TSA Forces Cancer Survivor To Show Prosthetic Breast

MSNBC:

A longtime Charlotte, N.C., flight attendant and cancer survivor told a local television station that she was forced to show her prosthetic breast during a pat-down.

Read the whole story: MSNBC

Comments

[jetscan]

04:11 PM on 11/21/2010

You know, even when Europe was being terrorized by several terrorist groups like the Rote Armee Fraction and the IRA, we didn't let them dictate our lives. We didn't get paranoid like many Americans and the American government.

Let's face it, the terrorists have won.

[sazbad]

03:58 AM on 11/22/2010

you are completely right. Americans are coward as hell and they are making their lives more miserable by themselves then those terrorists.

[MissesJai]

12:44 PM on 11/22/2010

yep. they sure have....

[Bankerrkt]

01:31 PM on 11/21/2010

The Professor said that all of this groping was going to keep us safe from terrorists. Anybody buying that. Name one terrorist that the TSA has found through their screening. My question is who will keep us safe from the TSA?

[berthanan]

11:44 AM on 11/21/2010

Just curious....Do they pat down little kids and babies?That could be a whole other can of worms...

[goldbry]

01:07 PM on 11/21/2010

Yes.

[Bankerrkt]

01:27 PM on 11/21/2010

There is supposedly a modified patdown for children. I guess they just grope them less.

[SoCalM]

11:36 AM on 11/21/2010

How about we speak with our feet and our wallets and cancel all non-essential air travel?

Think they'll get the picture?

Skype, anyone?

[Bankerrkt]

01:29 PM on 11/21/2010

It's not the airlines fault. This is the federal government's agency and policies. The Professor has come out on this issue and he's all for it. What a surprise ....... he's for anything that transfers power from the people to a bloated federal government.

[sbrannon]

10:58 AM on 11/21/2010

This is all because of 9/11. Which has been an actual attack against the American public...but by whom, really. Who is behind all of this? This attack has created a snowball of extortion of our tax money, from a war in Iraq based on lies, to developing a destroyed country (where the Texas based companies gain in the millions, if not billions), based on lies, to fighting in countries where we do not belong and this "terrorism" is killing more of our own American people every day. Now this, spending on a thousand more machines that continue to take away our dignity and create a "police force" in the name of counter terrorism. What story are we getting fed here?

It is all a bit too scary for me.

[BlueBell04]

11:13 AM on 11/21/2010

Exactly what I am wondering or thinking.

[MissesJai]

12:45 PM on 11/22/2010

two words - Loose Change.....it's only a matter of time before we become a police state...

[bcunnin679]

10:40 AM on 11/21/2010

There was a man in Michigan who had bladder cancer and part of his bladder had been removed. When he told the TSA be careful and do not break the seal on this bag they ignored him, bag ruptured, urine all over his shirt and pants.

[sbrannon]

11:02 AM on 11/21/2010

We are not cows to be sent through the pens. We are only trying to get on an airplane. More terrorist attacks occur through bombing and shooting, in war zones. Not in America. I am so sorry about this man. Now, we need to bring an extra pair of clothes with us when we board a plane? I live overseas, and I am scared to go back home for the holidays...by what I have been reading today.

[DC]

10:07 AM on 11/21/2010

"The future for Rapiscan and its parent company OSI, however, was bleak. They had bet most of their chips on their backscatter technology and the inferior and more costly machines were winning the day. The OSI share price began to plummet and only a miracle could revive their fortunes. What they needed was a double-barrelled miracle that would reopen interest in their product and simultaneously spit in the eye of their competitor.

…
Enter the Underwear Bomber.

I find it hard to believe that it was simply a coincidence that this miracle decided to pass through Schiphol, the only EU airport to wholeheartedly embrace L3 Millimetre wave scanners."

"The scene mirrored perfectly the prediction of the US Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff in his report presented in 2008 which foresaw that “terrorists” would board planes claiming to be refugees or asylum seekers in order to exploit foreign travel channels."

