The crazy misadventures of the TSA

Another fun TSA fail via Cory Doctorow (note, this is not Cory speaking, it is a letter from an anonymous soldier):

So we’re in line, going through one at a time. One of our Soldiers had his Gerber multi-tool. TSA confiscated it. Kind of ridiculous, but it gets better. A few minutes later, a guy empties his pockets and has a pair of nail clippers. Nail clippers. TSA informs the Soldier that they’re going to confiscate his nail clippers. The conversation went something like this:

TSA Guy: You can’t take those on the plane.

Soldier: What? I’ve had them since we left country.

TSA Guy: You’re not suppose to have them.

Soldier: Why?

TSA Guy: They can be used as a weapon.

Soldier: [touches butt stock of the rifle] But this actually is a weapon. And I’m allowed to take it on.

TSA Guy: Yeah but you can’t use it to take over the plane. You don’t have bullets.

Soldier: And I can take over the plane with nail clippers?

TSA Guy: [awkward silence]

Me: Dude, just give him your damn nail clippers so we can get the f**k out of here. I’ll buy you a new set.

Soldier: [hands nail clippers to TSA guy, makes it through security]

This might be a good time to remind everyone that approximately 233 people re-boarded that plane with assault rifles, pistols, and machine guns-but nothing that could have been used as a weapon.

I say we get rid of all government programs that fit the “Truth is stranger than fiction” bill. As a guiding rule, it might not actually be that bad.

P.S.

Alex Tabarrok points to these recommendations on how to talk to your children about inappropriate touching from New York State’s Office of Children & Family Services:

• You are special and important.
• Your body is your own.
• You have the right to say "NO" if someone wants to touch you in any way that makes you feel uncomfortable, afraid or confused.
• There are parts of your body that are private. You have the right to say "NO" to anyone who wants to touch your vagina, penis, breasts or buttocks. You have my permission to say "NO" even if that person is an adult … even if it’s a grown-up you know.
• Pay attention to your feelings. Trust your feelings about the way people touch you.
• If someone bothers you, I want you to tell me. I promise that I will believe you.
• If someone touches you in a way that does not seem right, it is not your fault.

Children need to know that the safety rules about touching apply all the time, not just with strangers … or with men … or with baby sitters. In many cases …children are sexually abused by people they know and trust [including] authority figures….

Also, abusers seldom need to use physical force…Unfortunately, abusers can use threats successfully because children are taught to believe and obey adults.

I agree with Alex. This is good advice for both children and adults. He writes:

Authority figures, for example, may also use threats of violence to engage in abuse against adults, for example, "you will be blown up unless you let me touch your genitals and take naked pictures of you."

P.P.S

Here’s Ron Paul on the TSA: