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Subscribe to RSSThe Transportation Security Administration employee disciplined for allegedly leaving a personal note on an inspection card in a traveler's suitcase will be fired, the agency said on its blog.
"TSA has completed its investigation of this matter, and has initiated action to remove the individual from federal service," the agency said.
The disciplinary action comes after New York-based blogger and lawyer Jill Filipovic, who was traveling with a small vibrator in her checked luggage, discovered that someone had scrawled “Get your freak on girl,” across the TSA paperwork left in her bag.
Under the title “Your tax dollars at work,” Filipovic posted the note on the Feministe blog on Oct. 24 and added her own comment, “Total violation of privacy, wildly inappropriate and clearly not ok, but I also just died laughing in my hotel room.”
She also Tweeted a photo of the note, adding: “Just unpacked my suitcase and found this note from TSA. Guess they discovered a 'personal item' in my bag. Wow.”
The TSA announced earlier this week that agency “has zero tolerance for this type of behavior" and that officials had “reached out to the passenger to personally apologize for this unfortunate incident."
Filipovic, who was in Dublin, e-mailed msnbc.com a statement on Thursday: “The note was inappropriate, the agent in question acted unprofessionally when s/he put in my bag, there should be consequences and I'm glad the TSA takes these things seriously. But I get no satisfaction in hearing that someone may be in danger of losing their job over this. I would much prefer a look at why 'security' has been used to justify so many intrusions on our civil liberties, rather than fire a person who made a mistake.”
More on Overhead Bin
- What makes an 'unruly' airline passenger?
- TSA nabs passenger with 7 prohibited weapons
- N.Y. cabbies get horn honk warning
- Mastectomy patient upset over TSA pat-down
Find more by Harriet Baskas on Stuck at The Airport.com and follow her on Twitter.
Leave a Comment:
OMG, funny yet creepy at the same time.
I find it REPULSIVE,and not funny at All!
What would really be repulsive, is if he rolled it around in dog poop first. Actually that would be pretty funny too, she would think she was getting off - and a few hours later come down with an antibiotic resistant UTI!
Lighten up, even the woman it happened to laughed about it.
True, but the victims of crimes are not the ones who decide the punishments. We live in a society of laws, and breach of conduct for a government employee is fairly serious.
Sounds like Gloria should buy her own "little friend". Maybe help with all that pent up anger.
The TSA agent if known should be fired. While checking the luggage is necessary the comment was inappropriate. No matter how humerous. Those people need to focus on their job. It is stuff like this that make the people who have a problem with scans and pat downs have a point. No matter how small that point is.
Brought to you by the same people who grope you and your children...disgusting.
Sirlafalot, tell me do you always have your little teeny tiny mind in the gutter?My pent up Anger has nothing to do with sex!
My pent up anger has to do with that Filthy Money Sucking Goon Organization violating my civil rights.
There's a vast difference Genius!
The person responsible for leaving the note should be fired. It is bad enough that they rummage through our personal belongings, commentary on them is completely inappropriate. I can not count how many times I have opened my bags to find my clothes all wrinkled up because one of these TSA idiots went through my bag and did not care enough to treat my stuff with respect, leaving my clothes that were neatly folded in a jumbled mess.
This is why if I fly, I have ONE bag, and have it with ME at all times. If the goon squad is so interested in my stuff, then they must search it in MY presence. Also, I'll know who to sue if any of my stuff gets damaged or missing.
Was the note inappropriate? Yes. Did the woman know she was going to get her bags checked? Yes. Did she laugh about about and tell everyone about it? Yes again.
Simple rule if you want to keep your private life private then as a person you can do a lot to limit your exposure. She chose not to and got a good laugh out of it.
All these PC comments are just way over the top.
It didn't happen to you so relax and get a life.
Or maybe pack one of your own in your suitcase next time you travel so you can "OMG" to all of your friends
I guess this puts a whole new spin, twist, vibration on manhandling your bags.
what i find hilarious is JS's complaint about his neatly folded clothes.... do you seriously think the bazillion passengers who fly each day will stand patiently holding their coats, bags, laptops and shoes while TSA agents gently refold your precious garments? LOLOL.... agents and passengers alike just want the damn line to move so they can get to the NEXT security check and maybe even reach their destination....
apparently you fly fairly often... why haven't you bought appropriate travel garments, or a travel iron already?
That sums up how the majority of people feel EXACTLY. This should be shouted to the heavens.
Yeah and these are the same "PROFESSIONAL" TSA agents who would never oggle and comment on your photos when you are FORCED to go through the imaging machine,GROPE you and your children etc!!! Right!?
We are all too quick to bray for blood over what the owner of the luggage laughed at. She was quite happy to ruin this persons career and future job prospects over something like this? Discipline would have been more appropriate.
Really JS in SD? You are worried about wrinkled clothes THAT is your biggest worry? Wow.
It is a total invasion of privacy. But then when you post about it on twitter, now you are enlarging that "invasion of privacy" circle to the entire planet. Are you really THAT upset at it? Or are you just irked.
Kick up a fuss with the agency and supervisors. The second you (the violated one) start telling everyone about it, now you lose all credibility of being truly upset at the situation.
Hmmmm.
"Get your freak on gurl"
This guy's race was definitely....Northern European. Yep. Definitely.
" a small vibrator"
Look Harriet, size isn't supposed to matter, and it would be more informative to know whether or not the new battery was fully run down.
"a small vibrator", it must have been a high quality vibrator.
His name should be published and there should be criminal charges laid with jail time and a fine. Firing is not enough. If there is not sufficient reason no personal baggage should be opened. The government has xray equipment and sniffers and if a piece of luggage passes those instruments then the luggage should not be inspected.
