My TSA rant!

[BikerBabe 0]

[rant]

ARGH! How in the hell can we live in America in the 21st century and be forced to surrender our rights to this Gestapo-like organization?

How is it that a government agency has the right to take something out of a checked bag and not even leave an explanation or call the owner of that bag back to security to tell them?

My husband has a race in Wisconsin this weekend. He packed some two-stroke motor oil in his bag. He had to fly to Ft. Walton Beach first for a business trip. It got there fine. However, when he opened his bag in Wisconsin, the 3 quarts of oil were gone. No note, no explanation, and no page at the Ft Walton Beach airport requesting him to come back to talk about it. Nothing.

IMHO, that is flat out stealing. We have a government agency that has the right to steal whatever they want out of your stuff without your knowledge and without any explanation! Also, we have a government agency that apparently doesn't know how to consistently enforce its own rules, since obviously motor oil is fine in Albuquerque, but for some reason not fine in Ft. Walton Beach.

Funny, I don't see motor oil anywhere on their list as of June 2nd: http://www.tsa.gov/interweb/assetlibrary/tsa_ppitems_06-02-2003.pdf

So the oil is only about ~$20 worth. However, because my hubby is now OUT of two-stroke oil, if he can't find some to buy from another racer, he's wasted a weekend in Wisconsin. I'd put the total cost to him if he doesn't get to race at ~$1500, including entry fees, travel, lodging, and projected winnings.

Moral of the story: keep everything that is truly valuable to you with you at all times, and carry it on the pane with you if at all possible. I will NEVER check my rig EVER again because of this.

[/rant]

Never meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!

[quade 4]

Think the TSA and Patriot Act stinks now?

Just wait a bit.

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20030605_1863.html

also related

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20030605_1626.html

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Michele 1]

Andi, darlin, I totally understand your rage...I would be lit...furious...ready to tear off the theif's head...

Could it be that it was just stolen, and not part of the TSA at all? No, I'm not defending them, I am suggesting that luggage content theft is not uncommon, and had happened many times prior to the TSA putting controls in place.

Did you report it to the airline? Ask for an explanation? Ask for the airline to either recompense you the oil immediately, or refund the ticket and cost of the race? Maybe that's the place to start....

Hugs, girl. Sorry this has happened. It sucks no matter who, what, why, when or where it happened.

Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[BikerBabe 0]

Well, our first step is going to be to fill out the form the TSA has for claiming lost items.

However, I'm sure it's in the trash can because some idiot thought it was gasoline or flammable or something and didn't bother to check. Hell, most people don't even know what a two-stroke engine is, anyway.

Hopefully he'll be able to race and it won't be a problem, it's just the principle of it. How do we fight something like this, you know?

I am sworn to defend the constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic. What do I do when the enemy to the constitution is my own government?

Never meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!

[Jimbo 0]

From the first link:

Quote

The law expires in October 2005, and while House Judiciary Chairman James Sensenbrenner praised Ashcroft's work so far, he added, "My support for this legislation is neither perpetual or unconditional."

I didn't know that laws expired. Is this common?

-
Jim

"Like" - The modern day comma
Good bye, my friends. You are missed.

[quade 4]

It's not uncommon.

There are laws that have no real time limit. They're in place until revised or revoked.

There are laws that have time limits that run out unless they're renewed. Usually these are special laws that cover some specific thing or instance -- like the flight rules over the Grand Canyon or the law that keeps "Area 51" a secret.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[Jib 0]

Quote

I didn't know that laws expired. Is this common?

They call it sunsetting. For example, some gun control legislation is set to set in 2004. It can also be used to phase out certain laws over time.

--------------------------------------------------
the depth of his depravity sickens me.
-- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt

[Zenister 0]

Quote

What do I do when the enemy to the constitution is my own government?

amen sister.

____________________________________
Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed.

[FallRate 0]

Quote

What do I do when the enemy to the constitution is my own government?

Please don't be astonished or disgusted. Just keep in mind that the enemy of the Constitution has always been the government. And by government, I mean PEOPLE that currently hold positions of power, i.e. John Ashcroft. But this abuse is not simply perpetrated by Conservatives....

"If the personal freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution inhibit the government's ability to govern the people, we should look to limit those guarantees." William Jefferson Clinton, August 12, 1993

And anyone remember the Communications Decency Act of 1996? What a lovely show of faith that was in liberty.

We may vote them in, but they are nothing more than a necessary evil. Thankfully, we get to vote them out! And occasionally we can shoot 'em.

FallRate

[Skyrad 0]

You have to pay for everything in the land of the free!

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[ERICCONNELLY 0]

Quote

What do I do when the enemy to the constitution is my own government?

Vote!, Call your Senator/Congressman, Encourage others to do the same.
\

Best form of goverment possible - the mechanism for bloodless revolution is built right in.

[billvon 3,120]

>Moral of the story: keep everything that is truly valuable to you with
> you at all times, and carry it on the pane with you if at all possible. I
> will NEVER check my rig EVER again because of this.

Uh, you are aware that if you try to carry it on, they will still take it from you if they want, right? And if you make a fuss you'll get arrested.

The drawback of carrying it on is that you may have to have that item inspected by 3 people instead of 1. That means 3 chances for a young aspiring TSA agent to decide to "take a stand" against parachutes, 2 stroke motor oil or other instruments of terror.

[robskydiv 0]

Hi BikerBabe. I feel your pain. They went way too far and flat out stole the oil. Last year I had to travel to Michigan for some training. I was randomly selected to be "searched." I told them that I understood, but I asked them to search anyone who had Arab looking features as well. btw, Did you ever find your wedding ring?

[billvon 3,120]

> I told them that I understood, but I asked them to search anyone
> who had Arab looking features as well.

That's like asking them to search any blacks that come by because, well, you know those people.

One of the strengths of a random search is that if you're carrying on something bad, you have a chance of getting caught. If they look at one race less so they can concentrate on another, the original race has a better chance of evading security.

[freeflir29 0]

I hate to tell all you people this but a search of your belongings at the airport has NOTHING to do with Constitutional rights. You VOLUNTARILY gave up your Resonable Expectation of Privacy (REP) when you entered into a contract with the airline. (Sort of) IE bought a ticket. Read the fine print.....it's there. It's called an administrative search. Now....if you want to get pissed off read federal law regarding "Curtilidge"(SP?) around private property. THAT will piss you off.