The Chertoff Group had actually been contracted by Rapiscan to sell their products. And here was an advisor to the Secretary of Homeland security peddling his client’s wares shamelessly on CNN.

http://scrapthescanners.wordpress.com/2010/10/13/scanners-abdulmutallab-reid-chertoff-that-nicely-dressed-indian-man-and-the-great-terror-lobby/

[sbrannon]

11:04 AM on 11/21/2010

Great point! I have a feeling that in all this "anti terrorism" security tax money there was some bigger picture behind the scenes... at the normal citizens expense. I see our country becoming a police state more and more with our rights stripped away like an orange without a flicker of the eye.

[de-meme-ing]

07:08 PM on 11/21/2010

I have seen something similar. The pat downs are a way to force the public to use the scanners. This has nothing to do with terrorism, but everything to do with politics, big money and campaign contributions. Obama is lining his up. Thanks for the link.

[MJK NL]

09:55 AM on 11/21/2010

But, at least you are safe from terrorist, yes? Or well... at least from the type of terrorist that has no imagination whatsoever and will only use methods that other terrorists have already tried earlier.

[tardisrider]

05:31 PM on 11/30/2010

Am I the only person who is half-convinced that the next terrorist to attempt to attack or utilize an American plane in an attack, if there is one, will use their bare hands and then we'll be forced to surrender our knuckles at the TSA security line?

Also, having seen several videos of the "pat downs", which are really outright rubdowns and quite disturbing-looking, and having become aware of the fact that the body scans, in addition to leaving literally nothing to the imagination, also give surprisingly high levels of radiation which would not be good to be exposed to regularly, I have a question.

What the everloving hell is wrong with a regular police-style pat down? Seriously. Police officers and others in the crime prevention and security fields have a very specific, relatively non-invasive, and MUCH FASTER method of ACTUALLY patting people down, which is apparently reliable enough they, well... rely on it.

So... what, pray tell, is wrong with using the same method cops do to protect their own lives from gangbangers, to spot hidden weapons? Between that and bomb-sniffing dogs and a metal detector, you should be able to get about as much as you would from these much creepier gropefests, without making people feel like they're being sexually molested. AND the line would probably go faster on top of that!

[jmcfan2]

09:52 AM on 11/21/2010

I understand the need to keep people safe but I don't like this xray or frisk policy. I understand they now changed it were only people 12 and over are frisked. My neice and cousin 13 and quite developed and I can barely get them to change for gym class they are so self concious at this age. I hate to think that when we go on our next family trip they have to get xrayed like luggage for everyone to see and be humilated, or let some grown person fill them up and be humiliated.

[tardisrider]

05:40 PM on 11/30/2010

It is NOT frisking.

Frisking is quick, and though it may not exactly be fun, it's relatively non invasive - literally just a pat, pat, pat, to check there's nothing under the clothes.

These TSA gropefests are NOT normal "frisking". They use phrases like "run my hand slowly up to your groin...", and the videos of the searches show quite blatantly that they are RUBBING, generally multiple times over the same body part, and most especially around places like breasts - around, mind you, not on top in the bra where a woman might ACTUALLY be able to store something, not even a quick poke into the space in the bra between the breasts which is a less-secure storage spot, but a weird little obviously forceful up and down in the cleavage portion of the flesh! You know, where you can't possibly have hidden anything that well without having swallowed it?

THAT IS NOT A FRISK. That goes beyond "frisking" into molestation. It's not a "pat down", because there is no patting, there is only groping and rubbing; it is a RUB DOWN. Only less fun than that would normally imply.

Seriously, check out the videos - some of them are up on YouTube now - it's creepy!

[Gregor53]

09:25 AM on 11/21/2010

The Terrorists wanted to erode some of the rights we as American have enjoyed but did not respect. They succeeded. The Terrorists wanted to bankrupt America. They succeeded. The Terrorists wanted to divide the world. They succeeded. The Terrorists will eventually achieve their utopian government. They will Fail, but only if we stop shooting ourselves in the foot and wasting money on foolish things like this.

[sbrannon]

10:52 AM on 11/21/2010

I agree this is a waste of money. Even the "war against terrorism" is a waste of money. Most of this is propaganda, while more people are dying all over the world from our "wars" than from homeland terrorism, more people are going hungry and sleeping on the streets. The real question here is: who really are the "terrorists"? really.

[cybersense]

12:07 PM on 11/21/2010

No, I disagree. There are a few here that are falling to easy prey of those web sites that start out looking like they are peaceful, but aren't.