Recently many TSA agents have been arrested for theft and giving them the complete authority to open every bag is a temptation that should not be placed before them.
I had a run in with a very nasty huge black woman who had some sort of position of authority in Newark Airport. There are large signs all over saying to watch your bags. I was in the carousel area and had my computer bag between my legs waiting for my luggage and the woman demanded that I put my computer outside the carousel area where I could not see it and we got hot and heavy and finally I demanded to talk with her supervisor and she called the cops. And when the cops came I told them to take her away as she was theatening me and trying to set up a scam to steal my computer. By that time her supervisor came and the woman was relieved of her position on the spot and I finally got my bag and left.
You give these people an inch and they will take the whole damn mile!
Sounds like gloria fabiaschi needs a vibrator of her own.
Invasion of privacy?? Seriously??? You have a choice... it's called driving a car, or taking a boat. If you don't want TSA in your bags, choose an alternate mode of transportation. Or take a private flight.
The actions of this guy were awful, but I've never known checked baggage to be private... especially in the last 10 years. I surely don't pack my drugs in there and call it an invasion of privacy when I arrive to my destination and all my weed is gone.
The TSA person would still have a job if this person didn't blab this story all over the internet, making TSA look even worse than it already is.
She knew her Vibrator was in her bags, she knew it was going to get checked, she laughed story over.
Why does she on one hand laugh with her friends then write an article chastising TSA. Sounds like someone just needed a story to sell.
Maybe the note should have read "Your flashlight seems to be broken"
You people are missing the point...it doesn't matter what she was carrying in her bag or that he might have seen it. He was out of bounds writing the comment and that alone should have gotten him fired. She was probably amused that someone would so stupid as to do that.
Is she missing any dirty laundry, or were they just sniffed and put back ?? Any stains of unknown origin ??....I hope that along with retiring her little toy....she tossed out her toothbrush...never know where that might have been....
The Take Away from this story is to keep all your personal hygiene and personal pleasure items in your carry-on....Even if the shape causes an inspection....at least she could have still used it.
I gotta agree with you, billybob2u. It sounds like she was hoping this would happen so she would be able to write about it on her blog. She should have left it at home. Tools are not required for pleasuring one's self. Was she on a business trip? I guess she made it one, somehow.
All TSA agents including its administrator as well as the secretary of homeland security should be fired. There is no room in our democracy for such outlandish abuses of our civil liberties.
Stay out of the airport if you are so concerned about your civil liberties. In the republic (not democracy) in which we live, there is no expectation of privacy in an airport.
Anyone expecting to have their "privacy" respected at the airport, where all your belongings are searched and your entire body x-rayed leaving NOTHING to the imagination, is simply a fool and should never fly.
I'd have laughed my a.s.s. off and moved on, but unfortunately, this woman felt the need to blog about it. I find her "compassion" for the person being fired disingenuous, because she knew full well that if word got back to TSA mgmt, the person would have gotten in trouble.
Apology necessary? Absolutely. Fired? No.
NeighborOfTheBeast, you should take a look at what TSA's groping squad (and their portable scanners) is doing by setting up random check points way beyond airports in Tennessee.
Why Left Leaning Lisa do you use a vibrator ?I bet you do!Invasion of privacy you bet your sweet ass it is.I also have a choice to fly madam and I don't like my civil rights violated when doing so.Which end of the equation don't you get!Perhaps your so brainwashed with this crap, that you can just about get up in the morning and dress yourself.
Looks Left Leaning Lisa fell off her rock with her vibrater.Now crawl back under it.
I find it even funnier that they felt the need to specify that it was a SMALL vibrator.
I have to wonder if a body scanner would have picked it up had she been carrying it in a more intimate manner.
Gloria, you need to back away from the computer and chill out. There's no need to be nasty.
Yeah that's hot.
Gloria is right, and pissed like I am. How DARE the same person that is feeling my child genitalia post something like that. It is on the line of a priest busting out at mass and rubbing his penis on a 5 yr old child's face in the front pew.
How can you people not see this. Oh yes, Stupid is as Stupid Does
You people who don't want to be searched at the airport can't be serious. Have you seen any of the terror related articles on MSNBC? Not just foreign but domestic too. Do you really want any schmoe to be able to just get on an airplane and sit next to you without knowing if he has a knife or gun or explosives on him? You may not mind if the person who boards the plane with you has designs on taking the plane hostage or blowing it out of the sky but I sure as hell do. If you don't want your civil rights violated then take a bus or boat or private plane like some of the other viners here suggested.
<sigh> and she wonders why I have a crush.
The note was totally inappropriate and an invasion of privacy. No Government agency is in the business of critiquung our intimacy choices but as it always does I am sure TSA will come up with some excuse.
The government agency is an inanimate object. The actual person who wrote that note should be found, fined, brought to court and of course fired.
If one of my employees had done anything like that and a customer had complained, I immediately would have sent them packing. It is too hard to compete today without some assho*e insulting people and causing my business to have a bad reputation. Now in the case of "PUBLIC SERVANTS" the punishment should be doubled.
That Government Agency needs to be disbanded, along with their Gestapo Bosses Homeland Security.The whole lot of these people need to be thrown in prison.
Can they take their vibrators to prison?
So Jacksonal, you should fire the TSA agent twice? How does that work? Also, would you even attempt to find out if the customer was telling the truth or would you just assume that you can only manage to hire lying jackals?
"No Government agency is in the business of critiquing our intimacy choices"
DOMA, state gay marriage/adoption bans and the entire GOP "morality" platform would like a word with you.
