That is why I never wore my Rockports when I used to travel by air. Wouldn't they be a prime target for theft or "voluntary surrender"?
The link just goes to the picture, not to a blog. Also needs to conform to the posting policy for this forum: Remember, if it's not your photo you can still link to it as long as it's elsewhere.
I think I will seek out such individuals on my next trip through PHL since I do love photography. I know they're there. Sadly, I am going nowhere anytime soon, so this will have to wait till September.
I am truly not surprised. This group of thugs think they can do anything they want. Perhaps they are "undercover", keeping Amerika safe from terry wrist's...
They feel they are above the law and answerable to no one. That attitude doesn't sit well with me. The 'it's good to be the king' shows their contempt for the rest of this country. When we travel DHS knows pretty much everything about us. Airline ticket number, credit card number used to book flight, credit card number used to pay for flight, rental car information (who, what, when, where), hotel reservations, etc. Our country got along fine without all of that for 200 years. Why now?
Why now? Because the U.S. Government had to give the impression they are doing something to secure our nation from terrorists in the wake of 9-11. The TSA is nothing more than a glorified "make work" (thank you Michael Roberts for that description) program, which reminds me more of a mall cop type position, with a fancy blue uniform and a tin badge suddenly empowering an individual as if what they are doing constitutes security and making out aviation industry safer because of it.
Saw an interview on Fox News (yes, I know that some folks don't like Fox News) that had a very ticked off government official on it. TSA's outrages and excesses are getting attention and not of the good kind. Guy said it was a work program and didn't provide for real airport security. Passengers have had enough of this out of control, answerable to no one, rogue agency. Saw this at another site - it brings back memories: "Hey, hey TSA How many kids you grope today?" Think that once that chant goes viral that they will totally lose it.
Part of the problem is that TSA counts on our isolation. They know the checkpoint environment is stressful. They know most of us are traveling along. They know that (up until now) everyone going through is a "compliant sheep". They use intimidation to cow everyone into submission. I've long said that shoes off is a way to control the process. If you don't have your shoes, you can't simply walk away from the process. This chant is a brilliant idea. In order for it to work, an organized group will have to go through spread out to get it going. Sheep are sheep. They'll follow the chant just as easily as they play freeze tag.
A variation on that chant kept one guy from running for his second term of US President. The chant is an ear worm, easy to memorize and a catchy rhythm. TSOs might be quite upset hearing it from an adult, but imagine their reaction from hearing it from children. What would they do? Beat the kid? Have him arrested? If I, as a parent heard that coming out of my child's mouth at an airport Checkpoint Charlie, I think that my response would be "kids say the funniest things" and to let the Chode seethe.
Why are they all shaped like that? I have pondered this question for ages: http://homelandsecuritytheater.com/?p=691
Flash Mob would be brilliant! It would also make a catchy ringtone.... If your phone started ringing while you were being groped, it might be even funnier. After all, you can't interrupt screening to turn it off.
Hmmm, modern electronics? Ring tone? Yes. Alarm tone? Yes. Just something loud enough for them to hear....
