Cluelessness Continues at the TSA

A Likely Terror Suspect?

In further support of Sen. Rand Paul’s challenge to TSA head John Pistole that the TSA is “clueless,” TSA agents have recently added humiliating a 29-year-old “special needs” adult (pictured at right) and a 95-year-old cancer patient to their less-than-stellar record of profiling.

Yesterday, the TSA defended its patdown of 95-year-old cancer patient forced to remove her adult diaper as part of its enhanced search of what surely must have appeared a serious suspect to someone with no mother. The leukemia patient on her way to an assisted living facility not only had her adult diaper taken away, but as she had no spare, had to continue her journey wearing no underwear.

In Detroit, the 29-year-old son of a family on their way to Disney World for a vacation was selected for a special pat-down and had his plastic hammer, a favorite toy for over 20 years, taken away by TSA agents. The boys’ father, Dr. David Mandy, tried to explain to agents that his son has the mental capacity of a two-year-old and thus did not understand their instructions, to which they replied, “Please, sir, we know what we’re doing.” Dr. Mandy says:

I honestly felt that those two agents did not know what they were doing.

Clueless as well as heartless. So why does any of us owe them compliance?

Mary L. G. Theroux is Senior Vice President of the Independent Institute. Having received her A.B. in economics from Stanford University, she is Managing Director of Lightning Ventures, L.P., a San Francisco Bay Area investment firm, former Chairman of the Board of Advisors for the Salvation Army of both San Francisco and Alameda County, and Vice President of the C.S. Lewis Society of California.
Full Biography
Beacon Posts by Mary Theroux
Comments
  • Catalyst
  • MyGovCost.org
  • FDAReview.org
  • OnPower.org
  • elindependent.org