The Incompetent Face of the War on Terror
You might remember I had a bit of a run in with the Transportation Security Administration. I’m sure they do. If you go to Google and type ‘The TSA broke into my bag’ my blog entry is the first thing to show up.
Anyways, on the flight back to New York from Denver they broke into my bag again. This time they decided to open a Vespa lamp given to me by Tai from Erico Motorsports for my daughter Daisy. In the process they ripped the back wheel off.
The box stated that it was a Scooter Lamp from Pottery Barn Kids, a reputable retailer that has been selling casual furnishings since 1999. I suspect that the gorillas from the TSA thought it was a bomb. A beautifully crafted Vespa-shaped bomb with headlights, indicators and rear lights that illuminate when you plug it in. By the look of things they tried to pull it apart but when a screw holding the back wheel on didn’t yield to their delicate touch they decided to just rip it off.
After ascertaining it wasn’t a bomb they put all the parts back in the box and wrapped it in official TSA tape to let me know they’d come a-calling. Again.
I was furious. And when the TSA officials at JFK insisted on looking at the lamp again before letting me on my flight home (I suspected they would – that’s why I carried it in my hand luggage) I showed them the handiwork of their colleagues in Denver and asked them what they were going to do about it.
The manager on duty was called over and I was given a claim form to fill in when I got home. I pulled it out on the plane to read it and discovered that I needed an itemized signed estimate of the damage by ‘two reliable, disinterested concerns’ approved by the US government. I’m sure they’re thick on the ground here in London.
After having a bit of a squiz around the internet I realised I got off lightly in my run-ins with the TSA. I came across this story about a guy who got arrested for protesting about the TSA squeezing his pregnant wife’s breasts and lifting her skirt in front of all the other passengers to check that she really was pregnant. He was promptly arrested and banned from Portland Airport for ninety days.
It got me thinking about this war on terrorism that George W declared on all our behalf. If the antics of the TSA are anything to go by, it’s already lost.
The Blog!
June 7th, 2006 at 8:10 pm
Scary article you’ve linked to Peter – scary, but sadly unsurprising. And sorry to hear about your own difficulties. Paranoia seems to have gripped both sides of the Atlantic lately.
I’m just glad to know there’s people out there writing about travel in terms of patience, gentle humour, seeing the positive side, and humans’ default setting being “good”!
June 9th, 2006 at 7:47 am
I long ago crossed America off my list of intended destinations. I was there in 1989 and I loved it. I have some incredible American friends over there however while George and his cronies are in charge I don’t want to go near it and I will not be fingerprinted like some criminal … it takes a lot to annoy me but it’s done.
And anyone squeezing my breasts and lifting my skirt would surely earn the appropriate painful physical response for me and then be sued for assault.
Jaysus, has the world gone insane???
June 9th, 2006 at 4:20 pm
Peter I just bought your book from Amazon. I can’t wait to dig in. I’ve been following your blog since Nuclia’s announcement that you were coming.
I’m so sorry to hear about the lamp problem. If it’s not fixable I can send another over as a replacement in show of whirled peas from the Seattle SQREAM contingent. Oh and don’t let Bush get in the way of your fun, I’ve been avoiding that for years!
June 13th, 2006 at 10:26 pm
Peter,
I am just devastated to hear about your lamp! Is it at all fixable? I am just horrified that the TSA ruined your lamp.
June 14th, 2006 at 11:57 pm
Peter – On behalf of the American People, I offer you my heartfelt apologies.