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Sippy Cup Terrorism: "They weren't fearful idiots back then"
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by Actual News Geezer | June 14, 2007 at 04:14 pm
3486 views | 10 Recommendations | 15 comments
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The story of Monica Emmerson and her 20 month-old son has reverberated across the web.
UPDATE: The TSA has posted its own version of events to its website. An account of this is here.
Many are outraged at the treatment this former Secret Service agent received at the hands of airport security staff and police officers when one of them decided to single out Ms. Emmerson for "special treatment."
Some people think Ms. Emmerson brought it all on herself.
The story has made BoingBoing and lots of other places. Everywhere, the comments from readers reveal a growing sense that when a baby's sippy cup becomes an object of suspicion, things have gotten out of hand.
I realize that security officials have a job to do.
Awhile ago I was travelling back to the States and went through the typical interrogation by a US Border agent . He was asking me all sorts of questions and I got a bit huffy. "I'm an American," I said. "You have to let me in."
He said: "Eventually. But not until you satisfy my unanswered questions."
In that one sentence, he revealed precisely what the job is, and in so
doing satisfied my unanswered questions. Why do security agents act the way they do? because their vague suspicions - rational or irrational - may be the best way to penetrate the bona fides of the person in front of them. It's like "gaydar": a sixth sense that
resonates at very subtle clues that most of us might miss.
So the guard who got my dander up - and whom I assumed was acting out of a poorly-disguised animus towards me - was just doing an inventory of the swarm of questions that my very presence provoked.
Some of the same skills, in fact, of a highly trained journalist.
Or clinician. Or judge. Or mother fussing over her teenager.
Here's where this goes wrong: when the interrogator loses sight of the human being. At the very point that the interrogation has the result of denying the subject their right to dignity, the process moves from the protection of society to an attack against it. Many people have seen the treatment of Monica Emmerson as an infuriating indictment of a whole civilization turned upside down with a preoocupation with terrorism.
But one comment in particular struck me as particularly poignant. Andras wrote:
This is fairly typical. My wife and I have travelled with our twins since they were 3 months old. They probably have about 28000 frequent flyer miles each at this point. I'm never more astounded by the idiocy of the government than when we are going through airports. The fear mongering that our own government agencies displays is simply amazing. My two year olds have more common sense than most of the screeners that we deal with. We have yet to be detained, but I've been very close to it as I watch the screeners go through one of our carry on bags and toss out the kids drinks and snacks, and not even open the other one (remember - two kids, two carry ons full of snacks and drinks). Then to make two year olds take off their shoes and belts (and try explaining to the TSA that the belt is decorative - it's attached to the pants and can't be removed) to go through security is the height of absurdity.
Just last night I was reading a book to one of our 2 years olds, about a
trip to the airport. It was an older book, published in the 1980's, and there was a page that showed people going through the xray & metal detectors. My 2 year old pointed out that they weren't taking off their shoes and wanted to know why she had to. I know that there are supposedly federal regulations now that you have to do so, but I couldn't reply with anything other than "they weren't fearful idiots when they wrote this book". Though I have to say that I was very close to saying that "they wrote this book back before the terrorists won".
Indeed. They weren't fearful idiots back then. The creation of a whole culture of idiots and a terrified citizenry screams out precisely what Andras couldn't bring himself to whisper to his child.
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Bill Adler
Washington, District Of Columbia, United States
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (15)
at 21:19 on June 14th, 2007
ANG, good report, it brings to mind 60 minutes or maybe it was Dateline who
were questioning Government officials about the thoroughness of their
No Fly list of names, whereby government officials stated proudly that while
the list is lengthy and may inconvenience some passengers who may share the
same name, The multi millions it cost to create the No Fly list is always
current and up to date, the Investigative reporter sensing the Government
Officials smugness of a job well done, the Investigative reporter then produced
a copy of the No Fly list (they had been secretly handed by someone with access
to the No Fly List) and announced this to the surprise of the Government
Official. The investigative reporter then stated, Soooooo, you keep it up to
date eh? The Government Official nervous as hell now, still sticks to her
story. The Investigative reporter then states a long list of deceased
terrorists, including those who died in 9-11, and asked, well if it is up-to-date,
how come dozens and dozens of deceased terrorists are still on the list.
