Write "Kip Hawley is an Idiot" on your baggage, get detained.
 

Yep. Your gubmint experts keeping us all safe up there hard at work. . .



http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/09/28/idiot.baggie/index.html



WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Wisconsin man who wrote "Kip Hawley is an Idiot" on a plastic bag containing toiletries said he was detained at an airport security checkpoint for about 25 minutes before authorities concluded the statement was not a threat.

Ryan Bird, 31, said he wrote the comment about Hawley -- head of the Transportation Security Administration -- as a political statement. He said he feels the TSA is imposing unreasonable rules on passengers while ignoring bigger threats.

A TSA spokeswoman acknowledged a man was stopped, but likened the incident to cases in which people inappropriately joke about bombs. She said the man was "a little combative" and that he was detained only a few minutes.

The incident has ignited some chatter on Internet travel Web sites. More than 83,000 people have clicked on a FlyerTalk.com forum devoted to the episode, and the forum has grown to include 30 pages of comments.

Bird, the vice president of a company that manufactures industrial equipment, said the encounter occurred at Milwaukee Airport on Tuesday, the day the TSA eased restrictions on carry-on liquids, gels and aerosols.

Bird entered the airport checkpoint with a see-through resealable bag containing small containers of toothpaste, deodorant, mouthwash and hair gel -- in keeping with new TSA requirements.

"My level of frustration with the TSA and their idiotic policies has grown over 2 ½ years," he said. "I'm frustrated that poorly trained TSA people can pull random passengers out of line and pat them down like common criminals. The average traveler has no recourse."

Bird put the marked bag in a plastic tray along with his shoes and cell phone. A TSA screener saw the bag and went to get a supervisor, who grabbed it and asked Bird if it was his.

"It was obvious that he was already angry," Bird said, adding that the screener told him, "You can't write things like that."

The supervisor told Bird he had the right to express his opinions "out there" -- pointing outside the screening area -- but did not have the right "in here," Bird said.

The supervisor called a sheriff's deputy, who checked to see if Bird had any warrants for his arrest, Bird said. Bird asked the officer if he was under arrest, and was told that he was being detained, he said.

A supervisor said he was going to confiscate the bag, but after Bird refused, he just photographed it, Bird said.

Bird said he filed a complaint about the incident with the TSA.

A TSA spokeswoman said she could not confirm whether Bird had filed a complaint, but described the incident as insignificant.

Screeners looked at the bag to "make sure it wasn't anything like a bomb threat," she said. She said the man was "a little combative" and that a law enforcement officer came over, briefly interviewed him and determined that he hadn't broken any laws.

"Everyone's entitled to their own opinion," she said.

A spokeswoman for the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office said the TSA did call the sheriff's office to report an upset customer at the checkpoint. A deputy went to the scene, interviewed all of the participants, ran a wanted check on the man, and referred it back to the TSA after determining no crime had been committed, Deputy Darice Landon said.

Landon said the original call came at 2:21 p.m., and it was unclear how long the man was detained. There is no indication that he was combative, she said.


"TSA". :rolleyes: "Thousands Standing Around" or "Tenured Shoelace Analysts". . . I feel soooooooooooo much safer knowing they're on the case. . .

Ticks me off just reading it.

He brought it upon himself. You don't yell FIRE in a movie theatre

But he didn't. He did the equivalent of writing "Hollywood sucks" on his bucket of popcorn.

I disagree. This really shows what's wrong with the whole system these days. These TSA people got bent out of shape because he wrote something on a bag? Good grief. Bid deal. They should have chuckled and said, "Have a nice day.". Instead they detain him? Crazy.

I accidentally walked past a TSA agent at the Newark airport awhile back that was checking boarding passes before you could get in line to go through security (she had her back to me talking to another passenger and I didn't even notice that she was a TSA agent) and you would have thought I had just mowed down a group of nuns with an AK47. I mean she's hollerin' and screaming and other TSA agents are running over to prevent me from getting in line. Sheesh. They need to lay off the Red Bull...

Mike

"He brought it upon himself. You don't yell FIRE in a movie theatre."

Yeah, that's exactly the same. Good analogy.:rolleyes:

so what , he didn't yell fire, he yelled "some dude is an idiot"

i don't even know who this kip hawley is , so big deal
could be "Dubbya is an idiot" for all i care ,
freedom of speech isn't that quite big in the US or what?

I'm not taking sides here. I think the "security" at the airports has gotten needlessly excessive.

It would be one thing if he was stopped for no good reason. If you call attention to yourself, then you have to deal with the consequences. In my mind, it's the same as having a bumper sticker that says "I hate cops" then wonder why a cop throws the book at you when you get pulled over.

I think he should have been searched. If that takes detaining him, then fine.

Man walks into airport with a bag full of goodies. He has written that the head of the TSA is an idiot on the bag. He is getting ready to board a flight full of civilians. If they don't detain him/search him and he blows the plane up...then what? Would the TSA get a pass because they were respecting his civil rights?

If you go to a White House dinner with a shirt that says "Dubya Sucks" I would bet the Secret Service might take interest in you as well...

You just don't understand...