It is uncalled for, insulting, and beyond any definition of what is supposed to be a security check. The person who placed the note should be fired. But this is the TSA and they will come up with some lame reason why that person should keep their job and not be penalized.
I agree...some of you posters think it's all fun and games, but I bet if the shoe where on the other foot (namely your foot), you would be singing a different tune, and at a very high key and volume.
The TSA's sole reason for existence (which I find questionable, considering other agencies could do it better and maybe cheaper) is for airport security, not the morality police. They should be more concerned with public safety, and not private vices, unless it is absolutely necessary. This is just another reason that people don't like you...People have long memories, especially with the bad ones. Bringing attention to yourself in this way doesn't make anyone safer, and from a customer service (and this includes government too!) this is bad mojo.
If (and that's a big one) I were in charge, I would have EVERY agent go through a sensitivity/PR class, and pound it in their heads that each and every one of them represent their agency. It only takes one bad apple (like this one) to make everybody look stupid.
In addition to normal flights where everyone is patted down, scanned, baggage checked, there should be some flights to every destination where there is no checking done. Get in line. Show your boarding pass, get in and fly.
Guess which flight the Gloria Fabshiwhatever of this world would fly in ...
It would have been worse if the TSA employee had used the vibrator, and then put it back without saying anything.
I think she was upset that someone left a crude and inappropriate note, not that she had her baggage searched. I guess you didn't comprehend the article.
I like her statement: "I would much prefer a look at why 'security' has been used to justify so many intrusions on our civil liberties, rather than fire a person who made a mistake."
There should be consequences, time off without pay or drop a pay grade may be a better alternative to out right termination. If you use inappropriate behavior as the yardstick for termination then lots of federal workers should be fired.
How tiny was this thing?
You are absolutely right... THAT job is already taken by Republicans.
Wait a minute... So THAT is why you are upset. "THEY TOOK OUR JOBS!!!"
At least Republicans HAVE morals, unlike Democrats, who equivocate over everything.
Since when is an airplane a publicly provided (tax dollar funded) service that you have privacy rights to? It never has been, and never will be. The government doesn't own the planes any more than you do. It's like going to a nudist beach, and claiming that there's a peeping tom. There is no such thing as privacy in TSA, and there are no "LAWS" against what this guy did. While TSA says they don't like his actions, what he did is not illegal... Unless this lady wants to file sexual harassment charges.
Excellent point, Lisa! There is no expectation of privacy when you choose to fly. I must admit that I don't fly for other reasons, but I wonder how much longer must we, as a country, endure these indignities in the name of public safety. I don't want the government to protect me from anything other than an invasion from a foreign country. I can take care of myself. Ben Franklin had it right when he said that "Anyone who can trade freedom for temporary security deserves neither freedom nor security." I hate the Patriot Act, despise the Dep't. of Homeland Security (its very name reminds me of the Soviet-era KGB, or George Orwell's Thought Police) and I am disgusted by the stories I read about the TSA. We need to start profiling air passengers like the Israelis do, and using more bomb dogs to scan their luggage. They don't even need to open a suitcase to find contraband inside.
At least Republicans HAVE morals, unlike Democrats, who equivocate over everything.
Ha Ha Ha
Spot on, Lisa. Some of these self-righteous posters have really taken off (pun intended) on this. Had the "victim" simply complained PRIVATELY about her privacy being invaded, like a letter sent to TSA mgmt, she might have more credibility. Her "fame" has cost someone a job and I find this "blogger" more reprehensible, than the supposed perp.
Now the victim gets to run her mouth about every political/social violation she sees going on and it will solve absolutely nothing. What a waste.
Bloggers are starting to rank right up there with the gossip mongering fame whores that work for the National Enquirer.
Left Leaning Lisa,You sure like to step in it!Because you and the rest of brain washed crowd on here,have no FRIGGEN IDEA of what the HELL you're talking about
You're all Brainwashed!Pathetic!Really Pathetic Bunch
That's funny LLLisa, because I don't remember checking my civil rights at the gate when I got my boarding pass.
Yes, we all do consent in part to a search...but that said, that does not give the TSA a blank check. And it certainly does not give them the right to act unprofessionally. Would you like it if a policeman broadcast to the world your "questionable" driving habits? Would you like the doctor to poke fun at your anatomy on his or her Facebook page? I would bet the average joe would say no. While the search may have been warranted, the extra flowery speech on the post-it was not.
This is what happens when you give such an agency that kind of authority...it tends to get abused. The worker in question deserved to be fired. If it were the private sector, he would have probably been sacked as soon as it hit the fan. At least not everyone is braindead at the TSA...yet.
And as to us "self righteous posters", we have that 1st Amendment right...if you don't like it, don't read it!
No expectation of privacy when you fly?
Since when?
What planet are you form?
I cannot even post. So many idiots in the world have no clue what our forefathers went through to get us the rights we have today. Their skill sets are Iphone, MTV, and how to "communicate" with improper grammar. Just makes me sick.
OK, "Blogger Bob" at TSA, let's see a blog post about this!
Blogger Bob strikes again!
http://blog.tsa.gov/
How does she know they didn't try it out during a 'lay' over. Grubby hands going through your clean undies, doing 'God knows what' when you aren't looking and taking items...still not flying.
You've got quite a puerile imagination for a mom/grandma... I fly twice monthly and I have no reason to question anything homeland security does to ensure my safety.
Its kind of funny that they did this unknowingly to a professional blogger who also happens to be a lawyer. Ironic would be the first thing that comes to mind. Someone is probably pissing their pants over this one.
