TSA Security Theater

I was reading an article today by Don Phillips, formerly of The Washington Post, which applied a sound fisking of the TSA and its VIPR program without getting obnoxious.  He points out a fact that most people are unaware:  The TSA cannot go onto private property without permission.  Unfortunately, the airports are long compromised, but the railroads, when presented with demands of unrestricted access on unannounced timetables, told the TSA where to go, how to get there and which horse to take.  I have always like the railroads, but now I love them.

Don linked to the TSA blog site where our freindly TSA Blogger Bob happily tells us what a great job the TSA is doing.  He also links to one of the more entertaining blog entries, where Bob admits that the VIPR team made a mistake but it was all for the safety of the travellers.  I am reminded of a routine used by Bobcat Goldthwait onstage about Ollie North's testimony in the Iran/Contra hearings:  "well, Senator, yes I did stab that puppy 42 times in the head, but when American Lives are at stake..." 

Blogger Bob, I gotta tell you, nobody really believes that you do the blog for the enjoyment.  You're paid to do it so that the TSA can attempt to present a positive face.  The comedic comments thrown in really don't do it any good.  Comedy is all about timing.  You need a new watch.  Point of interest: All of the weapons seizures happened just as often before the porno scanners because, well, metal detectors and x-ray machines allow the discovery of guns and knives just as well.  Since you don't swab every liquid container and just throw all offending containers in the garbage without testing, we all know it is just security theater, nothing more.  You are no more keeping me safe from terrorists than the unarmed security guard sitting at the front desk in my place of employment.

Tell you what, Blogger Bob, how about you start addressing the other points of TSA performance?  I'll give you the rundown and you can tell me about the grand job the TSA does based on these items:

1.  An agent working at the x-ray machine conveyor stole $5000 from a jacket going through the screening procedure, hid it in a blue latex glove and passed it off in a restroom.  The agent has been arrested and charged with grand larceny.  She was also suspended pending the investigation.
2.  Last month, an agent who worked searching checked luggage at the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport was suspended after the owner of a stolen iPad used the tracking feature on the device to locate it at the agent's home. Police found seven other iPads there.
3.  Also in January, authorities charged an agent at Miami International Airport with swiping items and luggage and smuggling them out of the airport in a hidden pocket of his work jacket. He was arrested after one of the items, an iPad, was spotted for sale on Craigslist.
4.  Two other former TSA agents at JFK were sentenced on Jan. 10 to six months in jail and five years' probation for stealing $40,000 from a piece of luggage in January 2011. The agents, Coumar Persad and Davon Webb, had pleaded guilty to grand larceny, obstructing governmental administration and official misconduct.
5.  Last year, a TSA supervisor and one of his officers pleaded guilty in a scheme that lifted $10,000 to $30,000 from passengers' belongings at Newark Liberty International Airport. A federal judge sentenced the supervisor, Michael Arato, to 2½ years in prison and his subordinate, Al Raimi, to six months of home confinement.

Those are just five points, which I know is just the tip of the iceberg.  I read the news and do keep up on the numerous news stories about the arrests of TSA officers.  And, please, try to address these without the condescending attitude that you use to discount the joke that is the behavior of the TSA agents operating in our airports today.