A three-year-old girl woth spina bifida "was reduced to tears by TSA screeners on her way to a family vacation in Florida earlier this month." Video at Gothamist.

  • JonS

    On the upside, though, she wasn’t able to hijack the plane.

    • Fooandbar

      Jokes aside, I wonder how much outcry there would be if this family was darker-skinned, wearing veils, father bearded, and with Arabic accent.

  • http://twitter.com/Polackio Matt Popke

    Really, what’s left to say?

  • MrQuagmire

    TSA, findin evil doers sinse 2001! 

    • Won Word

      Tub Stacking Authority: proudly closing the barn door for over 11 years.

  • Dan Campbell

    bush turned this country into a nation of cowards. There’s terrorist everywhere. The only way to stop them is to stop flying. Hurt the airlines financially and they will contact their purchased congressmen and have the illegal molestation stopped…

  • http://twitter.com/Arturo_Ulises The Ethnic Hipster

    The first line in a TSA Job Application Form: “Are you an asshole? __Yes” 

  • buenasolas

    How have we as a nation and society allowed the perpetuation of this myth that photography in a public place is illegal, let alone dangerous. 

    • Boundegar

      Wait, the three-year-old was a photographer?

      • http://www.facebook.com/john.meadows.5283 John Meadows

        The story was not just about the traumatization of the child, but also in that security attempted to say that recording it was illegal. Its not.

  • technogeekagain

    It is long past time for our government to stop doing the terrorists’ work for them. I’ll never forgive Bush for being the best collaborator they could have wished for; I’m having a hard time forgiving Obama for not having had the courage to stand up and say “That was a mistake; I’m sorry, and I’m going to demand that it be fixed.”

    • Won Word

      Oh come now. You know Boy Man King was only followin’ the orders of Dick “Darth Sneerious” Cheney.

      Remember: “The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded.”

      • allenels

        I believe you are making a grave mistake in thinking GWB is weak-minded! Millions elected him because they thought he was a “good ole boy!” A “good ole boy” that graduated from Yale, vacations in Kennebunkport ME. The perceived “fool” is not always the fool duped by evil.

  • Rachael Hoffman-Dachelet

    I thought the mom really did a great job being clear, standing her ground, and staying calm.  

    • J. Todd Leffar

      Lucy’s mom did a commendable / exceptional / damn fine / insert-additional-superlatives-here job of staying calm.

  • timmaguire

    If harassing and terrorizing little girls saves one life, then it’s worth it. For the children!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=8834925 Chauncey Scott

    I think it’s time to start a White House petition, that delves into enhancing the TSA’s training, and requirements (aptitude test, personality test, perhaps associates or bachelor degree) with the goal of making it into an actual ‘Civil Servant’ role. The need for security is undoubtedly real. However the execution is grossly mismanaged from top to bottom and everywhere in between. It’s just mind-numbing/boggling/bottling…..

    • Tynam

      You’re completely right, except for the part where the need for security is undoubtedly real.  (The only security change actually required was implemented a decade ago: reinforced cockpit doors.)

      The rest is your government bankrupting your country to show off the size of it’s balls.

      • Won Word

        Marbles aren’t impressive.

    • allenels

      Chauncey, the TSA is a multi-billion dollar government funded project. Do you really think our representatives in DC are going to acknowledge a petition from WE the People? The TSA, like the industrial military complex is about MONEY and all of the petitions from WE the People will not change a tinker’s damn until there are enough people in DC and state governments that become public servants to serve our needs. Sad to say, but we, as a nation, are a very long way from those sentiments.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jwin74 Jon Winchester

    I know we don’t like the TSA, but I can’t see anything too egregious here. The kid cried because she had to give up her doll while it went through the x-ray machine. This would have happened before the TSA existed, and three year olds cry at the drop of a hat, especially a cranky travelling three year old.

    • Greg Lester

       You mean OTHER than threatening the parent in regards to a fictional law about said parent’s right to film the TSA agent as she pats down a disabled 3 year old? Because that itself seems fairly egregious to me.

      I understand these people are hired to enact misguided rules about travel screening. It is telling that she would she lie to save herself the embarrassment of being filmed. Would she do that if she thought she was doing the right thing?

  • Cocomaan

    It was interesting to hear her say “Cite the law”. People must think they are still protected by the law.

    • http://ravenlunatick.wordpress.com/ ravenlunatick

       All the people who matter are protected by the law. :/

  • Imageination