Daniel-2000236
You're right, someone is pissing their pants. ME, from laughing about this. Not that I agree with what the agent did, but rather (like you) who the idiot did it to. I'm thinking the agent better be crapping in their pants, not pissing in them.
Maybe the note should have read "I really enjoyed testing out your new wireless microphone! It didnt work real well and I put it really CLOSE to my mouth until I noticed the smell...I think something burnt out inside. Sorry, love the style though!"
Gee, I don't know what all the buzz is about.
Bad joke aside, I know that hands go through the checked luggage, but leaving a personal note crosses a boundary line. It is akin to having the TSA agent blow in your ear while he/she gropes around your privates.
Go on...
>> It is akin to having the TSA agent blow in your ear while he/she gropes around your privates.
you make it sound like a bad thing
@ G.Zucker "Gee, I don't know what all the buzz is about." That's just too funny... ROFL
I only wish........
Me too since government seems to LOVE being in the business of critiquing our intimacy choices!
If some federal agent were ever to inspect mine and my wife's dresser drawers, they would get writer's cramp from all the notes. Looks like an adult Disneyland in there. And that's nothing compared to what's in the closet. LMFAO!
Real simple solution GET RID OF THE T.S.A...... What a total waist of time and our MONEY.....
THe TSA is also a "waste" of time.
Gee whizz, I thought that Larry, Moe, and Curly left the TSA!
So the TSA can't confirm if it was one of their inspectors that wrote the note? Who else has access to your bags? If it was not the TSA inspector it seems there are some major security lapses in baggage handling.
They really opened themselves up to even more intense scrutiny on that one.
"We deny our previous denial and add a rebuttle with a side of indignation."
What the TSA is thinking.
And who's to say that "Jill" isn't a frequent flier and found one of these cards on her last trip and marked it herself for this trip just to get some "frequent flier miles" out of the story.
Your not happy with TSA going through your luggage, but your ok with the GOP telling a woman what she can and can not do with her body, or who can marry who.....
If you don't like the TSA... then don't fly.
I can always tell when TSA has been through my checked luggage. It's a roller bag and as such there is a logical "top" of the suitcase and a "bottom" where the wheels are. Of course when I pack it I zip it closed at the top logically so stuff can't fall out as I'm rolling it. Every single time the TSA goes through my checked bag, they leave one of those little notes and they zip it closed down by the wheels. It's as if they are all trained by the same robot. Anyway, one time I retrieved it at baggage claim and there it was zipped at the bottom. Only this time a carelessly packed bottle of cologne that would have naturally tumbled out and broken on the floor if you didn't know it was in there was completely missing and, guess what, no note!!! I could have sympathized if the TSA note was in there and the agent wrote "next time don't pack a glass bottle of cologne loosely in your bag, I now smell like Pepe Le Peu jerk." But the attempt to conceal the fact entirely that they had gone through my bag and broken an item really p*ssed me off. I filed a complaint and got that same idiotic reply posted above: "there is no evidence to support your claim that one of our agents was responsible for your lost item blah blah blah."
I find the whole thing hilarious, and while I think the person should be disciplined, I don't know if he/she should be fired.
And who is to say you are not a blathering idiot. You work for the TSA, I assume. I am not OK with the TSA going through my luggage AND leaving inappropriate comments about what they might have found, AND I am NOT OK with the GOP wishing to control what woman or gays can do. That the TSA should search my luggage is appropriate in this day and age, though I wish they were better trained and used better judgement as to who they do and do not chose to search.
I thought the article said the note was written on the back of a TSA inspection form tucked into her luggage. It should be a simple matter to see who was on shift at that time and get handwriting samples from all of them.
I find it a little convenient that they just happened to do this to a blogger with a twitter account. It's not like this would be hard to fake for some easy free self-promotion...
Respectfully, Wikipedia is your friend:
The just-world hypothesis refers to the tendency for people to want to believe that the world is fundamentally just. As a result, when they witness an otherwise inexplicable injustice they rationalize it by searching for things that the victim might have done to deserve it. This deflects their anxiety, and lets them continue to believe the world is a just place, but often at the expense of blaming victims for things that were not, objectively, their fault.
UCS... That or the blogger purposely left the item in her bag for kicks then saw the note that her bag had been searched (assuming it really had). She wanted some publicity and instant fame over it so she wrote or had someone write the note for her. There are many possible explanations for what occurred and skepticism is always warranted because the world is not a just place, especially when the media or a blogger is involved.
Histrionic Personality Disorder... or if it did happen then just plain stupidity in a long line of stupid TSA actions.
Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see. - Ben Franklin
I hear you.....but I think we have to give individuals more credit than the government. Those in authority must be held to a higher standard and lower burden of proof to make calls of misconduct.
??? It was an individual government employee.
And - Wikipedia is a crutch.
And - internet psychoanalysis = fail.
If the shoe fits.........
Also, it's not longer socially acceptable to bitch about Wikipedia. It's more accurate than anything but my PhD dissertation.
I also cannot believe that the one time I was speeding this entire year, there happened to be a police car parked on the side of the road!!!
And that one time that apple fell from the tree, what are the odds Sir Isaac Newton was sitting under that very same tree exactly when it happened!
This world is full of crazy coincidences, isn't it? And yes, this is sarcasm. This TSA agent has probably been scribbling notes for years now. And besides, I had no idea a blogger with a twitter account was such a rare individual. :-)
I am sure this woman has traveled with her little toy and had no problems. I think what got to the woman, who thought it was hilarious was the hand written message in her suitcase. That's what wrong about this situation. I always have a note in my suitcase because I think I was flagged the first time I flew since 9/11. I went to DC, purchased a lot of loose tea, which they thought was weed, and I've had a note in everyone of my suitcases since. I haven't had loose tea since, but I bring food with me (hot sauce, wine, etc.). So I figure I am on some sort of list.
