Hey, usually when I find my bags have been opened it's after 3 months and the bags have been to Mexico City (not MY destination, but apparently my bags wanted to go there) where all the valuable contents have been removed. I'll take a note from the inspectors over the usual plundering any time.

Could be, Spooge, but if that were indeed the case, I think the feds would have the proof by now. Having the proof when it's not the case takes longer.

One thing:

To me, "not the work of a TSA employee" doesn't imply someone was intercepting baggage and defacing TSA forms; it implies that Mr. Goldberg himself wrote the message on the card in order to make the agency look bad.

Your "moke in the back" has been handed his "double-naught spy" credentials now, and that makes it something that should not be ignored or "gotten over".

I've flown that much or more since 9-11. The security varies from airport to airport. I've taken off my shoes in most. Had all the extra searches. Recently left a knife in one carry-on. Security guy watched my bags while I went out, mailed it home and came back. That was cool. Before 9-11, whenever I had stuff broken or screwed up, I got pissed, got make-goods from the airline and chalked it up to some moke in the back who wasn't careful with my stuff. That same moke and mokes like him or her are obviously still there - in this case, making stupid political comments. I don't see these incidents as part of a greater insidious government conspiracy - just business as usual, only a lot tenser. I think Ian's perspective is on the money.

Edited by author 03-16-2003 10:37 AM
There is no reason to get over it. This is the latest in a series of "individual incidents" of authority/position abuse since the TSA started operations. "How much are you flying" is a perfectly valid question to those who are soft-pedaling this incident.

Anybody remember the Breast Milk incident a few months ago?
How many of you have sat there and watched them destroy your ordinary personal property(shoes, luggage, etc) in the course of an inspection or sat there waiting for a traveling companion to show up on board, wondering if they were going to make it or had been sent off to the gulag for some reason.

It looks a lot different from my seat where I've clocked over 40K miles over the past 4 months. We had a whole set of nutdrivers confiscated because they were "weapons" on my trip to Laos last month, which it turns out we couldn't replace once we got there(but really needed). I've had to listen to friends fume over hiking boots that were practically destroyed because the TSA goon insisted on bending out each eye hook for no apparent reason, carry-on bags that zipped or clasped shut until the TSA got hold of them and on and on.
It's almost a game to guess what mood and condition your friends/co-workers are going to show up in on board.
Each of these is an "individual incident".
Cory is absolutely right. This is the tip of the iceberg and we're heading for it top speed.

They're coming for the frequent flyers, but don't let that bother you since you're not a frequent flyer.

They should make more white space on those cards so they can write little essays. Then we could grade them. Or trade them with your friends.

If this were an episode of CSI, that's how they'd nail the guy.

It was wrong for the federal officer to write that remark on the card, but you've got to give him credit for having good penmanship.

Edited by author 03-15-2003 11:13 PM
Indeed, if a federal officer with almost unlimited authority in airports said that or even just gutlessly and anonymously stuffed it inside your suitcase.

Or even, "We don't appreciate being told to fuck off and die. Twice."

Get over it? Fuck off and die. Twice.

What this is is simple. It's anonymous intimidation by a federal officer -- a federal officer with almost unlimited authority during the time you are airside in airports.

It is deeply, deeply, wrong. The inspector should be fired and charged with abuse of authority. The supervisor should be fired, for allowing such things to happen. No doubt the inspector showed his handiwork to others back in the luggage area, they should be fired for allowing the threat to be conveyed.

What next?

"We don't appreciate your support of the Democratic Party"

"We don't appreciate your support of the 5th Amendment."

"We don't appreciate you."

Get over it? Shouldn't that be directed at the guy stuffing his personal political opinions into other people's luggage?

Come on - this is obviously an isolated incident by an inspector with a degraded sense of responsibility.

Get. Over. It.

This got me thinking of ways to make messages or signs that would ONLY show up in a x-ray machine or scanner. Imagine a very clear NO WAR sign that would show up on the screens of your hand luggage. The best kind would be a sign that showed nothing special in visible light. Of course, you could say anything; GO WAR, for instance.

Cory-

It is obvious from your post that you've decided to lump this particualr incident with every other TSA incident you have knowledge of. And, it is an isolated incident. How many other reports are there of inspection tags being marked up with personal commentary? To my knowledge, this is the only one.

If you want to rant and lump everything together to somehow paint a picture of an agency gone mad with power, then be sure to point out everything they get right. This tag incident is not reflective of an agency abusing power. It's more likely about one person who thought they would deliver a childish message.

On the other hand, the comments by the TSA official who felt it couldn't be one of their own is troubling. It makes you pause and wonder how well the investigation will be carried out., which remains to be seen.