Of course before the reporter could finish listing all
the names of deceased, the government official could be seen in my mind
slapping on some chunky disco platform shoes in preparation for a song and
dance, but apparently choked on her Gold Trans Am Necklace, impaling her
nostrils with a gold Coke Spoon and could not give a satisfactory reply. The
reporter ended, with a note that the terrorists involved in the London Subway
Bombing are not on the list amongst other well known terrorists who are free to
fly the United Skies of good old USA. So is it any wonder Airline Storm
troopers break out all the stops at a Sippy Cup and Toddler. It is a good thing
all the apache attack helicopters are in Iraq, or she and her kid and that damn
suspicious Sippy cup would have been done for. Because when it comes to
children’s toys, one cannot be too careful, you know.
at 08:37 on June 15th, 2007
Barry, thanks for the thoughtful comment.
I realize that security officials have a job to do.
Awhile ago I was travelling back to the States and went through the typical interrogation by a US Border agent . He was asking me all sorts of questions and I got a bit huffy. "I'm an American," I said. "You have to let me in."
He said: "Eventually. But not until you satisfy my unanswered questions."
In that one sentence, he revealed precisely what the job is, and in so doing satisfied my unanswered questions. Why do security agents act the way they do? because their vague suspicions - rational or irrational - may be the best way to penetrate the bona fides of the person in front of them. It's like "gaydar": a sixth sense that resonates to very subtle clues that most of us might miss.
So the guard who got my dander up - and whom I assumed was acting out of a poorly-disguised animus towards me - was just doing an inventory of the swarm of questions that my very presence provoked.
Some of the same skills, in fact, of a highly trained journalist.
Or clinician. Or judge. Or mother fussing over her teenager.
Here's where this goes wrong: when the interrogator loses sight of the human being. At the very point that the interrogation has the result of denying the subject their right to dignity, the process moves from the protection of society to an attack against it.
at 18:09 on June 16th, 2007
If I were that border agent and you had said to me "I'm an American" "You have to let me in", I not only would have continued getting the questions answered but I'd have asked you a few more!!
at 23:29 on June 14th, 2007
Actual News Guy, thanks for this follow up story. Terrorism is on everyone's mind here in DC and worldwide, but a 2 year old? This story truly saddens me.
at 13:04 on June 15th, 2007
As with every story there are 3 sides, your side, their side and the truth! You decide?
http://www.tsa.gov/approach/mythbusters
at 02:49 on June 17th, 2007
Whether the rules are stupid or not, at least they're simple (as long as they're enforced right--sounds like you had some imcompetent screeners). All it takes is some prick like Emmerson who thinks they're special, and suddenly the security resources get sucked over to the fool who's selfishly causing a scene. Figures she used to work for the government.
at 13:44 on June 15th, 2007
What will it take for people to wake up again, when it's your family that dies, things change!
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Iraqi insurgents used two children as cover to get through a checkpoint in Baghdad and then blew up the car while the kids were still inside, a U.S. general said Tuesday.
National Briefing | South: Florida: Airport Finds Gun In Teddy Bear
Published: July 18, 2003
Airport security workers found a loaded .22-caliber handgun stuffed inside a brown teddy bear that a 10-year-old boy was carrying on a trip home after his family's Florida vacation, the authorities said. A Transportation Security Administration worker noticed the outline of a gun on Saturday when the bear passed through an X-ray machine at Orlando International Airport. The boy's family said the bear was a gift from a girl at their hotel. ''She appeared at their hotel room door and offered them the bear,'' said Robert Johnson, an agency spokesman.