UCS, it doesn't matter if you think it's "socially unacceptable" to criticize Wikipedia. The fact remains that old-school paper encyclopedias were full of information collected by professional researchers, while Wiki entries can be edited by anyone. Looking for relevant and true information on the internet is akin to looking for diamonds in a sewer.
It would be very simple for TSA to determine if the handwriting was fake or not and since they said the offending agent will be fired.. They must have determined he actually did it.. Even in the military they did handwriting analyses to determine who was leaving notes around base..
haha... dumb white girl. Shes probably a skank!!
And you figured that out how?
Unfortunately, the racist, narrow-minded fool gets freedom of speech too.
From her pictures on Google she's a fox!
Ya know what, this woman knew her bag would be searched. If it is an embarrassment to her, she shouldn't have put it in there. No doubt the note was inappropriate, nonetheless, the issue could have been avoided had she kept her personal life personal.
This is akin to exRep Weiner sending out a naked picture of himself to a girl young enough to be his daughter and thinking she'd like it. Stupid is as stupid does.
Glad someone said it before me. Don't want to be embarrassed? Don't put it in there! And stop being so lazy, and learn how to "take care of yourself"!
I don't think it said anywhere that she was embarrassed. She laughed about it, had a sense of humor, which a LOT of people on this comment thread are severely lacking...
It has nothing to do with embarrassment, unless you count where the TSA agent responsible for the note was trying to embarrass her(really why else would you place a note like that?), and everything to do with lack of professionalism from the TSA.
befuddled and hell....I bet you think that the women who dress provocatively deserved to get raped too, yeah?
Dumb response: What if it had been, oh, let's say an older married guy's bottle of Viagra and the note had said Poor lil Fella. That would have been OK in your book as well since he should have kept his personal life at home rather than have had a romantic time with his wife.
The article specifically said she was not embarrassed. Read before you comment, please.
befuddled and hell- stop with your slut-shaming tactics. She has every right to bring her legal objects with her and should feel no embarrassment whatsoever which luckily she doesn't appear to.
The problem is with an agent who is supposed to be assuring passenger's safety using their position to TRY and embarrass her and comment on her personal possessions. She's not even that upset by it - it's a matter of using a position where passengers give up some privacy for safety and that trust is abused.
Would you like it if a TSA commented on your genital size or breast feel as they groped you for security?
What if it had been Depends or cathaters or tampons? Sorry leaky? There is no reason that public employees should be making fun of what one carries in their luggage. Their Code of Conduct that they agree to requires they be respectful. Inspect the luggage and hold your tongue or rather you pen. If you can't, then you are in the wrong job.
She wasn't embarrassed!! If she was she would have kept quiet about it. And WTF about the "stop being lazy and learn how to take care of yourself" comment. I could say "Stop being a stupid insensitive moron, and go get an education and take some sensitivity classes," but since I think you are too unintelligent to change, I won't.
Real smart befudled...it's the victim's fault...how dare she expect discretion and respect from those who claim to protect us...Jerk
There is no expectation of privacy when you fly! There wasn't BEFORE 9/11, and it's just gotten worse since. You are either deluded or incredibly naive if you think it is otherwise. Remember, flying is a CHOICE. You are voluntarily giving away your right to privacy the minute you buy a ticket to get on that plane. Don't like it? There are other modes of transportation.
Other things Neighborofthebeast is probably cool with the TSA doing:
Openly ridicule passengers who wear pajamas on the plane unless they are Glee themed
Require pat down be performed like a lap dance while the agent wears sweat pants
Require the passenger recite the capitals of all 50 states or do a page of their son's homework - passenger's choice - to establish they are not a terrorist
Submit to paternity testing for any children the TSA is currently paying childcare for
Allow TSA agent to take one item from luggage as fealty
....
It's not like it's unfair - passengers can just choose to drive or in the case of international or Hawaii destinations, enlist as a sailor on a fishing boat :)
I'm thinking jail time. Sometimes a bully needs to get bullied back before they are willing to act like a human.
I agree. Let's early release a violent criminal to make room for this person. Writing a note that MADE FILIPOVIC DIE LAUGHING is clearly "bullying" and should be severely punished.
My gosh, the people here wanting blood over an inappropriate note sure must live perfect, pristine lives and never do anything wrong.
The notion that our prisons are filled mostly with violent criminals undercuts your statement rather badly. Let out some pot smoker to make room. Again, the government must be held to a higher standard. It's funny when you can joke back with a person; it's not funny when you could get arrested for making a fuss. This TSA agent isn't your buddy, and must be held accountable.
No one said that. At least, not outside your head. The woman did not file charges so your suggestion is not only sophomoric, it's irrelevant.
I hate to seem like I keep taking UCS's side against ya doc, but no one said the woman filed charges, at least not outside your head. UCS said jail time is appropriate. And there are plenty of crimes that are prosecuted regardless of whether someone files charges or not. I'm not saying this was a crime, don't get me wrong. I think it was relatively harmless. But you attempted to make an invalid point, so I'm calling you on it. Also, the statement that we would have to release a violent criminal to make room for this person DOES imply that the prisons are filled with violent criminals. Not trying to gang up on you, but you seem to have a beef with UCS that makes you say stuff that's not correct.
Mr Larry, - Read the posts before commenting. Makes you seem less of an idiot.
