OT: Michigan student target of a joke perpetrated by now terminated TSA agent in PHL
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20100121_Daniel_Rubin__It_was_n…
Anyone know her? Poor kid. I know what I would have done as a more experienced traveler, but I can only imagine her sense of fear.
"Rebecca Solomon is 22 and a student at the University of Michigan, and on Jan. 5 she was flying back to school after holiday break. She made sure she arrived at Philadelphia International Airport 90 minutes before takeoff, given the new regulations.
...
What happened to her lasted only 20 seconds, but she says they were the longest 20 seconds of her life.
After pulling her laptop out of her carry-on bag, sliding the items through the scanning machines, and walking through a detector, she went to collect her things.
A TSA worker was staring at her. He motioned her toward him.
Then he pulled a small, clear plastic bag from her carry-on - the sort of baggie that a pair of earrings might come in. Inside the bag was fine, white powder.
She remembers his words: "Where did you get it?"
Two thoughts came to her in a jumble: A terrorist was using her to sneak bomb-detonating materials on the plane. Or a drug dealer had made her an unwitting mule, planting coke or some other trouble in her bag while she wasn't looking.
...
Put yourself in her place and count out 20 seconds. Her heart pounded. She started to sweat. She panicked at having to explain something she couldn't.
Now picture her expression as the TSA employee started to smile.
Just kidding, he said. He waved the baggie. It was his.
And so she collected her things, stunned, and the tears began to fall."
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:55 PM ^
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/ot-tsa-agent-plants-white-powder-michigan-s…
Easy enough to miss, wasn't on the sidebar for very long iirc.
[insert plug for MGoBoard link at the top of the page].
Horrifying story though...what a monster.
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:00 PM ^
I searched the board for "airport", thinking that that term HAD to be in there given the location of the incident, but apparently not!
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:32 PM ^
TSA might have been a better search term since it was about the TSA. I didn't think it was necessary to mention airport when mentioning TSA since 99 out of 100 people assume that TSA only works in airports.
January 22nd, 2010 at 10:58 PM ^
never have flown
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:52 PM ^
Maybe this is just me, but after I found out that it was a joke I am pretty sure that I would be laughing with the guy.
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:53 PM ^
after recent events, I am not sure this is a yuck it up moment.
January 22nd, 2010 at 7:54 PM ^
...it probably IS just you.
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:10 PM ^
and I usually only cry during Steel Magnolias and at the end of Turner & Hooch.
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:19 PM ^
Of all the places to fly in/out that is the worst I've ever used. Not only is the airport itself a hellhole, the TSA people are douchey. This didn't surprise me at all after witnessing first-hand how they seem to strive to be a bigger dick than the last one you had to interact with.
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:55 PM ^
TSA - taking scissors away or thousands standing around: take your pick.
Being a pilot and dealing with these morons on a daily basis is always frustrating. They aren't making this country any safer, trust me. Some of the unprofessional things they do are quite shocking.
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:24 PM ^
We all hope you aren't anticipating a career in law enforcement. Or security. Or Management. Or teaching. Or being a parent, for that matter.
January 22nd, 2010 at 10:15 PM ^
Returning to his old job of being every guy on here's gf's ex. Because "that guy" always is this caliber of a deutsch mark
January 22nd, 2010 at 8:44 PM ^
I would have ripped the guy, maybe even turned him in. A lot of those TSA people walk the edge in terms of attitude and that might have set me off. I have been pulled out for additional screening, calmly put up with it, but this would be over the top.
January 23rd, 2010 at 7:54 AM ^
I'm thinking lawsuit and that the guy would never have another job if it were me.
I'm thinking it's probably a little illegal to plant shit on a passenger's luggage and then question them about it.
Even if it's only 'a joke'
It's not funny and I'm sure that with today's focus on security in airports, it's illegal as hell.
January 22nd, 2010 at 10:56 PM ^
Don't fuck with wolverines.