Comments on: TSA screener assaults airline pilot

By: donovan acree

donovan acree — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:10:00 +0000

It’s kind of disturbing how many people are defending the foul mouthed, coffee slinging, TSA agent. Not only was she in violation of TSA policy by using foul language while on duty she was also charged with assault due to her criminal actions.

By: shadowfirebird

shadowfirebird — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 08:01:00 +0000

Well, it’s possible that that’s true of the Daily Fail, too. But the trouble is, how can you tell?

The only way of verifying that I can see it to look for it in another paper. And if you are doing that, the simpler procedure is just not to read the DM in the first place…

By: Guest

Guest — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:00:00 +0000

To be fair, we have to be careful about the BBC too

By: Guest

Guest — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Yes. I’ve noticed a lot of douchebags carrying fainting couches around too.

By: Guest

Guest — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 04:59:00 +0000

the n-bomb is a totally innocuous and professional word, however, and the person charged was clearly the victim. You saw it with your own eyes.

By: Guest

Guest — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 04:57:00 +0000

don’t taze me captain

By: Guest

Guest — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 04:52:00 +0000

uniforms mean something, or they don’t. If they don’t, don’t put one one.

By: Guest

Guest — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 04:51:00 +0000

have you met the government?

By: Marc45

Marc45 — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 02:07:00 +0000

Except in Florida…

By: ocker3

ocker3 — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 01:37:00 +0000

Not Everything Fox produces is horribly slanted, I read a very well written analysis of how Arizona kicking out all the illegal immigrants would ruin their economy (based partly on the fact that they can buy houses and thus pay property tax, helping fund the schools people were complaining that their kids went to). Now, that may be an outlier, but I’ve learned not to distrust Everything they say, just question it really closely.

By: ocker3

ocker3 — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 01:32:00 +0000

I think he’s tangentially agreeing with you

By: ChristinaWard

ChristinaWard — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 01:08:00 +0000

I picked up a Slovakian co-worker from the International terminal at O’Hare last week Tuesday. While waiting at the A Gate for over an hour, I listened to the two women, one who was TSA one who was private security, engage in conversation that utilized the foulest of language.

And as they were the only people in any official capacity nearby, numerous non-native Chicagoans stopped to ask them questions. In every single engagement I witnessed, they were rude, unhelpful and in one case; engaged in racist behaviors. (They mocked the orthodox Jewish family seeking help with a connection/luggage misunderstanding.)

I was ashamed for my country. If I want to swear up a blue streak in private; great. But in a public area? When I’m ‘on the job’; nope. It’s never appropriate to use foul language on the job. Unless you’re Lenny Bruce.

By: jaduncan

jaduncan — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:14:00 +0000

…you read the Daily Heil that frequently?

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:54:00 +0000

People say that all the time. And yet…I frequently see things at the Daily Mail that show up two days later on BBC.

By: SamSam

SamSam — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:32:00 +0000

Djinn PAWN: A word doesn’t become racist or not when it’s work-place talk versus home talk.

And let’s not get into yet another one of those discussions on “if black people can call themselves ___ then I should be able to too.” It’s been talked too death everywhere. There’s a difference between a member of an opressive class using a slur and a member of the repressed class reclaiming the same word. It doesn’t make the word “work appropriate,” but it doesn’t make it racist either.

By: Mark A

Mark A — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:00:00 +0000

It is not assault but it is a threatening and aggressive act. She knew that he meant to do her harm because of this tiny issue.

By: Navin_Johnson

Navin_Johnson — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:01:00 +0000

I said it shouldn’t be used in the workplace, perhaps you missed it. Having said that, it’s by no means “racist” for minorities to use slurs that privileged people use to demean them amongst themselves.

You’re offering up the classic: “If I can’t use that language then they shouldn’t be able to either”.

It’s whether the person(s) hearing the language thinks it’s offensive, not the intent of the offender.

Really now. Do you also think it’s homophobic when gays use “queer” as well?

