TSA pats down 95-year-old woman

[IDrinkaRum]

and has her daughter remove the woman's Depends underwear because it was "wet and firm"

I think this is going to be another disaster for the TSA. Poor woman!

Though why, if you know your mother has to use Depends adult diapers, wouldn't you carry at least one or two extra? The 95-year-old woman had to fly without any underwear at all.

Fail on both sides.

[KitterCat]

I cant remember which comedian I was listening to this week, but they put this idiocy in to light. If we have to pat down little 95 grannies we’ve lost. Forget freedom, forget the 4th amendment, we’ve lost the war on terror and the bad guys have won.

TSA is suppose to use some common sense, unfortunately all of their policies seem to be written by idiots who want to make sure every thing is “random” and politically correct, in the hopes of appearing to make a safe trip. God help me I may have to fly this year for business.

[DrFaroohk]

meh. Lose - Lose situation. Wait until the terrorists find out that we cry a shitstorm if someone dares to question a senior citizen's integrity. "Hey Ahkmed, get this! We can ship our bombs in little old ladies underwear because no one's allowed to check anymore!"

I've been in those obnoxious situations before where you just lose no matter what. It's not the employees fault - he was probably told that's what to do. And it's not his boss's fault, it was just the crap that rolls down the top, where the worst of it is.

[Greenday]

I cant remember which comedian I was listening to this week, but they put this idiocy in to light. If we have to pat down little 95 grannies we’ve lost. Forget freedom, forget the 4th amendment, we’ve lost the war on terror and the bad guys have won.

TSA is suppose to use some common sense, unfortunately all of their policies seem to be written by idiots who want to make sure every thing is “random” and politically correct, in the hopes of appearing to make a safe trip. God help me I may have to fly this year for business.

Man, people admit defeat very easily around here. Well, we changed to make sure they can't attack again. Guess that means we lost. It's like people think the only ones who suicide bomb are men. Not boys, girls, or women. Tell that to the little girl's family who was carrying a bomb for terrorists and blew up. Or perhaps that little boy who blew himself up at the Afghanistan/Pakistan border earlier this year. The terrorists will use anyone. Aw, she was a special case. The TSA doesn't know her. They don't know what she's been through. A relative giving off some story doesn't count as good enough evidence to just give her special treatment. Otherwise terrorists could just travel in twos and say, "Oh, that's not explosive materials on him, that's just sugar."

Everyone wants all these special cases to be excused. Sorry, I don't want to sacrafice my security just so other people can be more comfortable. Sucks but people are being punished for the actions of others. If people weren't blowing themselves up, it wouldn't be an issue.

DrFaroohk hit it on the head. The TSA agent just did their job and did it correctly. His boss was enforcing a fair policy. Just a shitty situation. (no pun intended)

[bainsidhe]

First of all, ew ew ew ew ew. And ew to anyone that had the airplane seat after her. No disrespect meant towards the little old lady, but there's a reason she was wearing Depends and...ew.

Isn't there any other method of screening that doesn't involve poking through someone's underwear? I'm curious, does TSA poke around baby's soiled diaper too? I'm left scratching my head over this one and I can understand why the daughter was so upset. I haven't really been bothered by any of the screening stories until this one.

[HYHYBT]

Here I thought the scanners were supposed to put a stop to this sort of thing.

[Andara Bledin]

Woo-hoo!

Yet another episode in Safety Theater... Come see it at a transit center near you.

If they make a big show about how they're protecting us, then they won't actually have to protect us. So long as the boys at the top get their paychecks, all is right with the world.

^-.-^

[BlaqueKatt]

I'm curious, does TSA poke around baby's soiled diaper too?

um considering babies diapers are routinely used to smuggle drugs, what do you think? Not to mention I'd hope a parent wouldn't let their child be in a soiled diaper for that long...

And interesting that no one is at all concerned that the daughter was perfectly willing to let her 95 year old mother sit in her own filth for the duration of the flight.....yup I'm sure no one would make a peep about the smell, I'd be checking into possible elder abuse.

[Greenday]

Here I thought the scanners were supposed to put a stop to this sort of thing.

It's not like the scanners scan you, then list every single thing you have on your body. It's just going to show that something is there. Something seemed to be there but it's not like they can magically know what it is without looking.