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by etchalon 4674 days ago
Well, if you'd read the rest of the article, you'd see the procedures are designed to ensure that, if he's going to do that, he's doing it without any implement of harm on him, or least not one the TSA can find.

Also, pointing out that it's impossible to deter a truly convicted person from a heinous act does not mean all deterrents are pointless.

Yes, MUCH of what the TSA does is theater, and doesn't do much to keep us safe. Yes, much of it is theater.

But based on all the evidence provided in both his account, and the one above, the TSA acted in a completely sane way in this incident.
2 comments
einhverfr 4674 days ago
That does not mean he wasn't detained. If you aren't free to go, you are detained.

If you are pulled over for speeding, until the officer lets you go, you are detained.

So not only was he detained but his bag was seized. Now arguably everyone is briefly detained by the TSA on condition of travel, and arguably all bags are seized briefly. However, that is why there needs to be scrutiny on these practices.

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etchalon 4674 days ago
As was stated, he wasn't detained. He was told he could leave the airport, escorted by personnel, but that his bag had to remain.

So he chose to stay.

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moocowduckquack 4674 days ago
He was told he could leave the airport, escorted by personnel, but that his bag had to remain.

Being told you can walk away if you like but we are keeping your stuff, is usually a form of theft.

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einhverfr 4674 days ago
Not a form of theft, but it is a seizure of property.

This is interesting. The argument is over whether he was detained or whether his property was seized. Fun shell game there. Not....

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einhverfr 4674 days ago
"Wait here for someone who will escort you out" = "he was detained."

"The bag had to remain" = "they seized his bag."

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glenra 4673 days ago
> Yes, MUCH of what the TSA does is theater, and doesn't do much to keep us safe. Yes, much of it is theater.

ALL of what the TSA does is theater, and it actively makes us LESS safe. Their actions cause over a thousand unnecessary deaths a year by making air travel less convenient and more expensive so people who drive when they would otherwise fly get killed in auto accidents. There is no evidence they have saved even a single life with any of these precautions, much less the thousand-a-year they'd need for the billions we spend on them to be a break-even proposition.

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