First, the fun began at the DFW International Airport, when I passed through security to catch my flight early Monday morning. It was a relatively quiet morning, and I was in line with about ten other people to go through the checkpoint. Laptop, shoes, belt were all in the plastic bins. After moving through the body scanner and preparing to remove my items from the conveyor belt, I hear the TSA agents scream at the top of their lungs, "LEO, LEO, EVERYBODY FREEZE! FREEZE!". I actually smiled and looked at the other guy that was standing next to me as if this was a joke. They starred both of us down very intensely and told us not to move. After about 15 seconds, they allowed us to continue on our way. I asked one of the agents what that was all about, but did not get much of an answer.
I certainly expected after the first bizarre experience that the rest of the trip would be uneventful. That was not the case, and the second incident was even more embarrassing. After being herded through the security process at Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, I noticed the legendary actor Hal Holbrook in front of me as we began to form a line for the TSA checkpoint. Mr. Holbrook is 87 years old and appeared to be travelling with his wife. After moving through the body scanner, the TSA agent directed him over to the special screening area. He was asked to remove some other articles and was fully patted down and scanned with a hand wand. He was also asked a variety of questions about his travel plans. All this was happening as I moved through the checkpoint without incident, so I paused to watch for a few moments. After finally releasing him, Mr. Holbrook came over within a few feet of me and met his wife. He was clearly very upset and confused, and said something to his wife along the lines of, "Now please explain to me why they would do that to someone like me!"
The one thing that pissed me off was that the TSA agent thought the whole thing was a big joke. He was smiling and looking at his buddies as if to brag about getting to harass a famous actor. When are we as Americans going to stand up and say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
So, why did not you speak up for this gentleman and say enough is enough?
ReplyDeletethe tsa agents glove he used on him is in his trophy case.
ReplyDeletekill the killers j b campbell /// google it ,then act on it. only then will things change
ReplyDeleteI find it terribly depressing to know that the guy who is asking when "we" are going to stop putting up with this is indeed putting up with it.
ReplyDeleteIf you're still flying, you deserve everything they do to you.
The reason people like Hal Holbrook are being harassed, and the reason this story is being being reported in places like this is because those who wish to control us want more of us to stop flying.
ReplyDeleteOnce enough people stop flying the airlines will go under. Then Goobermint will take over the airlines under laws that exist on the books today.
Just like they took over GM.
And ramped up the manufacture of cars no one except Goobermint wants to buy.
If you really want to stop the TSA, not flying will not do it.
The only way to stop this is for large numbers of law abiding community minded people, who are wiling to go to jail, to defy the TSA at airports all over the country at the same time.
Law abiding people must be willing to suffer for the rest of us. This is the only way to stop it.
Study the tactics of Gandhi and MLK, Jr.
Unless people are willing to do this, we will all continue our descent into the Gulag.
I am a sovereign citizen.
The corrupt fear me.
The honest support me.
The courageous me.
K Smith
Marietta GA