TSA Needs Major Overhaul, Director Pistole!

John S. Pistole, TSA Administrator

The Transportation Security Administration uses a ridiculous methodology to "keep us safe" from terrorists.  Anyone who passes through a scanner with an image that shows a "problem area" must submit to a patdown by one of the security agents of the same sex.  This happened to yours truly yesterday, for no known reason, other than a few spots around my knee that showed up on the scan.  After being asked if I wore a knee brace with my response of, "No," the agent required me to submit to a patdown, which I chose to have done privately.  I was not a happy camper!

I inquired why they just didn't send me through the scan again, because the female TSA person said I might not have had the proper stance when the image was taken.   "You have to be patted down," she said.  I was wearing jeans and a knit top and knew no legitimate reason existed for this action.  When we reached the room and were joined by another female agent, I protested loudly.  They said they were just doing their job.  Their job does little to ensure our safety, and their focus must change.  I pose absolutely no threat to this country, and TSA could figure that out, if they hired people capable of intelligent reasoning given data about my traveling history, American citizenship, and lack of any criminal history.

I am fed up with hearing that old ladies wearing adult diapers, children wearing braces, and people like me who are simply trying to fly to a destination for no reason other than business or pleasure should submit to this invasion of privacy.  Instead of employing people who are trained automatons, we should adopt a system similar to that of Israel, where they rely on observing passenger behavior rather than technology to determine threats.  Mr. Pistole, you need to hire people with a higher level of knowledge about suspicious behavior and allow them to discern who should be removed from the line and searched.

TSA has missed people that have shoe bombs, knives, and other weapons while they search passengers who have colostomy bags, an assortment of medical devices, and children.  Stop the nonsense and revise a system that angers people such as I, who are simply trying to get somewhere on time!