[Randy Wetzel]

11:15 AM on 11/21/2010

Bush and OBL had the same shared plan for America and they both got what they wanted, looks like a win win to everyone but the progressives.

[cybersense]

12:06 PM on 11/21/2010

Sorry, As much as I disagree having to be pat down, I will still do it in order to get on the plane. However, I believe these wars have actually caused more terrorists to act - not the other way around. This is a hard call. I guess I would rather have a pat down then have an xray.

[Gregor53]

12:37 PM on 11/22/2010

"...but progressives."   So, those that are not progressive want Americans rights restricted, a bankrupt America and a divided world?  I would say that those types of thoughts are no different than the terrorists. 

[Madison Lib]

09:25 AM on 11/21/2010

Amazing that this story remains at the bottom of the page, preceded by at least two other stories of the Palin family.

[cybersense]

09:20 AM on 11/21/2010

I understand this issue on both sides, but I have to bring up something here. Those of you who are not handicapped in some way seemed upset. If you are already handicapped, and have to endure more of this type of "handling" it is even more upsetting. First - you are already "different" and no matter how put together you are, there is that "handicapped" stigma. Now, because you are - you get even more invasive search or "handling". When I went to see my minor child off at the airport once, they wouldn't allow me to go beyond the security check point to sit with her until she boarded. I had called prior the flight to ensure I could. I got there and double checked, then I wasn't allowed. This was hair raising for me. Leaving my child alone while waiting. Why? If I pass security check, this should not have been an issue. When I tried to discuss this calmly, the security person told me that I would be taken away if I did not move on. Weird. My next question would be is how they are handling the children who are flying? I can handle a little "touchy" if I have to, and would rather do that then the xray that shows your whole body. Now they have chemical swabs? I can't do chemicals. How is this going to work? And I can see me get arrested watching this happen to my child. Anyone else?

[DC]

10:04 AM on 11/21/2010

those scanners are a scam and not even warranted. They do NOTHING for increased safety. No will they detect internal "bombs" The entire gig is to support Chertoff's personal business interest.

The company that he represents and that got a NO BID contract, was given the contract right after the dubious underware bomber AND after those Rapidscan machines were rejected in other markets in Europe found the radiation levels too high.

Oh, and the 173 million for them? Paid out of the stimulus funds.

The corruption of the US government and the miling of the publich in the name of fear is the oldest scam in the book.

The TSA, Congress and the Administration has a lot of answering to do and should start with a hearing and investigation of how those scanners were pushed onto the public and paid for and who government officials (past and present) are behind this thievery in the name of "security."

Sheeple unite.

[blueskies99]

11:10 AM on 11/21/2010

I am already panicking about my beautiful 18 yr old daughter flying off to London. I can see all the dirty old men gathering around the machine. UGGGHHHH. This TSA must go. Yes, they have way too much power. I am not sure why you couldn 't see your child off. It seems to me that this country is too much of a police state, while the corps laugh.

[bwestleyj]

09:19 AM on 11/21/2010

Here is the back story:

Since 9/11, there has been a private war between companies about who will provide passenger safety services and the amount necessary.

DON'T BELIEVE THE NEW HYPE ABOUT HOW THIS HAS TO DO WITH TERRORISM.
Studies have shown that MOST people agree with the procedures and their only grip is the speed in which they get through the security lines.

The Airlines don't want the security. They want to put as many people abroad their flights, as possible. They have stated openly that there was significant security before 9/11 and that things should go back to the way they were.
Their stance is ABOUT MAKING MONEY SO THEY HAVE LOBBYIST FIGHTING FOR THEM.

Meanwhile, you have LARGE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS LOBBYING TO KEEP AN EXPAND SECURITY. The government spends BILLIONS on these programs with more advanced security to come. THEY WANT TO MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE.

REMEMBER, EVERY TSA AGENT IS A GOVERNMENT CONTRACTOR AND DOES NOT SPECIFICALLY WORK FOR TSA -They aren't the problem, the GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS ARE THE ONE YOU SHOULD HAVE THE BEEF WITH.

So, you have the fight of the AIRLINES VS. THE SECURITY GOVERNMENT CONTRACTORS, WITH BOTH OF THEM JUST TRYING TO MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS POSSIBLE.

