more on I was detained at the TSA checkpoint for about 25 minutes today

Begin forwarded message:

From: Richard Forno <[email protected]>
Date: September 27, 2006 9:12:49 AM EDT
To: Dave Farber <[email protected]>, [email protected]
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [IP] I was detained at the TSA checkpoint for about 25  
minutes today


> Yesterday, while discussing the new rules a fellow Flyertalker
> suggested we write "Kip Hawley Is an Idiot" on the outside of our
> clear plastic quart bags.

I was thinking of "TSA = Security Theater" or something to that  
effect, but
I applaud your choice of words.

> bags to pax today) I let him know that I had brought my bag from home
> and would not be letting him take it. He then asked for permission of
> photograph it, which I agreed too.

Guess TSA is also purveyors of Baggie Pr0n now.  Maaan, you must have  
had
one nice looking quart-bag.  (Was it Channel or Louis Vuitton?)  I'm  
sure
they're passing that picture around the break room right now.

> asked for my address and I asked why he needed it. "For the report I
> have to file since I was summoned here" I started to give it, when I
> noticed the TSA Supervisor was writing it down as well, so I stopped
> and asked why he needed it. He said he needed to file an incident
> report too, and I took the opportunity to ask what the resolution of

So much for information-sharing.  They can't even share information  
across a
bleepin' security checkpoint, either electronically or by sneaker-net.

> Could I have refused to provide my ID and/or address to the officer
> since I wasn't under arrest?
> When asked for my ID do I have to hand it over or can I hang on to
> it? By giving it to the deputy, he walked of with it and I felt stuck.

Askign for ID is pretty much a power play in many cases, I posit.  That
said, I routinely use my passport for ID at airports, but have other
"offiical" ID with me just in case whatever I provide gets  
"taken".....as
with overseas events where my ID has been requested, my line has been  
"you
can take me AND my ID to wherever you need to go and run it through your
computers, but I'm not surrendering it to you so you can walk away  
with it."
Politely put to the requestor, that has worked in the past --- but  
again,
I'm talking about professional European airport police, not
lowest-bidder-provided cloth-badge-issued rental cops from TSA.   
Knowing TSA
they'd just have the cops charge you with disorderly conduct and get you
blacklisted forever just for voicing a legitimate concern to those  
appointed
in power over you in the situation.  How dare you (politely) ask  
questions!

TSA continues to astound many a (competent) security professional and  
amuse
foreigners who see how utterly incompetent our post-911 "security" has
become at commercial airports.  But, I guess "incompetent" is synonymous
with "making (some) progress" and therefore good enough for press  
releases.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to invest in quart-bag manufacturers.
Which is good, since my investments in duck tape didn't pan out so  
well a
few years ago.

-rick
infowarrior.org