Yeah, that's just what we need--the liberal morality police (an oxymoron if ever there was one!) putting a non-violent person in jail for an innapropriate, but not illegal action.
And you call yourselves enlightened.
I gotta stick up for you, DrLarry. Since libs cannot speak in anything but platitudes and hyperbole, they will attack anyone who attempt to inject a little reason, common sense and logic into a debate.
Why? This is a waste of money. Legislate English as the one, official language of the U.S. now.
I doubt the note-writer thought it would embarrass the lawyer. Probably just one of those increasingly rare individuals left in this country who actually has a sense of humor.
It's more a philosophical issue. It's funny for a private citizen to do that (though I can't imagine the circumstances). But because it was a government employee acting in an official capacity, it must be dealt with severely to prevent further transgressions. Are you the type that likes to mix work and play, by chance?
Absolutely! No reason work shouldn't also be fun. I once ran down the hall of our building (at my first job) with a pair of . .. . well, never mind. Suffice to say, I think the workplace has become far too stuffy and overly sensitive.
Obviously there are limits, but this is so innocuous as to be unworthy of notice. Certainly not something worth launching a massive witch-hunt over.
Miker, Yeah! I'm tired of paying for those 50+ Latino-speaking channels on DirecTV.
What does this have to do with the article, exactly?
@k8inri: I assume you mean the English/Spanish thing? Not even necessary to read the article to get it - I copied the pertinent text in my comment (directly from the article itself) for reference. . .
I for one found it odd that they chose to include that little tidbit of information in this article. Someone needs an editor... :-)
Are you not allowed to do that anymore?
See, that's the problem with those old-fashioned paper memos. tsk tsk
Its hilarious people, get over yourselves! This dumb white girl in question even thought it was funny!
OMG, Nik, the color of her skin is relevant here and gives you the ability to determine her level of intelligence? You have yourself a really good racist day hon. ;)
What is up with injecting race into this? What if it happened to be an African American woman? Based on your previous comment would you have said, "what a dumb black girl. She's probably a ho." This is exactly what you did.
Give it a rest and think before you type.
Jenn, only white girls carry vibrators around!!!
Because they are loose :)
Nik, if she was "loose," she wouldn't need a vibrator. Anyway, I don't know if you're trolling but I'll play. Do you really want to get into a discussion about white women, black women and sexual promiscuity? This is a story concerning a woman. Color isn't relevant.
Obvious troll is obvious.
Get over it.
TSA employees are people too. They are not the highest paid of government employees and are basically disliked by most people.
This just shows that they are human and I'm glad that they can muster up a sense of humor while doing their job.
I can't believe the comments from people that want this agent fired or arrested.
I want this agent fired or arrested. Just because you find sexual harassment to be hilarious doesn't mean the victims do. Wow, that guy who touches women on the subway, he's pretty funny too! What a great sense of humor he has when he yells at women about their bodies! Ha ha. Way to be an apologist for sexual harassers.
TSA employees are people too.
Disagree.
Some of you need to get a life and a sense of perspective. Do you have some inside information that the person (YES A PERSON) that wrote this was a man? Were you there?
Was it dumb - yes. Was it criminal - no.
This isn't about anyone being groped on the subway or cat-called across the street, nor is it comparable. Finding the humor in this does not make one a sexual harassment apologist. Lighten up.
Certainly this was inappropriate, but the agent will not be fired or arrested because how will the agency (or anyone) even prove who left the note? The agent knew this would be anonymous and presumably had the intention of being humorous. Why waste more time and tax dollars on interviewing every agent, taking handwriting samples, making agents miss time at work, etc., when there was no crime committed??
"Get your freak on" is sexual harrassment?? So a question for people to discuss...If someone leaving a note like that is sexual harrassment in some eyes, what about subjecting someone to having to see a vibrator by KNOWINGLY putting it in there??
People just love to punish other people. I hope the guy if found out , gets a warning or suspension or something, but fired? C'mon. I hope all you "punishers" get a ticket every time you go ever 55 or roll through a stop sign. You are the perfect people but only in your own mind.
Whew, I can *finally* take Dr Larry's side on something. Just because TSA does not allow travelers to joke around in security lines does not mean we have to stoop to their level. Toleration of a little levity is the sign of a healthy society. Who said that?
Women are fully capable of sexually harassing other women. If the note was meant as a unprofessional censor of another's sexual behavior in a professional environment, this is pretty much sexual harassment. It doesn't have to be about getting off, it's about trying to make someone else feel worthless based on their sex/sexual behavior which is unacceptable in a professional environment.
If it was a black girls vibrator it would have been much larger and a man would have been attached to the end of it!
I think this is pretty funny--the agent should be warned, but it's really no big deal. Once again victim rights are overlooked--the girl had no say in the matter.
I agree, TSA inspectors are people too. They are doing a job that was ultimately insisted upon by all of us. We wanted to be safe, and didn't want our plane to end up embedded in the side of a building. I doubt very much that they enjoy patting down hundreds, perhaps thousands of passengers during their shift. These are tough times, and they need a job. Maybe we should be thankful that they are willing to take this job, keep us safe, and not be collecting an unemployment or welfare check. Last time I checked, we have not had another successful hijacking.
If the general mood of whining, complaining, self righteousness and general lack of humor exhibited on this board is a representation of our population in general, we are a sad bunch. It really is a funny note. Personally, I again doubt that the TSA inspector has a lot of fun going through your underwear.
Lighten up, folks. Take some satisfaction that you can safely fly here in the U.S. and around the world. And if you don't like it, quit your complaining and just don't fly.
While this is amusing, agent totally stepped out of bounds. Boring job no doubt, but inappropriate.
