34 replies on “TSA Frisks 8-Year-Old Boy”

  3. If I were going to do something with no regard for human life what would stop me from using a child to achieve my objective?

  6. This is what happens when you fail to stand up to a government who insists on keeping our country in a perpetual state of war.

    It’s fun to get outraged at the TSA and the gov’ment for doing something like this but then there is bits like this http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009…

    America loves to pretend we aren’t at war… when in fact we’re embroiled in one of the largest armed conflicts over natural resources this planet has ever seen. This is the kind of stuff you put up with during wartime. That’s how this works. America needs to stop lying to itself.

    Yeah, yeah everyone is going to cry and scream about how awful and unfair and disgusting patting down children is blah blah. Might be nice to keep in perspective that this child is fortunate enough to ride on a plane (that uses all kinds of petroleum) and see the world while a child on the other side of the world is getting a bomb dropped on his head or being recruited to be a human bomb so this little “victim” can get on that plane.

  7. The problem is that if I was intent on blowing up a plane and had no qualms about using others to do it, I’d have no issues putting explosives into my really small kid. As soon as you have one exception to the rules that can be figured out, it’s easy to exploit the whole system.

    Now, I’m not arguing that the system is good. I personally believe we shouldn’t frisk anyone and should just accept a slightly elevated risk of an event happening. But if you think anyone should be frisked at all; your only too options are true random searches or to do everyone.

  8. From the looks of the TSA agent, he appears to merely be looking for the best way to cook and eat him.

    It’s good, though, to teach the young that periodically figures in authority will need to touch their genitals. Prepares them for a life as sexual-abuse victims. It’s the modern thing.

  9. Is this really that awful? If the kid is setting off the metal detector then the kid gets patted down. It’s not rocket science. Make sure you and your family understand what happens at the airport when you travel and make sure you and your children don’t have anything that would put you in this position in the first place. Follow the rules or make waves to change them. If you are just going to whine to the news cameras then you can piss off.

  11. @9,

    No, the problem is, if you really wanted to kill air travelers and cause mayhem, you simply wheel an explosive packed suitcase into the middle of the snaking line outside TSA and detonate there. Do that in a couple US airports and we’ll be bailing out the airlines again.

    Or, you could pack a working laptop full of explosives, so you could even use its own battery to detonate it. How is plastique going to look different on the x-ray machine than a li-ion-polymer battery?

    You want to sniff out explosives, use dogs. But frisking children is crazy, offensive and nothing more than a distraction.

  12. The TSA’s methods have repeatedly been shown to be overwhelmingly ineffective at detecting weapons and dangerous chemicals. The ‘protection’ they offer is all posturing and no substance.

  13. Have you seen an eight-year-old terrorist? Of course not, because if you did you’d be dead already. They’re little sneaks, they are.

  15. @13, you forgot “get a job as an aircraft cleaner; they never go through any kind of security, yet have total access to every cranny of a plane”. And “go in through the business jet gate, there’s no security there either — just learn a tail number and they’ll wave you onto the tarmac. If you have the money you can carry a bag of explosives onto a hired business jet and no one will ever look at it.”

    @14 speaks the truth. People testing the TSA routinely get through the checkpoints with all kinds of guns, knives, and explosives. A fellow made it through the full-body scanners with a gun tucked into his crotch FOURTEEN TIMES. They can see and touch your dick but they can’t find a handgun?

    The TSA is absolutely powerless against, well, pretty much anything. Except any attempts to rationalize the bureaucracy.

  17. @10:

    I’d go even further and postulate this is just another way of indoctrinating the younger generation to accept the principle that authority figures have the right to do pretty much anything they want to ANYONE at any time.

    “Papers, please”…

  18. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is considering a significant shift in the way airport security is handled, moving towards a more “intelligence-driven system,” that would focus on “higher-risk passengers,” the head of the agency said today.
    ————-
    I wonder why they’d be considering a shift in policy and procedure? It’s not like the TSA responds to individual passengers, and I’m sure the airlines have increased passenger volume because travelers know the part-time blue shirt brigade can be trusted to perform extensive “Freedom Pats” on their children and the handicapped.
    ———–
    “But the other thing we can say with absolute confidence is that this system has effectively secured aviation in this nation since 9/11.”
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    I don’t understand this American dialect. I have read about people getting guns and other weapons past the TSA screening points. Does letting adults sneak weapons on board while frisking children under the age of 12 mean ‘effectively secured aviation in this nation’ in American culture? Does this sound like truth to commercial airline passengers, and to non-TSA personnel?

  22. A lot of people are lucky enough to never use airplanes, and this might look surprising to them. But all the population that does use the airport must have seen the TSA engaged in body searching multiple people, at any typical security checkpoint. There is nothing unusual about these two cases.

  23. Ideally the TSA wouldn’t be groping anybody – but why should kids get a break from it if adults don’t ? I don’t understand why people are so pissed off because OMG they’re searching a LITTLE KID. You should be pissed off because they’re searching EVERYBODY.

