TSA told to act like sexual predators

[Koganesaga]

While I disagree with this, your all wearing quite big tin foil hats, it's airport security, if you don't want security who make sure to protect you, the citizen, your free to drive. These standerds are to protect da people, not to hurt da people. Yar.

That's indeed a good sentiment, but as many stated it's very creepy, not to mention an easy point of abuse for child molesters. Also, as proved with 9/11, it's clear that we don't need to take the airplane in order to suffer from negligence of airport security.

 

[Woodsey]

That's the first paragraph, and then it gets worse. How much worse does it have to get before Americans figure out they're not free any more? It seriously wouldn't surprise me to see a full-on revolt within 10 years if things keep going how they're going.

Ok, so telling them it's a game is a little creepy, but I'm not really sure in what way it restricts people's freedom.

Well, if getting on a plane requires you to be sexually assaulted and your children molested, what would you call it?

Do you hear that?

That's me, performing the biggest /facepalm you ever did hear.

Someone's tried to come up with a way to just get children to be more willing to go through airport checks and it's made them sound a bit like a paedophile. Big whoop.

I'm going to guess you didn't read the article then? Experts in the field have said that calling it a "game" is exactly what paedophiles do, and that children don't have the sophistication to know the difference between a TSA employee touching them and a stranger touching them. It's not just that it makes them sound like a paedophile, it's that what the TSA is being told to do is basically training children to go along with paedophiles, because the last time it happened was okay, so this time must be too. That is the big whoop.

These "experts in the field" sound like the Daily Mail. And so do you for that matter. You don't import it into Canada by any chance do you?

Anyway: So?

In one situation, the child is surrounded by 100s of people with their parents/carers right by them, in another they're with a paedophile.

I actually laughed out loud at this part: "SA is being told to do is basically training children to go along with paedophiles" Ever looked up the definition of hyperbole?

Children aren't idiots; I don't think the TSA should even need to give out advice on the subject, and it's poorly (read: hilariously) worded, but even young children have a sense of what they should and shouldn't do in different situations.

 

[Canid117]

TSA Director to staff: "when performing an enhanced pat-down on a child, tell them it's a game" [http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/airport-patdowns-grooming-children-sex-predators-abuse-expert/]

An expert in the fight against child sexual abuse is raising the alarm about a technique the TSA is reportedly using to get children to co-operate with airport pat-downs: calling it a "game".

That's the first paragraph, and then it gets worse. How much worse does it have to get before Americans figure out they're not free any more? It seriously wouldn't surprise me to see a full-on revolt within 10 years if things keep going how they're going.

Everyone already knows the TSA sucks and hates their procedures. It's kind of like having six cameras per street corner in the UK.

 

[Ham_authority95]

I smell fear-mongering. "TSA told to act like sexual predators"? Sounds like something Fox news would make up...

Also, pat-downs are only given to about 1/60 people because the full-body scanners work good enough to not need a pat-down. I know this because I've actually been in an airport within the past few weeks.

 

[TyrantGanado]

Security screening everyone in such in-depths manners in case they plan to attack your nation is just spreading undue fear and paranoia. Which means the terrorists win by definition. *applauds American government*

And some people wonder why America's seen a rise in jingoism and xenophobia. Cause they're being told in all facets of life that foreigners, hell, that their neighbours probably can't be trusted. I tip my metaphorical hat to those Americans sensible enough to see the real picture. Which is probably most of the Americans here.

 

[neurohazzard]

..........Thats it, fuck airports, I'm saving up for a god damn hovercraft!

 

[Dastardly]

TSA Director to staff: "when performing an enhanced pat-down on a child, tell them it's a game" [http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/airport-patdowns-grooming-children-sex-predators-abuse-expert/]

An expert in the fight against child sexual abuse is raising the alarm about a technique the TSA is reportedly using to get children to co-operate with airport pat-downs: calling it a "game".

That's the first paragraph, and then it gets worse. How much worse does it have to get before Americans figure out they're not free any more? It seriously wouldn't surprise me to see a full-on revolt within 10 years if things keep going how they're going.

1) I still believe someone in the TSA is ordering all this over-the-top bullshit to prove some point... but they've forgotten the crucial step of telling everyone what that point is. Is it more funding they want? Do they want to socialize air travel? What are they after?

