Replies

Wow! So many reply comments to this post of mine.

Yes, I AM a lawyer, and I was (am) on my way to Atlanta for two days of continuing legal education to help sharpen my skills. I assure you this episode will be discussed with my colleagues, and I’ll be even better prepared for my return flight Saturday (assuming I am allowed to board later today).

I agree that we need to come together as a freedom-loving nation and put an end to this unwarranted intrusion into our bodies. The stories I’ve read online from others demonstrate a far more pervasive problem than my little incident.

So let’s keep this thread going, and look for others to comment on as well. I’ve already sent my original post to my congressman, who just happened to send out an email poll today asking if these pat-downs are good, bad, or you’ve never flown on an airplane lately. I will follow up with him, and I encourage everyone on this board to do likewise. We can make them rescind this policy if you yell loud enough.

I read about a similar situation to yours just the other day. I am not certain if anyone has mentioned or linked to it on this thread yet, but here it is:

TSA Encounter at SAN (by John Tyner @ LewRockwell.com)

This guy, after objecting to the pat-down, was escorted from the security area back to the ticket counter, where he got his refund. Then, the TSA told him that he could not leave the airport, and that he would be subject to a fine and a "civil suit" for leaving the security area - even though it was the TSA itself that escorted him from the security area. He finally told them to go ahead and sue him, and left.

I am also a lawyer, and I don't know if I would have had the guts to object to the TSA. The airport has essentially become a Constitution-Free Zone, and largely at the willing acquiescence - if not the urging - of the American people. And, of course, the 9th Circuit in United States vs. Aukai has held that you can't revoke consent to further searches, including a pat-down, once you've gone through the metal detector.

It's ridiculous, but the law, such as it is, does not seem to be on our side once we put ourselves at the mercy of the TSA.