  24. Every terrorist I know dresses up as an old man and flies thru security unsearched, after putting their devices inside the thick metal tubes of their “battery” powered wheelchairs, walkers, and canes.

  25. They have been doing this since 9/11, Goldy.

    Our children were age 2 and 5 the first time they were frisked by a TSA agent. They were both “randomly” selected by the computer at check in. It was the 24th of December, last flight of the day to our destination (AZ), so we both volunteered to be frisked before the children rather than further delay everything by pointing out the absurdity of frisking a 2 year old boy and 5 year old girl. And, we were frisked again at the gate right before boarding do to their “random” selection.

  26. I developed a bit of a phobia of airport metal detectors after thrice setting off the scanners @ LAX in 1985, coming home from a Disneyland trip. I was a step away from a strip search, I was sure, until it was determined that my commemorative button was the culprit.

    After that, I would get really nervous and even sweaty when heading towards those security checkpoints. And I’m not a nervous person. Thankfully, I turned 21 and learned how to calm a case of the nerves prior to 9/11, or I might have hit a no-fly list.

    My security encounter was nowhere nearly as in depth as these kids faced. I hope they don’t end up drinking a pint of Johnnie Walker when they fly too.

  28. So long as they took away anything the kid can throw at the other passengers, make noise with, or smear on the seats, I’m all for it.

    In all seriousness, though, I’ve taken to flying in a loose dress with no undergarments. It just makes the whole thing much quicker.

  29. Whew… at least they’re not doing cavity searches! (Cuz that’s where I hide all my drugs when I fly — in the ass of an eight year old boy.)

  30. Complain now about your son being frisked, and then cry later when someone does something stupid that affects our safety.

    So the mom of this 8 year old is concerned her son thinks he’s a bad guy, but is not worried about people that actually plot these kind of things. She’s over exagerrating!

    I would not feel safe knowing that children are exempt from searches, knowing that people that do want to harm others use children and women to carry out their duties. This screener was just doing his job. She was the one that breached security! She took pictures of the screener without permission, and of procedures that could now jeopardize our security and post it all over the internet! Now TSA will change policies, well… Thank you Mrs… You have now put all of us at risk! And of course, people always feel attacked when they get screened! well, He’s not the only one that gets screened! There shouldn’t be a difference between a 80 year old, and an 8 year old! You would think that a former police officer’s daughter would understand. I say this because I was a former airline agent, and security must not be taken lightly! I hope the family and that screener fights this allegation, and brings her to court for defermation and exposing sensitive materials. Just saying lol.

  31. Complain now about your son being frisked, and then cry later when someone does something stupid that affects our safety.

    So the mom of this 8 year old is concerned her son thinks he’s a bad guy, but is not worried about people that actually plot these kind of things. She’s over exagerrating!

    I would not feel safe knowing that children are exempt from searches, knowing that people that do want to harm others use children and women to carry out their duties. This screener was just doing his job. She was the one that breached security! She took pictures of the screener without permission, and of procedures that could now jeopardize our security and post it all over the internet! Now TSA will change policies, well… Thank you Mrs… You have now put all of us at risk! And of course, people always feel attacked when they get screened! well, He’s not the only one that gets screened! There shouldn’t be a difference between a 80 year old, and an 8 year old! You would think that a former police officer’s daughter would understand. I say this because I was a former airline agent, and security must not be taken lightly! I hope the family and that screener fights this allegation, and brings her to court for defermation and exposing sensitive materials. Just saying lol.

  32. I agree @simplelady! There shouldn’t be a difference when it comes to age for security. If children are old enough to fly then they should be submitted to screening too! Don’t fly if you can’t follow guidelines I say! Makes me sick that this people will go to the media for this. You just want attention. People need to just appreciate they are safe, alive and happy. They made it to Disneyland shesh! What if there was someone that didn’t get screened that was dangerous? No vacation for you then! I didn’t know she had airline screening background. Even worse. HAHA Maybe she let tons of dangerous people through when she was there. I think these people are too spoiled and want the red carpet rolled out for them. SHAME ON THEM! SHAME ON HER!

  34. There are sick people out there that have no problems using thier kids as drug mules..so this is not that extreme..yea it sucks that they have to do it..but if you want to fly and actually get to your destination in one piece…not fly into some building as a religious statement..shut the fuck up…I would rather get on a plane knowing that they searched everyone..I have kids and I fly..make sure your kids’ pockets are empty..no metal toys..no liquids..its not rocket science people..just explain to your kids if they are old enough why they might have to let the airport people “touch” them..your standing right there with them tell them its ok..kids are not going to freak out if thier parents stay calm and explain to them whats going on..6 year old and 8 year old kids that have been frisked and publicly posted should have been explained to what was going on. My son is 6 and he understands that there are bad people who can carry stuff onto an airplane..thats why the airport “cops” check everyone..he gets that as will any other kid…not a big deal..stupid people just make it a big deal…

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