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'Idiot' barb gets passenger detained
POSTED: 9:34 p.m. EDT, September 28, 2006

From Mike M. Ahlers
CNN
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Wisconsin man who wrote "Kip Hawley is an Idiot" on a plastic bag containing toiletries said he was detained at an airport security checkpoint for about 25 minutes before authorities concluded the statement was not a threat.

Ryan Bird, 31, said he wrote the comment about Hawley -- head of the Transportation Security Administration -- as a political statement. He said he feels the TSA is imposing unreasonable rules on passengers while ignoring bigger threats.

A TSA spokeswoman acknowledged a man was stopped, but likened the incident to cases in which people inappropriately joke about bombs. She said the man was "a little combative" and that he was detained only a few minutes.

The incident has ignited some chatter on Internet travel Web sites. More than 83,000 people have clicked on a FlyerTalk.com forum devoted to the episode, and the forum has grown to include 30 pages of comments.

Bird, the vice president of a company that manufactures industrial equipment, said the encounter occurred at Milwaukee Airport on Tuesday, the day the TSA eased restrictions on carry-on liquids, gels and aerosols.

Bird entered the airport checkpoint with a see-through resealable bag containing small containers of toothpaste, deodorant, mouthwash and hair gel -- in keeping with new TSA requirements.

"My level of frustration with the TSA and their idiotic policies has grown over 2 ½ years," he said. "I'm frustrated that poorly trained TSA people can pull random passengers out of line and pat them down like common criminals. The average traveler has no recourse."

Bird put the marked bag in a plastic tray along with his shoes and cell phone. A TSA screener saw the bag and went to get a supervisor, who grabbed it and asked Bird if it was his.

"It was obvious that he was already angry," Bird said, adding that the screener told him, "You can't write things like that."

The supervisor told Bird he had the right to express his opinions "out there" -- pointing outside the screening area -- but did not have the right "in here," Bird said.

The supervisor called a sheriff's deputy, who checked to see if Bird had any warrants for his arrest, Bird said. Bird asked the officer if he was under arrest, and was told that he was being detained, he said.

A supervisor said he was going to confiscate the bag, but after Bird refused, he just photographed it, Bird said.

Bird said he filed a complaint about the incident with the TSA.

A TSA spokeswoman said she could not confirm whether Bird had filed a complaint, but described the incident as insignificant.

Screeners looked at the bag to "make sure it wasn't anything like a bomb threat," she said. She said the man was "a little combative" and that a law enforcement officer came over, briefly interviewed him and determined that he hadn't broken any laws.

"Everyone's entitled to their own opinion," she said.

A spokeswoman for the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office said the TSA did call the sheriff's office to report an upset customer at the checkpoint. A deputy went to the scene, interviewed all of the participants, ran a wanted check on the man, and referred it back to the TSA after determining no crime had been committed, Deputy Darice Landon said.

Landon said the original call came at 2:21 p.m., and it was unclear how long the man was detained. There is no indication that he was combative, she said.

Kip Hawley is an idiot

_________________

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>"It was obvious that he was already angry," Bird said, adding that the screener told him, "You can't write things like that." <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

If he was already angry, then he was an incident waiting to happen. And yes, you do have the right to write things like that. Kip Hawley is no kind of king, and may, in fatct, be an idiot. More likely, the TSA screeners were idiots. They should be formally reprimanded. Flogging, for a first offense, is probably over the line.

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>"My level of frustration with the TSA and their idiotic policies has grown over 2 ½ years," he said. "I'm frustrated that poorly trained TSA people can pull random passengers out of line and pat them down like common criminals. The average traveler has no recourse." <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

I don't have much sympathy for that. I've worked in security. The whole security industry is built on a base of stupidity. <shrug> Present company included. You check your brain when you put on the uniform.

Actually, I prefer TSA to the Andsy Frains that used to do contract security. The TSA guys have a couple more brain cells than the iold security mopes. You can even joke with them, provided you are careful.


- Dennis
--
Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all
terror, victory however long and hard the road
may be; for without victory there is no survival.
-Sir Winston Churchill

_________________
- Dennis
--
Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all
terror, victory however long and hard the
road may be; for without victory there is no
survival.
-Sir Winston Churchill

TSA is an prime example of everything that's wrong with gov't and beaurocrazy.

<img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/m21sniper/RecoverAgentWIDEsmall.jpg" border=0>
<font color=yellow><i><b>"One way or another, your car is coming with me."</b></i></font id=yellow>

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Actually, I prefer TSA to the Andsy Frains that used to do contract security. The TSA guys have a couple more brain cells than the iold security mopes. You can even joke with them, provided you are careful.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>You know much about claims that about all they did was change payrolls? That's something I've heard, they're the same people, they just got some more(probably not enough though)training, and changed to the TSA uniform.