By JOHN KAYChief Reporter
and SIMON HUGHES
HATE-filled mums willing to sacrifice themselves and their BABIES are being hunted in the war on terror.
Security sources confirmed last night that alleged “baby bombers” were among those arrested over the plot to massacre thousands by downing transatlantic flights.
Those being quizzed included a husband and wife with a six-month-old infant.
The discovery prompted fears that there were fanatical mothers in secret al-Qaeda cells in Britain ready to become suicide bombers — and to die with their tots in their arms.
Arab Terrorist's Wife Used Baby to Hide Grenade
10:13 Oct 23, '05
By Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=91609
Soldiers arrested a terrorist's wife who held her baby to hide a grenade. In the same house, troops found a suitcase of explosives. The IDF also killed four other terrorists who attacked them.
at 20:28 on June 18th, 2007
Thank you for posting those articles showing that people use seemingly harmless things to hide weapons. Lets not for get the liquid chemicals brought on planes in drink bottles. We all complain about being subjected to "unnecessary" measures until something is blown up, then we wonder why it wasn't prevented. You just can't win with this country so why even try. Every wants security measures but, no one wants to comply. Regardless of whether or not you feel it's stupid or pointless the sooner you comply the sooner it's over.
at 13:57 on June 15th, 2007
Has everyone seen the video released on this woman at the checkpoint?
Evidently it was released today...
http://www.tsa.gov/approach/mythbusters/index.shtm
at 13:59 on June 15th, 2007
Has everyone seen the video released on this woman at the checkpoint?
Evidently it was released today...
http://www.tsa.gov/approach/mythbusters/index.shtm
at 13:59 on June 15th, 2007
Has everyone seen the video released on this woman at the checkpoint?
Evidently it was released today...
http://www.tsa.gov/approach/mythbusters/index.shtm
at 16:23 on June 15th, 2007
at 16:25 on June 15th, 2007
Bill,
As a "citizen journalist" I would think you would not be dupped so easily by a self-proclaimed VICTIM...View the WHOLE tape, as I have, you can clearly see her intentionally dumping it on the floor. Do you think Super Secret Squirrel Monica Emmerson thought about the elderly lady that walked through the fluids? She's lucky that lady didn't fall and break a hip. Futhermore, an agent such as herself should have some amount of intelligence to ascertain that WATER is a LIQUID.....
I find it unfortunate that so much time and energy has been wasted on a bogus accounting of the incident. Are you all idiots or don't you remember 9/11? Is it that you just don't think that another terrorist act will occur? Will you be the first to scream that enough wasn't done? What have YOU done to protect your family, your fellow Americans? We need fewer Monica ("I'm a victim") Emerreson's. You continue to defend her by saying she was so rattled she couldn't recall specifics? She was an AGENT.....Shouldn't all the cases she's been involved with be reviewed? If she lied about this what else has she lied about?
at 07:55 on June 17th, 2007
Come on- are you kidding me? what exactly was this woman focusing on?? She was not harassed...why did she take her child out of the stroller during what was clearly a tense situation to begin with, after she threw her little hissy fit and spilled the water on the floor, then she hand the child over to a complete stanger while she cleans up the floor instead of carrying him/ her, placing them back in the stroller or simply apologising and requesting that someone call maitenance? Then she has the balls to hit the online web circuit with her madness? Ay-yay yay...I hope she is truly retired and her SS credentials are being revoked. She needs an intervention if she is that stressed about traveling with a toddler and she can't follow simple instructions regarding liquids that have been PLASTERED all over the news....
at 15:25 on June 17th, 2007
Actually, I think that the man in the suit holding the toddler is her fiancé. Right before the man arrived, Ms. Emmerson had followed her son down the hallway and then she can be seen waiving at someone as if beckoning the person to come over – in fact she runs past her son (and it appears that she just missed running into him) and does the "wave" before turning around to pick up the toddler.
Either way she was wrong on so many points that she should have kept her mouth shut and chalk it up to having a really bad day.