Rand Paul Is Clueless

[Flummoxed Lummox]

Seriously. He set off a fullbody scanning machine. As is standard procedure, the TSA insisted he be pat down AFTER HE SET OFF ALARMS. Rand refused and claims the TSA is offbase and that he was "detained." Puh-leaze.

Just because he is a Senator doesn't mean he can bypass standard security. HE SET OFF ALARMS. Of course he was going to be patted down, same as every other passenger. The "police state is out of control" excuse doesn't fly in this case.

Kentucky U.S. Senator Rand Paul was held by TSA officials at Nashville International Airport Monday morning after an "irregularity" was found during the security screening process.

Paul lives in Bowling Green, KY., and is the son of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul.

Aides to the senator said Sen. Paul set off a full body scanning machine going through airport security.  Sen. Paul claimed it was a "glitch" and wanted to keep going.

An aide told NBC News that Sen. Paul told the screeners he doesn't have any metal.  Apparently it was his right leg that was setting off the scanner.  He raised his pant leg and showed them his leg, according to the aide.  Paul said it was "clearly a glitch."

The aide said TSA refused to let him re-scan and demanded that he submit to a full body pat down.

The TSA said in a news release that "the passenger" was rebooked on another flight and was rescreened without incident.

"These are the indignities, and it's not just me.  It's not because of who I am.  Americans are going through the airport everyday and being subjected to these indignities.  Nobody's thinking about who can attack us, who would attack us, it's just this mindlessness," said Sen. Paul.

The Kentucky senator has previously been critical about pat downs at a hearing.

Below is a statement released by TSA about the incident:

"The passenger was not detained at any point. The passenger triggered an alarm during routine airport screening and refused to complete the screening process in order to resolve the issue.  Passengers, as in this case, who refuse to comply with security procedures are denied access to the secure gate area.  He was escorted out of the screening area by local law enforcement.
 
The passenger was screened by millimeter wave imaging technology using automated target recognition. This technology uses the same generic image for all passengers to further protect passengers privacy. When an alarm occurs a yellow box indicates where an anomaly is.  A targeted pat down is used to resolve the alarm."

http://www.wsmv.com/story/16578487/ky-senator-rand-paul-detained-at-bna

[Jeremy Roenick]

He offered to be re-scanned and refused the hand pat down.  TSA said no.

So what's clueless or unreasonable about this?

For once someone, with some political influence, is pushing back against the police state.  What's not to like here.

[Sasquatch]

IOKIYAD:  

Rep. Sharon Cissna, D-Anchorage Returns To Alaska By Sea After Invasive TSA Patdown

An Alaska state lawmaker is making her way back to the state capital of Juneau after refusing what she called an invasive pat-down search at a Seattle airport.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/21/rep-sharon-cissna-tsa-patdown_n_825851.html

FYI, I agree with Rand Paul AND Sharon Cissna.

[Jeremy Roenick]

Yeah Sas, I guess in this day and age of the TSA goon squad it's unreasonable not to want your genitals groped.   

Rand offered to go back thru the scanner (which I wouldn't have done) and the TSA said no.

[Flummoxed Lummox]

He offered to be re-scanned and refused the hand pat down.  TSA said no.

So what's clueless or unreasonable about this?

For once someone, with some political influence, is pushing back against the police state.  What's not to like here.

Let me ask you guys this. How safe and secure would you feel flying if a passenger was allowed to board your plane after setting off alarms going through security and who refused the pat down?

Good grief, use some common sense.

Had he been subjected to some random pat down, without setting off an alarm, I could see your point. But, HE SET OFF AN ALARM. Of course it's better to err on the side of caution. A pat down is not that big of a deal.

The safety of dozens of passengers is more important than Rand Paul's libertarian ideals.

You guys are just clueless.

[Sasquatch]

From FL's article:

The TSA said in a news release that "the passenger" was rebooked on another flight and was rescreened without incident.

  I guess he wasn't such a "threat" afterall. I hope the people on the other flight were ok with Paul boarding their flight.  

As to Cissna, how many planes have been brought down by a masectomy? I bet those scars looked just like a boxcutter.  

You tell me FL, where is the common sense?  

[Sasquatch]

Cissna's (and how many others?) was JUST a patdown:

"The very last thing an assault victim or molested person can deal with is yet more trauma and the groping of strangers, the hands of government 'safety' policy," she said.

"The freedom of travel should never come at the price of basic human dignity and pride," she said.

Makes you wonder who really is clueless? 

[NCVol]

I'll just say I'm glad Rand Paul was subjected to this, and if it changes procedures, great.  I'm not a big fan of the porno scanners, what apparently triggered the alarm in this case.   

Last time I went through, the scanner targeted something on my back.  Likely sweat from having to run to get to the gate on time - only thing I can figure - and so they patted down.....my middle back, which consisted of him running his hand between my shoulder blades for a brief moment.  Seemed reasonable actually.  If that's what he refused, he's being unreasonable. 

Rand offered to go back thru the scanner (which I wouldn't have done) and the TSA said no.

Then you'd have gone home!!  Or got a pat down, one or the other. 

Cissna's (and how many others?) was JUST a patdown:

"The very last thing an assault victim or molested person can deal with is yet more trauma and the groping of strangers, the hands of government 'safety' policy," she said.

"The freedom of travel should never come at the price of basic human dignity and pride," she said.

Makes you wonder who really is clueless? 