Yup, it's a better job than the one an unemployed person doesn't have and, therefore, should not be taken lightly.
I don't find it amusing I find it Offensive in fact I find EVERYTHING THE TSA DOES AS OFFENSIVE.I FIND THEIR ACTS CRIMINAL.
I Find the whole organization Criminal.I find them as molesters and destroyers of peoples Civil Rights. You find them amusing?I find them REPULSIVE.In fact I'd like to see them thrown out of the all the Airports and thrown into prison.
Your sense of humor is just a Tad Skewed.
A suggestion for gloria. Don't travel. It's not your right.
Gloria, you certainly aren't hiding your true feelings.
I hope you enjoy Amtrak.
Not my right to travel Larry?Says who Larry?You?What world and what friggen country are you living in Larry?Because if it's here you've been Bull Sh itted to the ninth degree.Wake up Larry your gullible, brain washed and you've been had.The TSA does Zero for your so called Pseudo Safety.It's not a good feeling being a sucker Larry!
You Ed I won't even dignify your comment.It's stupid!
Gloria....Boy you have some major issues with authority and just men in general...I'm sorry the men in your life treated you so badly but you really need to lighten up ir you may just find out that you really aren't a very nice person....
Then don't fly.
Not when comes to people violating my civil rights there Robby.This has nothing to do with the men in my life.In fact this has nothing to do with men what so ever Robby.
So tell me how did men get into this?You have a fixation on men Robby?Because if you do,it has nothing what so ever to do with what I've posted.
One more time Robby. Yes I do have major issues with authority,only when the SOB's are violating my Civil Rights.Which end of this equation is so hard for you to understand,Robby or are you that gullible and brain washed Robby?
Well Glo, since the only people you seem to be angry at, Glo, are the guys posting their opinions...So, Glo, going through your luggage is violating your civil rights Glo? What do you have to be worried about, Glo?? I'm sure your panties are the last thing a man wants to see Glo....
You're a very angry woman Glo...Which is sad Glo because all the hate and vitriol takes away what you have to say...People would be more apt, Glo, to listen to you if you weren't so internally ugly....But hey, Glo if that shoe fits wear it, right Glo?? I mean you love shoes.....
The dead rising from the grave, human sacrifice, DOGS AND CATS LIVING TOGETHER!!! Mass hysteria...
Wow. DrLarry's and Rob68's comments to gloria seem to have struck a little close to home, judging by her angry ripostes. She went from incoherent to insane in about two seconds flat. I feel sorry for her boss, her parents (authority figures) and any men in her life, not to mention any children she has access to, hers or not.
Gee NeighborlyBeast, you better learn how to spell reposts!I'd say your post is a bit incoherent!
So are Larry's and Robby's a bit incoherent, that's how you act when your Brain Washed!You and the other two are incoherent!That sir is a sign of insanity!
Oh and I don't have a Boss!
I might sound stupid, but why do women actually need those things? Are they simply incompetent at complex dexterous movements? Have they simply used them so long out of loneliness, that they now are desensitized "down there" and are addicted to them? Are they just lazy?
Seriously, as a guy, I need to know. With all the women I have "known", they never bought one for themselves, they purchased it as playtime thing for us. All of them say they do NOT like it routinely, because it makes them numb.
You're right - you do sound stupid. And what business is it of yours that you need to know what happens in anyone else's private time?
Such a bitter and immature answer, to an honest question. Well, now we all now why you need to use one!
Men must "shrivel" at the sound of you.
Yeah, you should see the "Jackhammer 2000" in action, that thing even comes with it's own 50KW generator. It may of caused an earthquake or two.
But seriously, nobody can prove that TSA did this, or if the woman found the card during her last flight and decided to do it herself. (didn't mean it to sound that way).
Funny you say that they purchased it as a plaything for both of you...Are you sure about that?? maybe they purchased it inspite of you...
And thus his question. We as a culture are severely retarded when it comes to our sexuality. OK, WalkWithMe went a bit off topic but it is an honest question a lot of men ask.
I am finding this forum overall hyper sensitive, judgemental and viciously punitive. The VIOLATION is what TSA does to people every second and THAT should be focused on. Was the TSA inspector out of line when she added her atta girl to the card? Certainly! Does she deserve firing or jail time? Hell no!
Gloria, whether you mean to or not, to me, you are coming off shrill, hysterical and paranoid. Hell you even said the comment made you laugh! You want someone fired and/or inprisoned for making you laugh? Had the note been a put down calling you an elitist, resource raping whore because you only had high end designer clothes or something like that I would stand with you that a person with that kind of resentment, perhaps hate, for a group of people should be fired as inappropriate AND a possible threat but this???? From the extremist, venomous defensive rebuttals you have posted I am begining to believe the note is a plant to attack your very personal mortal enemy, the TSA, who you are convinced are out to abuse you singularly. I hate the TSA and Homeland Insecurity intensly and will not fly due to their invasion in my life just to travel enmass but I would not attack an individual HUMAN BEING with the a-bomb level anger I have for the fascist policies and police state implemented after 9/11 by the Bush Regime for a bb gun level offense. Get some perspective and direct what rightful anger you have at the REAL and appropriate target, the post 9/11 paranoid police state.
oh Elfangel, I thought for sure you were going to pull a Sinead O'Connor there at the end and say "Fight the real enemy!" and tear up a photo of the pope. :-)
Does anyone besides me remember that?
And you can't prove that it was TSA or if this lawyer had the card from a previous flight and wrote the words on it herself.
