[msrngtp2002]

I know I will get flamed by this but over the past couple years I have flown 8 times. I have NEVER had a TSA person be rude to me, inappropriately touch me, go through my stuff, take anything, or any of these things I read about. I have never witnessed any of these things either.

And these trips have been through different airports, at different times of the day and days of the week. They were at busy times and slow times.

Perhaps a lot of this stuff we read about is brought on by the person complaining? I understand the occasional hitleresque person who searches grandma in a wheelchair or does a cavity search on a 7 year old - but where do all these things happen? And happen to whom?

Everyone I have dealt with at every level has been professional, courteous, and actually smiling.

Am I missing something?

[elcid1970]

You’re lucky!

[beandog]

I have to say I’ve never had any problem either.

[karnage]

The whole TSA thing is unnecessary, unconstitutional and disgusting. It conditions us to kowtow to the almighty government as if we are subservient quasi-felons. Whether the minions are rude or polite is irrelevant. They shouldn’t be doing what they are doing. And we shouldn’t put up with it. But we do. Because we are no longer Americans, but gutless sheep.

[fini]

For the most part I agree with you. I too have been through a lot of airports and ALMOST always the screeners were professional and pleasant. But twice I have had bad experiences. The first was when I was coming back from Iraq. I came home wearing my uniform and still got had patted at every leg of the journey. Not only that, but my pistol was in my checked in luggage and my orders were in my hand. Common sense was on vacation that day. The next time, the person in-front of me had a belt buckle that had a picture of a pistol impressed into the buckle plate. The screener had no idea how to handle it, nor was she impressed when I commented that "if a buckle with a pistol on it was an issue, I'm glad I didn't wear a T-shirt with a tank on it."

I really don't see the need to screen (there are a lot of very good passive sensors now and the passengers are not going to allow a hijacking anymore), but maybe they want to train us to be sheep.