of-the-tsas-new-airport-scanners/
That woman handled herself with much more composure than I think I would have been able to demonstrate. I want to feel safe on a fight (if I ever fly again) but I don't want to be molested, threatened, or harassed to do it.
Annie and Jake:
I totally agree that our government is full of legislators who often act before thinking things through, but I imagine that it's difficult trying to figure out what might be a threat and what's not. It seems like there's really only two options for keeping problem items and/or people off a flight: 1 - you treat everyone like a potential threat, or 2 - you profile. Which is preferable?
And for the record, I do respect both of your sentiments and concerns. I think it's vital to our social order to have policies questioned. It was just the sweeping statement of "whatever Americans are afraid of" that smacked of condescension.
I am saying something more, Shasta. I am saying that legislators *do* think it through (or they are controlled by people who do) and that their motives are nefarious. That is isn't about safety at all.
Regarding how to deal with keeping dangers off airplanes, assuming everyone is a possible threat is correct. The current methods of screening is both a violation of our privacy *and* ineffective and preventing risk. It is designed to create fear in the U.S. population and reduce our expectation of personal autonomy. It is, in my view, an act of violence against the U.S. people.
Even given how the recent ham-handed attempts at bringing explosives on planes (scorched testicle, anyone?) have been discovered, it was calls from outside the TSA system that alerted the government. TSA just plain isn't finding the threats. X-Ray our luggage and walk us through conventional metal detectors (with our shoes on) and will be just as safe as we are when stranger reach into our underwear.
Jake:
First, you make a interesting point in saying that credit doesn't go to the TSA but rather someone else for catching recent threats.
However, I don't agree that these security measures are put in place just so legislators can remind us all how big and strong the US government is. Knee-jerk, overkill reaction that needs to be refined? Yes. Cunning plot to subjugate citizens? No. There are plenty of other ways to do that; I feel subjugated enough already every time I pay my taxes or car registration, thankyouverymuch.
And I'm on the fence about the violation of privacy. On one hand, I don't want people checking out my goods. On the other hand, I can always choose not to fly. Is it a violation of privacy if I can choose to avoid the situation? By stepping into the line for security, aren't I consenting to be searched?
Ok, I misread your last sentence. You're saying to you think searching are OK, but how/where do you draw the line?
shasta:
I agree with Jake that we should assume everyone is a potential threat. However, the most effective way to screen them is through questioning them, observing their behaviour, and using intelligence. This is something that is beyond the capabilities of the average TSA agent and requires more skill. However, it is much more effective. This is the approach that is used by Israel and is described in a link I included in the post.
With regards to the "whatever Americans are afraid of" comment, I apologize if it sounded condescending. That wasn't my intention. My intention was to convey that terrorists and illegal immigrants are two examples of things that Americans fear, but they aren't necessarily the only things that they fear.
shasta:
A lot of people can choose not to fly. But other people don't have that option. Many people are required to fly for their jobs and in this economic climate, saying "I quit" because you suddenly get groped on a weekly basis by the TSA isn't necessarily an option for a lot of people. Even for those who can choose not to fly, should they have to? If they are law abiding citizens who are not doing anything wrong, should they really be subject to that level of degrading screening, especially if it is ineffective?
I agree with Annie on both the "use of intelligent methods to screen" and "many people have no choice about flying" points.
Real security experts have developed screening techniques involving behaviors and questioning - in addition to your basic metal detector - that are more effective and far less intrusive. And much cheaper.
The mom in the video in this post must fly to Arizona every week for her job. It is mandatory. I speak at conferences all over the country and usually I am flown there by the conference organizers for no more than 48 hours. There is no way for me to get to a conference thousands of miles away and back for such a short stay any other way than by plane. People may make the choice to vacation closer to home but for many of us, work entails flying. Just no way around it.
Suchada, I could not agree more with your response. I've been in so many security lines where they are harassing young moms or tiny old ladies who have shown NO signs of weird behavior or anything of the sort, while some dude acts all nervous and crazy and weird and goes through with nary a second glance. I realize that there's the potential for profiling in "spotting threats", but seriously... can this be any better?
Thanks for writing this, Annie. It needed to be said.
Annie, I don't think you were trying to be condescending, but just wanted to throw it out there that not all Americans are so entrenched in fear. I think people from other nations often forget that the USA is more like 50 little countries than one... I wish people would compare us to the EU rather than the UK, you know? There are SO many differences between ethnic groups and geographical regions here, it boggles the mind. Californians have as much in common with people from Illinois or Massachusetts as the French have with the British or Swiss. You know? I think that may have been where Shasta was coming from... it can get frustrating to be lumped in with this stereotype of Americans when you feel you don't fit what that stereotype is.