Ignorance may be bliss, but it sure ain't fun!

_________________
Evil is evil, no matter how small.

sad, just sad thats all i can say.

"If you can't beat them, arrange to have them beaten!"

_________________
\"I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives\"

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>You know much about claims that about all they did was change payrolls? That's something I've heard, they're the same people, they just got some more(probably not enough though)training, and changed to the TSA uniform. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

I don't think that's the case. The Fed doesn't seem to work that way, and the new folks seem a tad more intelligent. I don't get so many fish stares from the TSA.

They're an odd bunch. I attended a meeting, where we were discussing the architectural aspects of moving all those bag scanners off the passenger floor, to a new area. They were full of bomb jokes. <img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>

Shortly aftter that meeting, I had to go to the airport security office with someone who needed new creds. <b>They had the "Take A Number Grenade" on the counter!</b> Try carrying THAT in your luggage!


- Dennis
--
Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all
terror, victory however long and hard the road
may be; for without victory there is no survival.
-Sir Winston Churchill

_________________
- Dennis
--
Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all
terror, victory however long and hard the
road may be; for without victory there is no
survival.
-Sir Winston Churchill

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> TSA is an prime example of everything that's wrong with gov't and beaurocrazy. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

If you want THE prime example, try dealing with the INS (or whatever it's now called) to get a green card. These are people who couldn't get a job as concentration camp guards, because they were too mean. A classic case of power corrupting.

AFAIC, they should all be shot out of hand.


- Dennis
--
Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all
terror, victory however long and hard the road
may be; for without victory there is no survival.
-Sir Winston Churchill

_________________
- Dennis
--
Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all
terror, victory however long and hard the
road may be; for without victory there is no
survival.
-Sir Winston Churchill

Just another ASSULT on your RIGHTS,SQUASH FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

Goose

LIVE FREE OR DIE!

_________________
\"Live Free Or Die\"

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Just another ASSULT on your RIGHTS,SQUASH FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

Goose

LIVE FREE OR DIE!




<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Freedom will be dead right after an x number of Americans are.

Kip Hawley is an idiot

_________________

Just Remember
A country who gives up Civil Liberity for Security Desevers niether
B Franklin.

Goose

LIVE FREE OR DIE!

_________________
\"Live Free Or Die\"

<b>"If you want THE prime example, try dealing with the INS (or whatever it's now called) to get a green card. These are people who couldn't get a job as concentration camp guards, because they were too mean. A classic case of power corrupting.

AFAIC, they should all be shot out of hand."</b>

Tell me about it ElTee, Graciela is currently in the process of getting her citizenship. Or should i say, the RIDICULOUS process...

<img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/m21sniper/RecoverAgentWIDEsmall.jpg" border=0>
<font color=yellow><i><b>"One way or another, your car is coming with me."</b></i></font id=yellow>

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Just Remember
A country who gives up Civil Liberity for Security Desevers niether
B Franklin.

Goose

LIVE FREE OR DIE!

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

And if your not falling in line with the idea of becoming a government mule so you can be kept safe from A/Q's tyranny then "you have a bad attitude".

I've been told that I have a bad attitude because I'm not feeling the concept of trading liberty for security. Trying to enslave non-sheeple will cause that to happen.

And I'm not sure if refusing to roll over for Homeland Security and it's own tyranny is a distraction from the war against the Islamists, or is helping to keep me sharp for the former.



Kip Hawley is an idiot

_________________

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
<b>"If you want THE prime example, try dealing with the INS (or whatever it's now called) to get a green card. These are people who couldn't get a job as concentration camp guards, because they were too mean. A classic case of power corrupting.

AFAIC, they should all be shot out of hand."</b>

Tell me about it ElTee, Graciela is currently in the process of getting her citizenship. Or should i say, the RIDICULOUS process...

<img src="http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/m21sniper/RecoverAgentWIDEsmall.jpg" border=0>
<font color=yellow><i><b>"One way or another, your car is coming with me."</b></i></font id=yellow>
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>


How true. I think I posted the hell the wife and I went through to get my wife's greencard replaced after it was stolen. Friggin' Nazi bastards. I have never been talked to or treated so badly by a goverment agency in my life. You would get treated better by correctional officers in a maximum security prison. I know because my wife is a Lt in one and she never treats anyone like that.

Fender

"Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all other countries because you were born in it."
George Bernard Shaw


Edited by - Fenderstrat72 on Oct 07 2006 14:36