Uploaded by P0LICEstateWATCH on Nov 16, 2010
Ahh, for the days of “Papers please!” The TSA is being operated as if it is a rogue agency beyond the accountability of the people. Various “authorities”, “officials”, and “experts” have decided that your body, your most personal space, is now the business of the state. This is an outrage of unprecedented proportion, and our willingness to put up with these intrusions will shape the way our government interacts with us in the future. Sadly, the KIAH reporter Steve Simon apologetically addresses the situation that led to the open palm frisking of his three year old: “There has to be some sacrifice..when it comes to security at the airport”, as the anchors chuckle at the ordeal. This is no laughing matter- it is about our dignity as human beings. As these horror stories filter into the news, the Transportation Security Administration continues to lie about their procedures of enhanced patdown, the nature of the full naked body scanners, their safety, and the ability to see passengers genitals and save their images. TSA is a disgrace, and they must be disbanded! The country is going bankrupt, and if we want to cut spending, cancel all orders of the full body scanners! This video may contain copyrighted material. Such material is made available for educational purposes only. This constitutes a ‘fair use’ of any such copyrighted material as provided for in Title 17 U.S.C. section 107 of the US Copyright Law. KIAH-TV Channel 39 Houston
SHARI KARNEY SPEAKS OUT ABOUT
- What is the kind of sacrifice and balance airport security needs in their training to better deal with their searches of children. Especially searching a three-year old girl child like Mandy? Are they, the TSA, going too far. Importantly, is this action of theirs really child molesting, and if not, please define for this incident how it is not, if it is not?
Shari Karney: The TSA has not taken seriously enough the dignity of children, as well as all human beings. I believe in airport security. But I believe airport security has gone way passed the personal dignity, integrity of passengers attempting to board airplanes. Especially children. I understand why the type of stop-and-frisk that was done on this three-year-old led the public and the parents to believe this is a form of child molesting or abuse. I would have to concur that it really threatens to cross the line, or has crossed the line. Personally, I was horrified by the video—to watch an adult assault a child in this manner. The law would consider this a battery. Not enough has been done to protect the rights of parents, children, and passengers attempting to board airplanes.
- Children are probably the more difficult people to be selected to be screened by TSA at an airport for terrorist activity and possible use in such activity. Do you think some kind of special care needs to be taken, like the child removed from the line to a more private are or a room? And if so, what protections and rights does a child have in this terribly vulnerable situation? Is there a problem for children in their rights to integrity of privacy for their personal and physical selves?
Shari Karney: I believe that when you check into your flight, that the airport personnel—if you have a child with you—should inform you that your child has a special code and has been selected to be searched. The boarding pass has the code. Parents need to ask if their child has been tagged for a special search. Parents should be at least be made aware. The whole procedure of how children are screened and then searched needs to really be changed. I am not suggesting we compromise security. But I am suggesting that airport personnel and TSA not chuckle at the ordeal. The TSA is being operated as if it is a rogue agency, beyond the accountability of the people it is supposed to preserve and protect.