2) Be very careful when you start treating this like an issue of "freedom." The TSA is a government agency, yes, but the airlines themselves are not. Because the airlines themselves are not explicitly government-run, they are private businesses. That means you don't have a "right" to it in any regard. If you want it to be a right, you've got to give the government control over it. So, decide if you're going to treat it as a right or privilege... but not both.

 

[Sixties Spidey]

Riddle me this: What does a prostitute and the TSA have in common?

Answer and a cookie will be yours.

 

[jpoon]

Little surprise that I won't be riding planes any more, these people are "holier than thou" freaks to the extreme.

 

[Ham_authority95]

Security screening everyone in such in-depths manners in case they plan to attack your nation is just spreading undue fear and paranoia. Which means the terrorists win by definition. *applauds American government*

Exactly. Our government needs to quit shitting their pants over the possibility of terrorism and relax for a bit.

 

[zelda2fanboy]

Vote Libertarian or Don't Fly. If this bullcrap hits the airlines in the wallet hard enough, the TSA will go away. Lobbyists FTW.

 

[Mr. Omega]

And people wonder why I prefer to take the bus... Ok, so it has nothing to do with TSA, but now I have another reason for my bus > plane argument.

 

[Evilsanta]

That is not creepy at all...

And i thought it couldnt get more fucked up.

 

[Dastardly]

On Tuesday, TSA administrator John Pistole said the agency may change its screening rules for victims of sex abuse. He also said the TSA had no plans to continue expanding the airport screening process.

Also, a quote from the original article. Great plan--give people incentive to pretend they were sexually abused. Who is really more likely to just claim sexual abuse? A victim who is truly embarrassed by this mark on their past (a normal emotional response to such trauma)? Or some jerk who's in a hurry and sees nothing to lose by claiming his uncle did a naughty thing?

 

[Boba Frag]

Jokes aside, I actually have to say something relevant that isn't crap.

What's wrong with just telling the kids "We need to check if you've got any weapons?"

That's absolutely fucking hilarious... brilliant! XD

On a more or less serious note... Hear that horrible sound?

That's several metric tonnes of shit hitting an industrial sized fan!!

They are gonna get crucified over this... I can see that they only meant to put the child at ease and I can't help but wonder at the actual frequency of occurrences of "enhanced pat downs".

I was pretty terrified of American security going to the States for the first time post 9/11 in February but I couldn't get over how professional and courteous they were.

And I'm a greasy foreign type with facial hair!!

I understand that they have to have procedures to deal with the eventuality of searching children, but I was never actually patted down on my way through US airspace- that happened once in Dublin, quickly and with nothing inappropriate.

Looks like they just genuinely want to be able to put children at ease rather than make them associate the pat down with a game that could theoretically make them more vulnerable to sex predators.

 

[DiMono]

TSA Director to staff: "when performing an enhanced pat-down on a child, tell them it's a game" [http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2010/12/airport-patdowns-grooming-children-sex-predators-abuse-expert/]

An expert in the fight against child sexual abuse is raising the alarm about a technique the TSA is reportedly using to get children to co-operate with airport pat-downs: calling it a "game".

That's the first paragraph, and then it gets worse. How much worse does it have to get before Americans figure out they're not free any more? It seriously wouldn't surprise me to see a full-on revolt within 10 years if things keep going how they're going.

1) I still believe someone in the TSA is ordering all this over-the-top bullshit to prove some point... but they've forgotten the crucial step of telling everyone what that point is. Is it more funding they want? Do they want to socialize air travel? What are they after?

2) Be very careful when you start treating this like an issue of "freedom." The TSA is a government agency, yes, but the airlines themselves are not. Because the airlines themselves are not explicitly government-run, they are private businesses. That means you don't have a "right" to it in any regard. If you want it to be a right, you've got to give the government control over it. So, decide if you're going to treat it as a right or privilege... but not both.

Fair, except that in order to make it onto a plane owned by one of those private business you have to get through government-run security protocols (which shouldn't be government-run in the first place, but that's a different argument). Further, you have the right to do business with any company who is willing to do business with you in return. You've already bought the ticket, but now you have to jump through hoops in order to complete the transaction by getting on the plane. So in essence, the government is the gatekeeper to your right ability? to make use of that business' services; services you've already paid for.

 

[Palademon]

Do they not realize that's exactly what a child molester would say?

Did that not even cross their minds? At all??

This is really just one more thing on the list of reasons why I need to move.

Out of the country?
Wouldn't that involve going through the airport?