I really wish I were making this up. These news reports featuring our Transportation Security Administration appeared within the past week.
- All fun and games in Philly? A TSA employee with a penchant for practical jokes thought planting a plastic bag with white powder in passengers belongings as they went through screening would be hilarious. Apparently, affected passengers didn't see the humor in being accused of carrying illegal drugs. You can read a first hand account of the incident here. As outrageous as this is, the TSA was slow to react. In fact, it's even unclear if the employee was actually fired or left voluntarily because of the "pranks".
- X-ray resistant turbans? To the ignorant, someone wearing a turban is Muslim and therefore a suspected terrorist threat. It's no surprise how the TSA sees turbans. Think that going through the full body scanner (which produces a virtual nude picture and a host of other problems) will get you out of taking off your turban, think again. We all should be as outraged as the Sikhs forced to endure this humiliating religious discrimination.
- In response to the bombs that were mailed from Yemen recently on cargo planes, Homeland Security Chief Janet Nepalitano announced that the United States was banning..wait for it...ink and toner cartridges from all in-bound passenger flights. Way to react, Janet! To give credit where it's due, it's worth pointing out that these bombs from Yemen were intercepted by authorities in Dubai and England.
Feeling safer yet?