It's necessary to destroy freedom in order to preserve it.

Should be obvious, It's not rocket science ya know.

searched, fine , how long does it take to look into a bag?

Give me a f%^&ing break. His opinion does not constitute a threat. Let's not forget that NO PERSON is going to get by WITHOUT being searched. The treatment he received, in my opinion, constitutes harassment. Never mind that little constitutional right called freedom of speech.
I understand the need for security and I am glad they are at least trying but it has gotten out of hand. Too many "monkeys" running around with a TSA patch and a power trip. The fact is if someone wanted to blow up a plane they wouldn't advertise it on a bag. Come on!!
A typical abuse of power from some overpaid, under qualified, insecure TSA employee.
I used to fly at least 2-4 times a week, every week for work. I saw this same thing a lot and I just had to go with the flow. It made me mad but what can you do?
I finally came to my senses, quit my job, sold the house, bought a sail boat and moved to the family to the Bahamas. No one wants to blow up a plane that is going to the Bahamas. I don't even have to go through a security check point to get here.
I sure don't miss all that crap.

Ben

I don't know. Apparently they ran his name through the supa evil no fly list as well. According to the article they only detained him for 25 minutes, I think that sounds like a reasonable time to call a supervisor, do a check and see if he has a criminal record, search the bag, etc.

In all likelihood this guy is happy he got stopped. Now he gets an article in the paper about him and gets talked about on PPOT. If they hadn't stopped him he just be another idiot in an airport.

"Man walks into airport with a rubber chicken on his head or a T-shirt saying I'm with stupid. He is getting ready to board a flight full of civilians. If they don't detain him/search him and he blows the plane up...then what? Would the TSA get a pass because they were respecting his civil rights?"

At what point do you say enough?

Um, enough would be when the name on the bag isn't the man in charge of national airport security.

It's kinda the same thing as wearing a shirt that says "I love Jay Leno" vs wearing a shirt that says "I love Osama bin Laden"...

I figured that was obvious.

you do that in this town and you might disappear into SM bay...

Do not agree at all. They did their best to screw with him, as was shown buy them running a warrant check on the guy, which was not needed one bit. I would file a complaint and ask for a written apology, and I fly for for a living.

Many of these TSA jerks are just that, jerks and need to be knocked down a rung or three IMHO. Do your job and check baggage but if everyone had an attitude like these inspectors did there would be major problems.

For once I agree with Joe.

TSA isn't staffed with the sharpest folks. From my experience many of them take a perverse pleasure in the power which they yield, and do not display a lick of common sense.

he's the idiot.
I learned at a very young age that if you go looking for trouble you will find it, obviously this guy never learned that lesson.
The fact that he got what he was after and then complained about it makes me think he's a bit on the unstable side.

Sammy,

If he is an idiot, then what do you call all of these "Dubya was an idiot" and "Why dont we seceed from the Union" and "Clinton is my idol" posts?

These guys are making posts on this forum looking for trouble, and directly against forum rules trying to start a fight, and they are never hassled about it!

BTW, if you are really serious about your comments, please never take an airplane again. About 90% of the flight crews feel the same way about the TSA and would not pee on them if they were on fire.

ok, that one shot coffee out my nose. thanks for the laugh :D

Um, I didn't say the guy was wrong in his opinion, or that he shouldn't have an opinion, I said that he was an idiot for looking for trouble and complaining about it when he found it.
Putting that statement on a bag was asking from trouble and stupid. Especially when he demonstrated an attitude. Complaining about getting hassled when his actions dictated that hassle was also stupid.

And the guys here who make posts that are inflammatory do get hassled for it, constantly. For every political troll on this board there are two others waiting to jump down their throat for posting dumb
stuff.
Plus this is a forum that is labeled off topic and it exists purely as a place to post opinions and discuss stuff just like this.
That is a long way from an airport security screening. I don't really see any parallel at all.

Edit, Todd, Sorry thought that the "coffee" comment was from Sammy. Was late here and did not see that it was a different person. Still, this is no laughing matter.

The flight crews have had enough of being hassled at the security checkpoints. You guys do not have an idea of the extra searches we go through and its gotten to the point where its being discussed our having a strike in the UK and America where the flight crews are either treated with some respect or we refuse to go past the checkpoints. You passengers can sit in the airplanes or lounges but if this happens there may not be anyone sitting in the pointy end of the plane.

For weeks after the London incident last month we were stopped from carrying a pen or calculator into the airplane. Sorry guys and gals, but I cannot fly over the water legally and safely without a pen or calculator. We have to have one of each to do our paperwork and calculations to have and insure a safe flight. Finally after there were some issues on flights, we put our foot down and said enough, you will not let us take these onboard, then we will stop flying. Funny thing but overnight we were allowed to take pens and calculators in the cockpit.

Next was food. Many companies do not supply the pilots with meals during a flight, so they always grabbed their own inside the terminals or brought meals from home. After the London incident this was prohibited. Well kids, on a 14 hour flight you just are not safe without food of some sort. Your blood sugar drops to very low levels after 7-8 hours and you are not safe. These airline's prohibit the flight crew from eating passenger food on board, so what do you do? Lose your job by grabbing some food left on the tray of a passenger? Do you want me awake and alert for landing or falling asleep due to low blood sugar levels? As well these rules are the same for the flight attendents. As you are coming for landing they have not had anything to eat in 14 hours and their blood sugar is at very low levels. These are the people who are going to help you out of the plane in the event of an accident. Is this what you really want as a passenger?