That said, I DO think that TSA agents (and definitely government officials) can easily fall into a power trip. Regarding the TSA employees, they are not, as a previous comment said about Israeli agents, the "best" that we have. There are some really sweet TSA agents I've encountered, and some total a-holes. But when the total a-holes are given this much power, it is truly frightening.
What a horrifying story! I hope there is some kind of justice achieved at the end. I'm just wondering if you can clarify, though - what's the deal with not putting expressed breastmilk through the x-ray machine? Is it definitely a problem? I'm not at all questioning this woman, who of course had every right to insist on an alternate screening without being horribly mistreated. I'm just wondering if this is something I would definitely have to worry about if travelling with expressed breastmilk, or if some mothers do put it through the x-ray.
Mom, please, please, please file a formal complaint against those checkpoint goons and the manager. Copy the DHS OIC and your congressional representatives.
I just flew for Thanksgiving to see my 103 year old grandmother. Sadly, I decided not to bring my children and one reason was the challenge of the airport. Fortunately I didn't have a problem and wasn't asked to go through the backscatters, which I had decided to refuse.
But as for TSA not knowing their own rules, I have an old experience with that. When my family was traveling and our twins were around 2, we were stopped by the TSA because we had fruit cups for the boys (along with lots of other food stuff). To make a long story short, they didn't to let us take them because they didn't look like baby food (ie. in a Gerber jar). Fortunately a supervisor quickly came over and asked the TSA agent a couple questions: Is it food? Is it for a baby? Then it's baby food and it's okay.
All of this just makes me not want to fly.
One more thing. I just read this piece from Roger Ebert on the TSA. It was an interesting though slightly tangential read given this conversation. http://blogs.suntimes.com/ebert/2010/11/where_i_draw_the_line.html
[...] new extreme “pat-down procedure” policy, then I highly suggest starting here and here. Stories are flooding FB groups, Twitter, and on teh Internets relating shocking stories [...]
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Channa, I wondered the same thing. So I started reading a lot of the other articles floating around right now about TSA 'incidents,' and some of the science professionals responding to these articles have been talking about and citing studies regarding the physical effects of the kind of x-ray used in the new machines. Basically, while the evidence is not yet conclusive, much of the current findings about the physical effects of these kinds of x-rays is not reassuring. I'm not sure I would want to subject pumped breastmilk (or my body, for that matter) to the output of these machines, either.
I haven't traveled in a few months although I have two international trips coming up in the next few months. As long as I'm not waiting hours, I don't have an issue with extra security. I would much rather arrive safe.
My friends who flew over Thanksgiving said there weren't any issues.
For more details on this incident, Jake now has her post up with the details:
http://www.sustainablemothering.com/2010/11/26/just-when-you-thought-it-was-safe-to-travel-with-breast-milk-the-tsa-targets-mothers/
I added the link to the main post as well, but wanted to drop it here for those who have subscribed to the comments.
Annie, we don't agree on much :) but I'm in your camp on this one. Being a US citizen, being treated as if we are guilty into proven innocent is just wrong. My family will not be flying anywhere until this is fixed. I teach my children where they can and cannot be touched and no TSA agent will be touching my kids there (I know kids aren't suppose to be in the enhanced patdown but you keep hearing that the TSA is going it). Hell, as a victim of sexual assault myself, I don't want anybody touching me there either.
As for me, I'm all for profiling. Last I checked, a 3 year old hasn't blown up any planes or an 80 year old grandmother either.
[...] TSA bans snow globes? Really? Shouldn’t they just stick to harassing breastfeeding moms trying to follow their [...]
This same thing happened to me this Tuesday at the New Orleans airport. I was forced to put my breastmilk through the x-ray machine and denied the alternate screening for medical liquids: http://www.anktangle.com/2011/01/tsa-x-rayed-my-breastmilk.html
[...] need to stop inducing labor in pregnant women. The second was by PhD in Parenting, and discussed the problems with the TSA , but they had similar themes. Both highlighted how little we value the power of [...]
According to your post your breast milk was frozen, making it a solid not a liquid. I can see why they would want to scan it. At least with liquids you can feel the bag to make sure nothing is concealed inside.
TSA should specify in their guidelines that frozen BM doesn't qualify as a medical liquid to prevent confusion.