By: Djinn PAWN

Djinn PAWN — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:53:00 +0000

Navin – Workplace language is different than entertainment geared at adults. Comparing the language used by rappers and Richard Pryor to a TSA employee at work is like saying TSA staff can strip naked in front of co-workers and children because strippers can do it in adult clubs.

If the TSA employee wants to use that language then they can cut a rap album, or go do stand up on their own time in the appropriate venue. But when they are in a public place, in a work setting, then yes – it is racist. It’s not about intent, it’s about perception – just like sexual harassment. It’s whether the person(s) hearing the language thinks it’s offensive, not the intent of the offender.

And to try and excuse behaviour with “I think it’s ok for one race to use a word and it be racist and not ok for another race” seems to prove my point. It’s a racist word – not only when a different race utters it (like you suggest) but when anyone does.

By: Ipo

Ipo — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:36:00 +0000

I don’t know.
Is a federal officer, authorised to carry, by the TSA, an employee of TSA?
Maybe.

By: Navin_Johnson

Navin_Johnson — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:21:00 +0000

TSA screener assaults TSA officer

Fixed!

By: Ipo

Ipo — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:20:00 +0000

Under this program, eligible flight crew members are deputized Federal Law Enforcement Officers authorized by the Transportation Security Administration to use firearms.
Federal Flight Deck Officers are cops.

By: Navin_Johnson

Navin_Johnson — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:16:00 +0000

TSA officer:

Trivett then identified himself as a ‘TSA officer’ - an armed pilot – before trying to grab the ID tags of screener El to get her name.

It’s getting humorous to see the lengths that people are going to avoid saying that he was a fellow TSA employee.

By: Ipo

Ipo — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:06:00 +0000

Murdoch.
Propaganda in the form of entertainment under the guise of news.

By: Guest

Guest — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:05:00 +0000

Those are the requirements for an LEO to fly armed. Satisfying those requirements don’t make one an LEO.

An armed pilot is an FFDO and not exactly the same thing as an air marshal: http://www.tsa.gov/lawenforcement/programs/ffdo.shtm

For one, it’s not a paid position.

By: Ipo

Ipo — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:03:00 +0000

They specifically mention that he identified himself as federal law enforcement officer before “putting his hands on her”.

I wonder why he didn’t just pepperspray the fuck out of them before taking their badges.
This seems suspiciously non-standard.

By: Navin_Johnson

Navin_Johnson — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:02:00 +0000

The pilot is a TSA officer, according to the article.

By: Navin_Johnson

Navin_Johnson — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:01:00 +0000

Is that carved in a wall somewhere or something?

I don’t think it should be used in the workplace (obviously), but while I personally don’t like it, I don’t think that it’s “racist” for African Americans to use the word. If it is, then you also must think that Richard Pryor, thousands of rappers, poets etc. are “racist” for using it.

By: Bob Brinkman

Bob Brinkman — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:58:00 +0000

Reaching forward to read someone’s identification is not assault, especially when it is work related. Throwing hot coffee on someone? That’s assault. These are the useless wastes of skin who are supposed to make us feel “safe”.

By: howaboutthisdangit

howaboutthisdangit — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:57:00 +0000

Most public-facing jobs, including pilots are concerned with public image and professionalism. As a uniformed employees who deal with the public, TSA screeners should also be concerned with their image, and many are, but the TSA seems to hire too many people just to fill the uniform, regardless of attitude.

Frayed bundle of nerves? No, more like a flunky who couldn’t hold down a job at a more respectable place, like a fast food restaurant.

By: Ipo

Ipo — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 16:53:00 +0000

From the TSA site:
To qualify to fly armed, Federal Regulation states that an officer must meet the following basic requirements:
-Law Enforcement Officers may fly while armed if they have gone through the proper training with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
-Be a Federal Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) or a full-time municipal, county, or state LEO who is a direct employee of a government agency.
-Be sworn and commissioned to enforce criminal statutes or immigration statutes.
-Be authorized by the employing agency to have the weapon in connection with assigned duties.
-Have completed the training program, ‘‘Law Enforcement Officers Flying Armed.”

So it seems that the pilot is actually a law enforcement officer.
A cop.