ANOTHER CASE OF "FED UP"! (Vanity)

Personal Experience ^ | January 7, 2007 | Self

[UWconservative]

I don't mind the delay. Leaving her by herself is not courteous, not showing her how to get out is downright inconsiderate. I live in Seattle, and SeaTac is damn near impossible to navigate without prior knowledge or English, especially the trains. But the strip search is beyond question outrageous. This women just got OFF the plane, so why strip search?

It's understandable that she considers Seattle's airport "bad." Especially since we don't question people pouring across the border.

[MIT-Elephant]

If she was wearing a burqa they wouldn't have dared put her in a retention room.

[definitelynotaliberal]

Sorry for the unsolicited comment. Might I suggest that she used those words because they're the only ones she knows?

[Angelas]

Good point! Language Line offers Lithuanian translators.

[Mr J]

Pay close attention: How does strip-searching innocents help find terrorists who know about the security procedures in advance, and who therefore would have to be as brain-damaged as an average federal employee to walk into a TSA checkpoint?

[Hostage]

It's very easy to put in a credit card swipe or collect a fee. People can accept that they have to carry $20 or so to get interpreter services in customs.

[lawdude]

Contact your Senator in tennies for immediate action....sarc/

[Jaysun]

Why does the taxpayer have to pay for translators for any non-citizen? They should pay for their own costs when in this country.

More government workers is never the solution to a problem.

I didn't suggest that taxpayers pay for anything. If I understand him correctly the service is paid for by the caller. It isn't unreasonable to have translation services available at airports if we have them at ER rooms.

[paulat]

Sorry for the unsolicited comment. Might I suggest that she used those words because they're the only ones she knows?

Hi, hon! I think you meant to reply to someone else.

[definitelynotaliberal]

I'm a legal immigrant. I have some stories too that I won't disclose in this forum. Not everything is determined by policy. There is a lot of leeway.

Don't be skeptical of what Hazard is telling us because of your strong belief in policy. You are right. Treating someone like that is certainl not policy, but he is telling you a truth which some of us have experienced.

[kenth]

They stripped you at the MVD and jury duty?

[paulat]

There should be a way to deal with problems like this without stripping someone down to their underwear

Where does it say the woman had to strip?

THIS IS NOTHING!!! They asked the woman some questions and put her kids on the cellphone. JEEZ!!!

[Jaysun]

Pay close attention: How does strip-searching innocents help find terrorists who know about the security procedures in advance, and who therefore would have to be as brain-damaged as an average federal employee to walk into a TSA checkpoint?

That line of reasoning would suggest that strip searches are never fruitful. You ask how strip searching innocents helps, but how do we know they're innocents until after the search? And don't you think that doing away with them altogether would open the door for terrorist to hide things on their person?

Besides, I agreed that stripping her to her underwear was uncalled for.

[UWconservative]

In the article it says "strip down to bra and panties."

???

[wmc-50]

Sorry for the inconvenience.

I traveled to Europe after 9-11-2001. Upon arrival at the Zurich airport I met a very nice officer who pointed an MP-5 sub-machinegun at me. Inadvertently, of course. /S/

If I were a terrorist, I would try to find any one and any way to do my business, including using your 75 year old mother-in-law.

My wife and 15 year old daughter went out of country last July and were searched. Stuff happens.

[definitelynotaliberal]

Here's the story and the reason we are "fed up".

Customs had asked grandmother a series of questions and she could not answer. She kept telling them "no English, no English" but they took her out of line and then called for a detail to escort her to a retention room, a room that was according to grandmother a long long way through many doors and up and down many floors. In this room they made her strip to her bra and panties and would not allow her to make any phone calls. She was left in this room crying when the customs lady called us on my cell phone.

[sissyjane]

I really don't think writing the President is going to do any good whatsoever. I'm sorry it happened, but it's over.

[paulat]

In the article it says "strip down to bra and panties."

Sorry...you are right...I missed that.

And I don't believe it for one instance.

[Bahbah]

This is absolutely outrageous. That poor woman. How can people be so stupid!

I am very glad your mother-in-law is with her much awaited grandson (and congratulations to you and your wife). I think you ought to contact your Senators.

[NerdDad]

You should definitely contact the airport manager but only as a courtesy. Don't expect him/her to be able to do much. His authority over customs officials will be extremely limited.

A letter to President Bush, other than as a comfort to yourself, is a waste of paper and ink.

Contacting the Lithuanian embassy/consulate and your congress critters is the best "official" means of getting a redress of your grievances.

Finding a sympathetic set of media types (TV, radio, and print) who can direct the glare of attention on the situation will act as a hot poker in the backside of your congress critters. A TV interview request to your congressman will rain down fireballs on the DHS people at and above SEATAC.

It would be interesting to see a count of how many arab men between the ages of 17 and 35 get the same kind of treatment as this Lithuanian grandmother. All of our government officials need to be constantly reminded that all the terrorists involved in attacks on US interests have been a part of the arab male group mentioned above.