Checkit out:
A woman who stood up to TSA screeners and refused to allow them to grope her or her 14 year old daughter has been found guilty of “disorderly conduct” and sentenced to one year of probation by a court in Tennessee.
Back in July 2011, Andrea Fornella Abbott of Clarksville, was arrested by Nashville airport authorities for expressing outrage at the TSA procedures.
A police report stated that Abbott would not allow her daughter to be “touched inappropriately” or have her “crotch grabbed”. Abbott also refused to submit to a full body scan, saying that she did not want her or her daughters’ naked bodies revealed by the scanner.
The report noted that she attempted to take cell phone video of the incident but was prevented from doing so by the TSA screeners.
When police were called to the scene, Abbott reportedly cursed at them and referred to the TSA screeners as pedophiles, leading to her arrest.
The Associated Press reports that the prosecution argued that Abbott’s behavior “prevented others from carrying out their lawful activities,” and held up two security lines for thirty minutes.
“You can speak your mind, but you can’t do it in an illegal manner,’ said Assistant District Attorney Megan King, adding “What the defendant did was a crime.”
The defense argued that Abbot was exercising her right to free speech. “Telling a police officer your opinion, even in strong language, to me that’s a First Amendment right,” Abbot’s attorney Brent Horst told reporters.
Abbott herself admitted that she may have cursed at police officers, but considered the exchange to be a “normal conversation” regarding the inappropriate nature of pat-downs on children.
Horst presented surveillance video of the incident, and claimed that Abbot was the one being yelled at by police. Although the video had no audio, it showed that other passengers were walking around Abbot and the police officers, and that security lines were still moving.
“It’s clear from the video … she wasn’t preventing anything,” Horst said. In closing arguments the attorney stated “Since 9/11, we’re losing a lot of freedom, and we have to draw the line somewhere,” before praising Abbot for standing on principle.
As we have documented, people who opt out of body scanners or those who simply fail to display the proper level of obedience to TSA screeners are routinely subjected to punishment by means of invasive grope downs or other forms of retaliation.
Journalists who are critical of the TSA have also been singled out for retribution.
The TSA is also operating bizarre obedience training programs, including the ridiculous “all stop” policy where travelers are ordered to freeze on the spot for no reason whatsoever. Again, the TSA has admitted that travelers are not mandated to comply with these bizarre displays of security theater.
The TSA has characterized people who do not fully comply with airport screening procedures, no matter how bizarre or invasive, as “domestic extremists.”
The verdict in Andrea Fornella Abbott’s case sets a dangerous precedent along the lines of First amendment rights not being applicable at security checkpoints. The verdict essentially paves the way for criminally punishing anyone who questions TSA procedures, no matter how bizarre they are.
I’ve always “opted-out” of the scanners. I’ve always been subjected to aggressive pat downs. Now, I’ll be the first to admit correlation isn’t causation, so my report is just anecdotal. I opt-out, I get my nuts squeezed. Who knows what caused what?
I do know that if I don’t opt-out I don’t get my nuts squeezed. Call me an idiot if you will, but I am of the opinion it’s causal because I think that getting my nuts squeezed doesn’t motivate me to opt-out. It’s just one of those things I know to be true. Getting my nuts squeezed by the Pillsbury Dough Boy doesn’t cause me to opt-out. I’m pretty sure of that,
I also make a habit of telling the male pat down gropers that I’m gay and would appreciate being groped by a member of the opposite sex. So far, this approach hasn’t borne fruit; I always get groped by a female Pillsbury Dough Boy, which does nothing at all for my libido. Sigh.
You’re more self-controlled than I am, Scott.
I stay away from airports because I can barely contain my hate. I don;t trust myself not to give one of those blue shirted creeps the bony base of my palm into their nostrils with all the force my 200-odd pounds can put behind it.
That approach has merit, but it’s better left for another time. Meanwhile I find laughter to be the best medicine.
“Every battle is won before it’s fought”
— Sun Tzu
Eff them,their airplanes,their airports and the camel they rode in on.It will be a cold day in hell when I or my family is groped by these molesters.I will,and have, given up air travel,I’ll be damned if my money will be used to keep these creep freaks employed.
Amen, Fred.
I was compelled to fly two years ago after my dad died. That’s it for me. I’m done now. I’ll only fly again when I am not subjected to Submission Training by the scum of the Earth. Yes, I know… they are just doing their job. So were the people who made the gears of National Socialist Germany and Soviet Russia mesh and turn and without which they would not have meshed and turned. And these American counterparts of the NS and Soviet system are morally far more culpable because they are not under any real duress to do this sort of “work.” They could find honest work doing something that didn’t involve abusing their fellow citizens on behalf of an abusive government.
Damn them all to hell. If this is what you consider your “job” then you’d better resign if you have any self respect.