[Madison Lib]

09:29 AM on 11/21/2010

This latest body scan technique is being marketed by the company that was represented to the TSA by the Chertoff Group - the Michael Chertoff Group, I should say. It was being developed and implemented while he was still a cabinet member of the former Administration.

This is akin to Cheney personally making money from no-bid contracts to Halliburton while he was VP.

[bwestleyj]

09:47 AM on 11/21/2010

Excellent. One person who KNOWS some of the truth.

Exactly. This is a very little known story behind airline safety. The same companies have been providing these services for YEARS and they all have connections to the Bush Administration.
Remember, the Department of Homeland Security was stood up during those years and TSA reports to them.
Each Contractor is responsible for training each of its employees; and, there have been problems for years. Is it possible to find ONE PERSON who has experienced some type of problem out of the MILLIONS of passengers that fly every day? Of course.

This doesn't mean that we need to reform the security procedures. These are tested. What needs to happen is that the feud needs to end with the airlines and government contractors coming to an agreement about security.

[bwestleyj]

09:53 AM on 11/21/2010

One more thing...these government contractors are ALSO behind the privitization of these services, as well.

They understand that if they can get the public and government to buy in - they will basically have a "build-in monopoly" to provide them.

Who else could ramp up to provide them, when these companies already have people on the ground doing the work?

[blueskies99]

10:50 AM on 11/21/2010

I know someone who works for the TSA. High school education, no viable work experience. They are not trained to deal with the disabled let alone anyone who isnt disabled.

This poor man was humiliated by these cretins. I feel terrible. Its hard enough to be a cancer survivor but to then be treated like that? Should they be going after someone like this? Terrorist? I think not. My experience with them? An Indian agent tried to pick me up. Time to dissolve the TSA.

[bwestleyj]

11:23 AM on 11/21/2010

This person doesnt "work for TSA"; he works for a government contractor who is responsible for training and implementing this procedures. There's nothing wrong with the TSA safety and security measures - the problem is with the contractors who hire people who aren't the "best" and then give them crappy training.

Don't get me wrong though. Most are trained with excellent skills and they do a good job. But, there are a few bad apples who make the rest of them look awful.

I worked for a company that worked with TSA for years, especially after 9/11.

[riverhouse]

09:00 AM on 11/21/2010

It's ridiculous to assign this to Obama. He's the president of the United States. The TSA / Homeland Security stuff was up and running before he got anywhere near the Oval Office. And, of course, should he order all offensive scanning to be stopped as soon as someone got on a plane and did some harm he'd be blamed for not keeping the country safe. As long as profiling is considered out of order, what should be done? Timothy McVeigh was an All American soldier boy type. The guy who flew his small plane into the IRS building looked like a straight up American oak. As far as Israel is concerned, that is a tiny nation with a tiny percentage of flights and flyers compared to the USA. We can't possible personally interview everyone in America who wants to fly. Part of our problem is that Bush established that there were no civil rights available, that the government could and would intrude on every aspect of a citizen's life, and the feeding frenzy of support for 'capitalism' led to nonsensical, not very well thought out schemes that make money for some and terrorize the rest of us.

[bcunnin679]

10:43 AM on 11/21/2010

But he is now the President and should have some control, if he desires. He has yet to open his mouth.

[Helzapoppin]

08:44 AM on 11/21/2010

This nonsense has got to stop. This country lost its collective mind after 9-11 and politicians were more than happy to exploit that for their own self-serving purposes. Compare the number of people who die every year from terrorist attacks compared to those who die from car accidents, obesity, cancer etc etc and then try to explain why Americans are made to surrender their rights and dignity in the name of "keeping us safe." A plane is much more likely to go down from bad maintenance than from an attack. Or be struck by lightning.

This is what happens when small-minded authoritarians gain too much power.

[MeinNH]

09:12 AM on 11/21/2010

100% in agreement. F&F. Why more people are not speaking out is beyond me.

[blueskies99]

11:13 AM on 11/21/2010

True. Like everytbing else that is privatized its all about $$$$$$. Why dont we model Israel's system instead acting like a Banana Republic? What we need are professionals at the airports not a bunch of convicts and losers.