Today's experience with TSA and Homeland Security

[Rick Myers]

Travelled from Minneapolis to San Diego today with a frined to attend the Siggraph conference. At the security checkpoint my frined was passed right thru. The womanc checking IDs looked at a printout and gave me RED bins to put my stuff, then lead me thru the scanner and placed me in a glassed in area and called out 'Red Bin on One.'
A REAL security guard took over, politely asked me a few questions, then proceeded to swab EVERYTHING I was carrying and testing the swabs in some big machine. Re-x-rayed my shoes and swabbed them. He also checked a notebook containing more printouts. He re examined my ID against this list. Finally he stamped my boarding pass with a BIG stamp with the Homeland Security logo and "SECURITY CLEARED."

When I boarded the plane the guy checking boarding passes said, "Oh, you got the special treatment!'

Trust me boys and girls, the TSA IS targetting based on political leanings...

It was a very unpleasant experience...

[Maat]

1. Interesting ...

glad you made it through o.k.

[John Q. Citizen]

2. That's chilling. Where is our country?

[rubberducky]

3. I think that with my temper and big mouth, I would have been arrested.

[KitchenWitch]

4. I have flown several times since joining DU and becoming more active politically

I do not get the special treatment.

However, because I have a metal implant, I get frisked.

[Rene]

5. What makes you think it's 'political leanings' Rick?

Do they have access/records on our party registration for voting...from our town hall records?

[Yurovsky]

7. Dick Cheney can command his TSA storm troopers...

to do anything his sick mind dreams up. I have no confidence in the current government to secure my privacy and prevent my beliefs and associations from being used against me if they conflict with the powers that be.

More power grabs to come I'm sure. Heaven forbid we have even a minor terrorist act (or staged act courtesy of the CIA), then we might be looking at martial law.

[screembloodymurder]

8. It's based on numbers. You were the xxx person in line.

You're just lucky.

[Rick Myers]

10. I was not the random search

They had a freaking notebook full of printouts... The cover said "Daily" soumething, with the Homeland Logo on it.

They guy I was lead to was NOT your plain TSA person, he was a fully armed Homeland officer.

I watched the area as we had a sandwich and saw no one put thru the same screening.

[SidDithers]

13. Maybe you were mistakenly on the no-fly list?...

Or someone with a name similar to yours was?

Sid

[Rick Myers]

16. Something about my boarding pass alerted the first screener.

The second group of screeners were the senior dudes... I have done talk radio on and off for years, and all I know is the boarding pass alerted the screeners. It was NOT random. My associate watched in semi horror, kinda funny now, but........

[Rick Myers]

6. The most interesting part of it...

Was the daily 'list' they had! MY NAME was on that list! I got frisked twice!

[karlrschneider]

9. How long will you be in SD? Might be a tough ride back home...

:scared:

[Rick Myers]

11. Gotta fly back on Friday evening!!!

Ack!!! But, DAMN is the weather nice here!!!

[StClone]

12. Let us know how it goes

Upon you return...

[sailor65]

14. You're not that special

Most of the notebooks you see contain daily or periodic testing protocols to be followed (Which is why you'll often see them referring to the notebooks during your procedure.). The criteria for selection don't include your party affiliation, your number of posts on DU, or the amount of time you spend wearing tinfoil on your head. Many of the test protocols, especially those involving swabs, are being continuously enhanced and tested, and the best place to do volume testing is at the point of inspection. As long as you were treated courteously, as it seems you were, what's the big deal? I fly all the time, and I've had a few random pops already. I'm always treated respectfully, and it never bothers me.

There are enough bad things happening right now without creating false alarms.

Or are you just mad that they made you throw your Flinstones Toothpaste away?
:rofl:

[Rick Myers]

15. Dammit, how'd you know about my Fintstones toothpaste???

It is well known that some liberal talk radio people have been given 'special' treatment EVERY time they fly. I saw 2 lists, and something about my boarding pass alerted the first screener. Those here at DU know I've done lib talk since 1999 and I'm very active and outspoken.

Oh yeah, welcome to DU!

If they ever restore FOA, we can compare FBI O2 files. I've got a couple dozen pages with lots of government issue BLACK hilighter on them. Again, purely political.

[sailor65]

17. I was there....

Hiding behind the x-ray, and I was out of toothpaste and......umm....well.