Sea Tac Cafe Refuses to serve TSA Agents

This is fantastic. Maybe other businesses will follow suit. Enough do so, and maybe the government will get the message: THE TSA NEEDS TO GO!
 
Krieger said:
I'm glad you display your high moral character. I admire that. But others in society have a RIGHT to peacefully act in a less than gentlemanly manner. If not, we might be in lybia.

Let the guy have his 15min.
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Sure people have the right, no question there. Now whether this will be a smart business decision or not, we'll see.
 
O&M said:
This is fantastic. Maybe other businesses will follow suit. Enough do so, and maybe the government will get the message: THE TSA NEEDS TO GO!
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You and the cafe owner both sound like a class act.

Say what you want about aviation security but when you see terrorists having to resort to attaching bombs to their crotch or feet as opposed to packing an Uzi in thier carry-on shows security is at least working at some level. Yeah there is a million ways around airport screening but it has proved effective against some of the idiots out there. I'd love to see airline travel be the same as just getting on a bus but right now that's not the world we live in. Would you be willing to get on a plane knowing that no one has been screened?

All the power trips you see a few of the TSA agents make are probably a result of all the snide remarks and attitudes given by passengers. I really doubt any TSA agent came up with the idea to take away Grandma's hand lotion and nail file, but having worked for the government myself for the last ten years, I just have to accept the stupid policies that come down from the bureaucratic ecolones and try to adhere to them with the least amount pain possible. But with TSA agents being human too, some of them are going to respond in kind with the passengers due to all the insults and grieft sent their way.
 
I have certainly dealt with bag TSA agents. But my major issues with the TSA are it's bonehead policies, which the agents have no control over. I have absolutely no respect for the people who come up with the TSA's policies as they obviously don't REALLY have our security interests at heart. But as long as the agents are respectful and professional I can't hold a grudge against them. After all those poor bastards have to look at me naked when I nonrev anywhere. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.
 
Low_Level_Hell said:
Say what you want about aviation security but when you see terrorists having to resort to attaching bombs to their crotch or feet as opposed to packing an Uzi in thier carry-on shows security is at least working at some level.
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That means it's working? :crazy:



Low_Level_Hell said:
I'd love to see airline travel be the same as just getting on a bus but right now that's not the world we live in. Would you be willing to get on a plane knowing that no one has been screened?
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You do realize security screening predates the TSA right?
 
Low_Level_Hell said:
You and the cafe owner both sound like a class act.

Say what you want about aviation security but when you see terrorists having to resort to attaching bombs to their crotch or feet as opposed to packing an Uzi in thier carry-on shows security is at least working at some level. Yeah there is a million ways around airport screening but it has proved effective against some of the idiots out there. I'd love to see airline travel be the same as just getting on a bus but right now that's not the world we live in. Would you be willing to get on a plane knowing that no one has been screened?

All the power trips you see a few of the TSA agents make are probably a result of all the snide remarks and attitudes given by passengers. I really doubt any TSA agent came up with the idea to take away Grandma's hand lotion and nail file, but having worked for the government myself for the last ten years, I just have to accept the stupid policies that come down from the bureaucratic ecolones and try to adhere to them with the least amount pain possible. But with TSA agents being human too, some of them are going to respond in kind with the passengers due to all the insults and grieft sent their way.
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What's that about evil and something something, good men something something?
 
Screaming_Emu said:
I have certainly dealt with bag TSA agents. But my major issues with the TSA are it's bonehead policies, which the agents have no control over. I have absolutely no respect for the people who come up with the TSA's policies as they obviously don't REALLY have our security interests at heart. But as long as the agents are respectful and professional I can't hold a grudge against them. After all those poor bastards have to look at me naked when I nonrev anywhere. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.
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On a side note, you can "opt out" of the body scanner and get a run of the mill pat down. That will avoid most of the feared back scatter radiation and prevent you from being turned into a pornographic image in the name of security.

Let me remind everyone that, "those who give up their liberty for security will loose both their security AND liberty." It could be a dangerous alternative to allow people to enter on to an airplane without ANY sort of scan, but this is where businesses and the free market system come into play (let them be responsible for the level of scan that you go through and the consumers will decide what they are comfortable with). Giving the government sweeping powers to violate the 4th amendment doesn't make us more secure. In fact, it is a slippery slope in which we risk loosing out rights on every other front. Lets say that the "terrorist" hit a train station, as a result the feds put VIPER teams (DHS and TSA) in bus stations, then the next year another attack, this time at a condo complex in a large metropolitan area. Being the reactionaries that they are, they install security checkpoints right outside your door. Now you have to go through a thorough raping every single time you enter your home.

