I was stunned seeing all of the stories about TSA abuses yesterday. It quickly became a hot topic on Facebook. Below is an exchange that I had with another Facebooker:
My words in blue.
Me: Well, this is the work of the Obama administration. How many “terrorists” have they caught doing this anyway?
FB: Elana, exactly why are we politicizing this? It’s bureaucratic incompetence and blaming whatever administration does little to fix it. These rules and regs started before the Obama administration (and believe me, I know, I was subject to them when my now 5 year old was an infant) and they continue to be modified. This was obviously (to me) a disgruntled middle manager getting his jollies by using his power to intimidate a woman who had already complained about them once.
(Apparently my FB opponant wasn’t aware of the other abuses popping up all over the country!)
Me: The TSA guidelines were ramped in the last couple of weeks under Janet Napolitano-appointed by Obama. Sorry ladies but there it is.
FB: Elena here is the TSA website as of today.
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/children/formula.shtm .
Also this: http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/specialneeds/index.shtm
What the manager did was specifically against Federal polic…y. It has nothing to do with Obama, his administration, his wife, his cabinet or the Democratic party. I know you’re disappointed but … *shrug*. Life is that way some times.
Me: Oh please… here is JN herself on 11/15. http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/forum/2010-11-15-column15_ST1_N.htm
FB #2: J N didnot tell TSA to violate their own policies. They clearly did. It’s not politicale it’s pure jackass behavior and I hope everyone involved gets fired.
Me: What she failed to do was educate her own TSA employees adequately before this monstrosity was implemented. … on that I agree. I hope everyone gets fired. And EVERYONE will even if it takes two more years ; )
FB: Elena I read the article and nowhere does it ask TSA employees to violate standing guidelines and protocols. Which is what happened.
In fact, no mention is made in that article at ALL about medical liquids and/or breastmilk. It talks about the new guidelines for body searches, pat-downs and the new scanners.
It would behoove you to read the articles you post and scan them for relevance to the debate at hand.
Me: Well I didn’t know I’d have to do all the heavy lifting and draw the lines together for you, so here it is. Because the Obama administration was so embarrassed last year by the Fruit of Kaboom would-be bomber last Christmas, they …were desperate to try to avoid another incident. As the date on the article which you apparently overlooked, indicated they were “ramping up” security just in time for the holidy travel season – Apparently without the adequate instruction and education of the employees – because if a job is worth doing, it’s worth doing half-assward.
Anyway, we also know how “sensitive” the Obama administration to anything that might be looked on unkindly by Muslim extremists. So instead of pulling young middle-Eastern looking males out of line, we’re going to check EVERYBODY including babies, old ladies, cancer victims and women with breast milk because – none of those folks fit the profile and it makes O and JN seem so enlightened and tolerant. And how many threats have we uncovered? 0. Because the people they’re hassling, like the breast milke lady, aren’t terrorists and the real terrorists I suspect are too doubled over in laughter at how ridiculous this whole thing is.
So instead of just redistributing our wealth this holiday weekend, they are redistributing the hardship, pain, embarrassment, and hassle! What a guy. But you go ahead and think it was just a few renegade TSA workers. In the meantime we are loosing our wealth, status and now our dignity. 2012 will be a blow out!
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