After this was a spare pair of glasses. If we wear glasses, flight crew are required by law to carry a spare pair of glasses during each and every flight. Course the security idiots would not allow us to carry a spare pair in the cockpit. That makes ever flight we did illegal and puts us in a position to be violated should a flight inspector be onboard.

Its just gotten silly where we are the ones flying the jets, yet are in many cases strip searched everytime we go through the checkpoint looking for something on our person needed to hijack the planes. If any pilot wanted to cause a disaster all they have to do is to wait until the other pilot goes out of the cockpit to the potty, then lock and bar the door, do a few other things which I am not going to mention on any forum and the plane is theirs.

ANY pilot has had this option for years and yet not ONE pilot has ever done this. WE are NOT THE RISK, its the terrorists, yet our search's are in many cases much more probing because they idiots there who like to abuse their power. Most airlines now have their crews go through the security checkpoints as a group after solo flight crew members have been hassled by the people doing the searching.

Enough rant but this situation has gone too far and needs to be brought back into reality.

That's the problem, right there. Maybe the passenger's not exactly an altar boy for writing something like that on his bag. But it clearly (get it?) doesn't violate any laws or rules to do so. TSA guys were insulted, and took advantage of their power to give the guy a hard time. It's NOT the same thing as making a joke about a bomb, or yelling "Fire!" in a movie theater.

It's truly a wonder they knew who the top guy in TSA was.

+1

:D :D

I'd pee on the head of the TSA if he was on fire. I'd pee on him if I had the chance, even if he wasn't on fire. I'd do my best to not extinguish the fire. (See how I avoided ending my sentence with a preposition? Hint, "Putting the fire out" was the easiest way to end the sentence.)

Ever wonder why America hasn't been attacked on its own territory since 911? Could it be that it is because we are doing all the damage a terrorist could hope for all on our own?

I agree,we have done more damage than any terrorist could have hoped to do. I would risk flying on any airline, without any security, as long as the pilot and passengers were permitted to carry guns. Thats what seperates an american from the rest of the world.

Yes, actually you do if there's a fire. However, the phrase you've used above comes from a Supreme Court case wherein several antiwar activists were arrested, charged, and convicted for passing out flyers encouraging men not to report for the draft, World War One era. The case has since been reversed, you can now post, distribute, or display almost anything. The particular message in this story is absolutely protected speech and if this gentleman wishes to do so, he would likely win a lawsuit against the US government.

I wish him well.

Whatever. Not they way I would try to board a flight. Kinda like the guy who goes to DMV with a shirt that says 'Civil Servants Suck'.

Hey, I have a better idea; let's do away with both the TSA and the DMV so we get rid of these sleazy government thugs.

Surely, you don't excuse any government thug from his duty because someone says they don't like said thug, do you?

Had a patient relate an interesting story to me the other day.

She went to President Reagan's memorial service several years ago. They would not let anyone in with a cell phone, or any liquids. She thought this was odd, and asked why. They did not say much about the cell phones, but advised her they were concerned about liquid explosives. It has only been very recently that they did anything about this concern on airlines.

I have had a 7mm combination wrench(use it to secure the valve caps on my car's tires, keeps little wankers from swiping them) taken from me. I could do more damage with the handle of my razor, which was in the same bag. My wife boarded a plane with her pepper spray on her key chain, did not notice it until we were leaving the airport following our return leg.

Which would you be more concerned about, a 10 cm long wrench or a full container of pepper spray?

In this case, the guy was making a statement and got hassled about it, happens every day. You have freedom of speech, but if you say something looking for a reaction, don't complain that you did not like how they reacted.

Yes, I do think the TSA is generally poplulated by morons, and they over-reacted in this case.

Not me, Bunky. I'm just trying to get on the plane or pick up my personalized plates.

I think our government is far to intrusive. I do not fear people like Bush, but to think what someone like Clinton could do with the same power is downright scary. Clinton caused the massacre at Waco, he was indirectly responsible for the Federal building that was blown up, and several dead people popping up in parks etc. Just think what he could have done with terrorism bills that have been passed since 9-11.

That's some stretch Snowman. You must be really flexible.

Ryan Bird's encore will be a visit to a local biker hangout with his favorite t-shirt: "Harleys for homos."

Bush I was completely responsible for Ruby Ridge and the murders there; and for allowing Clinton access to the planning for Waco before he was sworn in. Or, didn't you know that?

You're really out of the loop, old man.

The thugs at the gate just may have pissed off the wrong guy.
http://www.kiphawleyisanidiot.com/

Whatever--- Clinton pushed the button, not Bush.

These two acts by CLINTON, brought this country closer to civil war than anything EVER!

The Federal building is PROOF positive. 100's of innocent americans were killed, why? Fear of CLINTON and his commie friends taking over this country.