At some point, we the people need to take the reins and be responsible for their own security. We can't allow the once great USA to turn into a complete police/nanny state for fear of some guys in caves. (by the way the CIA created Al Queda back in the 1970s) What is the solution? Well I can think of MANY, and I'm sure the high intellect of any of those on these boards can too. What we do need to do is stop allowing the government to "save the day" every time the hits the fan. By doing this, we will not only loose out freedoms for ourselves (and more importantly our progeny), but we also create bloated bureaucracy that further adds to the red ink in the federal budget every year.

I'm sure this rant set off 100 NSA keyword data mining computers...
 
I'd say 95% of the TSA agents I've encountered have just been decent people just doing their jobs. Never had an issue with them, in fact at most airports (SFO for example) they've been pretty nice. ATL was bad though, they had one agent just standing there rambling to everyone about how the media is blowing all of it out of proportion and a few other things that were pretty useless and unprofessional. I had to choose between the body scanner and the pat down at CLT last week for the first time. I went with the pat down and I have to say that actually pissed me off. For one I have my company ID and SIDA badge on (not a company ID or CLT SIDA, but still, it's a SIDA, obviously I passed more than a few background checks). I kind of felt bad for the guy having to do all of it but at the same time, he did choose to work for the TSA.
 
I'm split on this issue.

On one hand the average TSA screener (they are not federal agents, officers or any other type of law enforcement) is just doing his crappy job trying not to get fired. He doesn't want to look at see through pics of your grandma any more than you do. 99% of them are very profesional and try their best to make the process as painless as possible. Punishing him just because of where he works is lame.

OTOH, refusing to do buisness with a person or group of people as a means of protesting is perfectly reasonable. I don't think it compares at all with Jim Crow laws or throwing paint on Vietnam vets.
 
Mike,

I see your opinion on this, but one could very easily take it the other way. Should a mob hitman be tolerated because he is simply following the policies of his superiors?

There are many arguments you could use. Different degree of crime. It's not a crime (unreasonable search and seizure/ violation of privacy), etc, etc.

By doing this, dickish business decision aside, he at least is getting his view point heard and media attention on it.
 
averyrm said:
Mike,

I see your opinion on this, but one could very easily take it the other way. Should a mob hitman be tolerated because he is simply following the policies of his superiors?

There are many arguments you could use. Different degree of crime. It's not a crime (unreasonable search and seizure/ violation of privacy), etc, etc.

By doing this, dickish business decision aside, he at least is getting his view point heard and media attention on it.
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Well stated
 
I can see that this is a hot button issue with a lot of people. I really like to hear all sides of the argument, although I have my mental reservations.
 
The blogger that reported this has posted a clarification today;

It is not in the airport, but near, and he is not even positive it is SeaTac.

Update 2/22: There’s been a considerable amount of interest in finding the cafe for which McLawson works. I’ve been trying to balance our need to know with her desire to remain anonymous. It’s not easy.
One point of clarification: McLawson told me she worked for a cafe near a major airport. Her IP address indicated her location was in Seattle. It is possible that she’s using an alias or works at another airport.


http://www.elliott.org/blog/why-does-everyone-hate-the-tsa-lets-count-the-reasons/
 
JordanD said:
in fact at most airports (SFO for example) they've been pretty nice.
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Ironic that you chose to mention SFO as having pretty nice screeners, since that is one of sixteen airports that do not use the TSA for security!
 
This is just wrong.. I echo USMCmech's thoughts about most of them being decent people that are just following dumb policies.. And this is coming from me!!
 
MikeD said:
It is disrespectful to punish the rank and file for the idiotic actions of their bureaucratic leaders.
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I'll agree to disagree with you, there is a difference between a soldier (probably drafted) and TSA person that applied, interviewed, and that can quit at anytime. Also, I think there is a big difference in being spit on opposed to refused service. I understand that equating the two does sound dramatic, but it's still is over the top... therefore lessening the sacrifice of those soldiers (in my opinion).
 
There's a good number of us that blame other pilots for taking jobs that pay in the sub $20k and have less than pleasant Q.O.L. and other "benefits". We say that if they would not take those jobs, then those low paying jobs would eventually go away.

Now we have the TSA. A agency that has developed rules/regulations/protocols that drive most of us up the wall and is becoming more and more evident that they are walking all over the Fourth Amendment and everybody's rights.

Using the same line of thinking, shouldn't we blame the TSA agents for taking these jobs?

Blame the regional pilot for taking the low paying job crappy job, or the blame the airline manager for creating it?

Blame the TSA agent for taking this job and enforcing these ridiculous rules/regs/protocols that everybody hates, or just blame the Government?
 
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