@ WalkWithMeInHell
Unless the woman has some serious hand tremors....just don't think it would be the same experience.......
walkwithmeinhell...HEY, the only reason women use those things when they are with you is because you don't KNOW HOW TO USE YOUR THING!!!
Applause...applause...AND I THANK YOU!
You do
Probably had to buy it to make up for your lack of knowledge of how to use what little you had.
"TSA takes all allegations of inappropriate conduct seriously" because their entire job description involves seriously inappropriate conduct. These perverts and bullies take naked photos of children, put their hands down people's pants, and karate-chop men in the testicles. Every single thing they do at work is inappropriate, not to mention unconstitutional. No one should have gone through this woman's bag without a warrant. It's called probable cause, and the 4th amendment says the government needs it before they paw through your personal items. This is a perfect example of why when some unthinking idiot says "I have nothing to hide", I like to respond, "There are many things I may have in my bag that are neither illegal nor dangerous to anyone that I have good reason not to want strangers touching or even knowing that I have." Get a freaking warrant, thugs.
Good for you... travelling with your accessories! I always bring mine too!
He should have written: "Call me, my junk is Bigger!"
What makes you think it was a "he"?
Easy answer: She knew it wasn't another woman, she would have been able taste it.
I'll be here all week folks. Remember to try the eggplant parm, and don't forget to tip your waitresses!
Exactly Dr. Larry! The wording sounds like it was either a woman or perhaps a gay man. Before anyone calls me homophobic, I am a gay man myself.
"Get your freak on girl!"
Clearly it was Michael Jackson. And before you call me a homophobic racist deceased-celebrity-hating drunk, I am completely drunk myself.
The happy-handed TSA-hole is lucky she didn't have a bunch of loose razor blades scattered in there too.
Lucky? Then so is she, because if she did there would be a cop waiting for her at the gate. They are just doing their job, she would be doing "assault".
WalkWithMeInHell I think you better rethink your definition of assault!They're doing a job alright of bringing this country down.One hell of a fine job!Yees in dee dee!
Anyone still giving business to the airlines deserves to be treated like that. She's gonna feign surprise? Give me a break, the M.O. of the TSA is thoroughly established at this point. If you consider yourself a human you would not subject yourself to them, PERIOD.
So what u gonna do, WALK?
Thank You DanTheManofVegas.No truer words spoken by true Gentlemen.I'll even throw a BINGO in there for you!
We of the planet LV-426 are also very mad at the TSA and join you humans in your boycott.
WalkWithMeInHell: Just because ALL of the women you've slept with--which, I'm sure, is an exhaustive cross-section of the female gender--claim that they've never bought one for themselves, that doesn't mean the rest of us don't get our freak on and totally enjoy it. If you don't get it, I'm not going to explain it to you. And I feel bad for your lovers. Also: bigger "junk" doesn't always mean better sex. Do some research on what a REAL female orgasm is and where it comes from.
But, back to the article: How 'bout a little levity, folks? This cracked me up. It's nice to be reminded that there are actual PEOPLE taking care of our stuff when it's out of our hands. It's pretty awful how many of you jump to assuming their hands are "grubby," or that they would use any of your precious crap; or, worse yet, make light of one of them cutting themselves on loose razor blades. These are your fellow humans we're talking about, working for a living.
TSA worker, wherever you are: Thanks for the laughs. Get YO freak on, girl.
I think you miss the greater point of why we shouldn't have this organization. You have simply accepted it and because you find it necessary you find it funny. Were you to find it unnecessary, you would find it as funny as if some stranger walked up to you, opened your bag, and took out some item and waved it around.
Furthermore, this isn't technically humor you are experiencing. It is surprise that is being defused by laughter. It's more akin to a prank than a joke.
Humor, surprise; either way, she laughed, and so did I.
And I found it more important to comment on the thread's treatment of the worker, no the government agency, than talk about the TSA as a whole, as most commenters went directly to defaming this person's character and assuming they were some sort of sub-human, pilfering drone.
I've got several other irons in the fire when it comes to fighting The Man, and air travel is simply not one I've put as a priority at this point in time. But keep fighting the good fight! Loving your comments on here.
Oh sweetie. Your response was expected, and total Weak Sauce. Can't actually make a debate point, so you hurl pathetic insults. Yes I know where the "Big O" comes from, and without bragging I always give three in one session via various non plastic methods, that is why my ladies never needed one. I asked a simple question, but didn't get a simple answer. Try a little more to talk like a grownup, and you'll sound less like a child.
Yes. Your skills are SO good that you have to brag about it in great detail on an online news article! I stand corrected.
Again you continue to spew your weak sauce. I didn't brag, you started insulting me, so I explained myself. I expected your juvenile retort, when you can debate like a big girl we can actually have a discussion... until then, do what all little girls do, and play with your toys....
I agree. People do stupid things. Note - I said people, not an organization.
I have plenty of beef with the TSA, primarily because they could not find a bomb if it were stuffed up their nose. They have no clue what they are doing.
On another note, why does everyone else seem to assume a male wrote this note?? Sounds more female to me - but then again, I was not there.
Also - I find it somewhat amusing that some are offended by something that the so-called victim laughed at. I chalk that up to PC and immaturity.
So Larry you have plenty of Beef with the TSA.Tell me is it steak or Ground Meat?For somebody who has plenty of beef with them you could of fooled me.In fact you could of fooled anybody!
I doubt if you have any beefs with them because you'd be posting a different tune there Larry.
Your I have plenty of beefs with them is a Crock of Pure Bull Crap Larry.
For goodness sake, gloria, there could be children reading these comments!
Children, listen to me, the phrase is "could have fooled" ... "could have"