Small price to pay to Keep Us Safe From Terrorists, if you asked me.  My mother in law is routinely patted down because her fake knee sets off the alarm, by father in law because his pacemaker prevents him from normal screening.  I think it's great that two people over age 80 get the third degree at every checkpoint - you never know when the seniors are going to become suicide bombers.... 

[Sasquatch]

Small price to pay to Keep Us Safe From Terrorists, if you asked me.  My mother in law is routinely patted down because her fake knee sets off the alarm, by father in law because his pacemaker prevents him from normal screening.  I think it's great that two people over age 80 get the third degree at every checkpoint - you never know when the seniors are going to become suicide bombers.... 

I assume this is sarcasm? What do you think about these statements from FL? BTW, I hope I am never on the same flight with your insane mother-in-law and father-in-law. They are extremely dangerous and I would not feel at ease if they were on my flight.

Let me ask you guys this. How safe and secure would you feel flying if a passenger was allowed to board your plane after setting off alarms going through security and who refused the pat down?

Good grief, use some common sense.

Had he been subjected to some random pat down, without setting off an alarm, I could see your point. But, HE SET OFF AN ALARM. Of course it's better to err on the side of caution. A pat down is not that big of a deal.

The safety of dozens of passengers is more important than Rand Paul's libertarian ideals.

You guys are just clueless.

[NCVol]

Yes, it's sarcasm.  Usually they get a brief patdown that is just them going thru the motions, but every now and then they get their bags searched, every item taken out, the full Monty pat down, etc.  What should happen is the doctor notes facilitate a brief wand and that's it - yes, it dings when we put it by the metal knee, she's 83, odds are OK!  And with my father in law, same deal.  They have proof of their conditions.  This along with their obvious non-threat should speed them through security.  As is we add a half hour, since it CAN and sometimes does take that long extra. 

And I'm not sure what FL thinks about screening - my own view is it's mostly show, and I really don't like the scanners - the testing of their safety, for example, is woefully inadequate and they've been banned in Europe for safety reasons.  It's at best a mini x-ray, or something we know causes cancer... 

But the issue with Rand is once he sets off the alarm, the pat down is something they really have to do.  Or I can see why they have to do it.  And the bottom line is by traveling, you agree to the procedures - scan OR patdown, and if you set off the alarm, expect a patdown!  It's part of the joy of flying! 

Rand and the Congresswoman with I assume an artificial breast should do their best to change procedures, but they are what they are.  And you literally agree to them or don't fly - those are your choices.  and the porno scanners are actually an improvement when it comes to the patdowns after alarm, since the scan says a single small area to examine - in my case six inches of my middle back. 

[Jeremy Roenick]

There are MANY examples, but here's just one from a few days ago.  The TSA couldn't find their own  with their own two hands much less a weapon even with pat downs and naked body scanners.

So to answer your question AV.  NO, I don't feel any safer that the TSA wanted to grope Rand Paul or anyone's grandparent over a hip replacement....

http://news.yahoo.com/woman-removed-plane-bringing-gun-aboard-182840231.html

Woman removed from plane after bringing gun aboard

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A 65-year-old lawyer was arrested Wednesday for carrying a loaded handgun aboard an American Airlines jet at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.

Screeners at a security checkpoint had detected a gun in a woman's carry-on bag but she "picked up the bag and left the checkpoint before the screening process was over

So Moe, Larry and Curly didn't grab this woman like a terrorist at the screening station.  In fact she boarded the freakin' plane and was headed for the runway and had to be recalled.

There's this and an endless array of examples of folks getting handguns past the TSA screeners.  So again, do you really feel safe?  As NC put it, the pat downs and scanners are "all for show".  If a terrorist wants to get a bomb on a plane, they will.

[Dementia_Madness]

Flashback:

http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/3/30/85015.shtml

Rep. Cynthia McKinney and a police officer scuffled Wednesday after the Georgia Democrat entered a House office building unrecognized and refused to stop when asked, according to U.S. Capitol Police.

McKinney, a sixth-term congresswoman who represents suburban Atlanta, struck the officer according to one account, a police official said, adding there were conflicting accounts. The officer, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the incident, spoke only on condition of anonymity.

No charges were filed, police said.

McKinney issued a statement Wednesday night saying she regretted the confrontation.

"I know that Capitol Hill Police are securing our safety, and I appreciate the work that they do. I have demonstrated my support for them in the past and I continue to support them now," she said.

Capitol Police spokeswoman Sgt. Kimberly Schneider said only that senior officials have been made aware of the incident and are investigating.

Members of Congress do not have to walk through metal detectors as they enter buildings on the Capitol complex. They wear lapel pins identifying them as members.McKinney routinely doesn't wear her pin and is recognized by many officers, the police official said, adding that she wasn't wearing it when she entered a House office building early Wednesday.

By one police account, she walked around a metal detector and an officer asked her several times to stop. When she did not, the officer tried to stop her, and she then struck the officer, according to that account.

In her statement, McKinney said most members of Congress expect Capitol police to recognize them. "I was urgently trying to get to an important meeting on time to fulfill my obligations to my constituents. Unfortunately, the police officer did not recognize me as a member of Congress and a confrontation ensued," she said. "I did not have on my congressional pin but showed the police officer my congressional ID."

McKinney was defeated in 2002 after she implied on a talk radio program that the Bush administration might have had advance notice of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. She won back the seat two years later with 64 percent of the vote.

http://www.akdart.com/cynthia.html