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TSA Makes 4-Year-Old Take Off Leg Braces

Posted by samzenpus on from the safety-crawl dept.

Have you heard the one about the airport security screener who made a handicapped and developmentally delayed 4-year-old take off his leg braces and lurch through the metal detector? It's hilarious! The kid has malformed ankles and very low muscle tone in his legs due to being born 16 weeks prematurely. His parents thought he would like to visit Disney World for his birthday, but the kid's custom-made leg braces made the metal detector go off at the airport. The TSA agent refused to let the kid pass until he took off the braces and walked through the machine unaided. This is a joke, right?

16 of 27 comments (clear)

  1. USA: The worst tourist destination by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The US has gotten progressively worse to visit. You guys need to stop this insanity.

    1. Re:USA: The worst tourist destination by tobiah · · Score: 1

      No shit, and I have to live here!

      --
      "The ability to delude yourself may be an important survival tool" - Jane Wagner -
    2. Re:USA: The worst tourist destination by Nutria · · Score: 1

      No shit, and I have to live here!

      I perfectly remember when Democrats and other left-wing idiots brayed continuously that federalizing airport security would make us so much safer because http://www.house.gov/platts/opeds/op_airportsecurity.shtml

      The TSA is required to: 1) enact stricter standards for the screening of airline passengers and baggage; 2) conduct extensive background checks on all airport security personnel; 3) provide the training for and testing of all airport security personnel; and 4) provide uniformed federal officials to supervise the screening of all passengers and baggage at airports.

      Next time we conservatives say that government control isn't going to make things any better, please listen!

      --
      "I don't know, therefore Aliens" Wafflebox1
    3. Re:USA: The worst tourist destination by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      No shit, and I have to live here!

      You're prevented from leaving? How? Has someone stolen or sequestered your passport, or does the government not allow you one?
      Or is it the case that you can't find another country that is willing to let you in? Boy, you must have done something seriously bad if even Haiti won't let you in.

      Oh, you meant to say that you can't be bothered with leaving? Well why didn't you say that then?
      And eventually, the US government will succeed in driving you out of the country, which will be their loss and your gain.

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
    4. Re:USA: The worst tourist destination by teknosapien · · Score: 1


      Just a few things I'd like to point out
      Bush didn't fight an unpopular war he fought an unjust war for the sake of $ and that made it unpopular.
      Ignoring of the rules of engagement and the Geneva convention made it and the US even more unpopular with the rest of the world
      we went in on a false premise to protect our interests. Granted Saddam was an evil mad man that needed to be removed from the earth but come on
      this is now very apparent since Bush has left office the us and other middle eastern countries have come together to in a joint efforts to put this snake down pre Obama they would not work with the US
      Really he won the war? Because last time I checked we were still there in IRAN and engaged in Afghanistan where we should have been all along

      --
      no matter how good it is, it is human nature always wants to make things better
    5. Re:USA: The worst tourist destination by 228e2 · · Score: 1

      Ooooh . . . too soon? (i would of modded this funny though!)

      --
      Since when does being a Socialist mean 'someone who has a different opinion than me'?
    6. Re:USA: The worst tourist destination by BeansBaxter · · Score: 1

      Well thank you kindly for replying then.

    7. Re:USA: The worst tourist destination by BeansBaxter · · Score: 1

      Bush didn't fight an unpopular war he fought an unjust war for the sake of $ and that made it unpopular.

      Proof please.

      Ignoring of the rules of engagement and the Geneva convention made it and the US even more unpopular with the rest of the world

      I don't believe I've read anything anywhere suggesting our troops ignored the Geneva convention. How many Iraq citizens are or were in Gitmo? How do you classify a terrorist fighting in a country he isn't a citizen of?

      we went in on a false premise to protect our interests. Granted Saddam was an evil mad man that needed to be removed from the earth but come on this is now very apparent since Bush has left office the us and other middle eastern countries have come together to in a joint efforts to put this snake down pre Obama they would not work with the US

      Please cite one success outside of Iraq? Iran is enriching Uranium. Bombs still blow up in Israel. The Taliban is still in power in some places. Hell a terrorist group was elected into power in Palestine. How has Obama made one difference to any of this? Oh right he failed to get the Summer games in Chicago and delayed a surge of troops to Afghanistan despite the requests of his general. I'm sure those helped.

      Really he won the war? Because last time I checked we were still there in IRAN and engaged in Afghanistan where we should have been all along

      Yes I feel we were successful in regime change in Iraq. The war on terror in Afghanistan and "IRAN" ( I don't know of any US troops in Iran ), I think we are better off engaging the Taliban and Al-Qaeda than to ignore the problem but it is really a maintenance issue and not quickly resolved. If you know of the US doing anything except letting Iran enrich Uranium and a delayed troop surge please post it here.

    8. Re:USA: The worst tourist destination by BeansBaxter · · Score: 1

      Conservatism and libertarianism are political view points. I don't support Bush's rubber stamping of spending. However I did agree with the US enforcing UN mandates and putting teeth to empty threats made over 15 years to the Iraq government. In that sense I supported him. I'm not happy about many other liberal aspects of his presidency. He was not a conservative president. That is my point. Having an extremely liberal ruling class shows how bad it can get however. I long for the Bush spending over the Obama bankrupting. Neither is idea and should a viable libertarian third option exist I'll vote that way.

  2. Just the realities of Security Theater by Virtucon · · Score: 2, Insightful

    They could have hand checked the kid with other equipment. I travel extensively and have seen people with braces and artificial limbs go through secondary screening. The Screener should have allowed this to be the
    case with this kid. There's special scanning equipment that can be used to make sure he's not carrying anything of risk.

    Unfortunately IMO the TSA is the new McDonald's when considering entry level employment. It's hard work, long hours and nobody likes dealing with the customers.

    --
    Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
  3. Power by cstdenis · · Score: 1

    Power trip.

    --
    1984 was not supposed to be an instruction manual.
  4. Lawsuit. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Big one. Like get as many free trips to Disney as that kid wants.

  5. Crap like this... by GeekLove · · Score: 1

    ...makes me ashamed of my country.

    1. Re:Crap like this... by schon · · Score: 2, Interesting

      By then, Bob Thomas was furious. He demanded to see a supervisor. The supervisor asked what was wrong.

      "I told him, 'This is overkill. He's 4 years old. I don't think he's a terrorist.' "

      The supervisor replied, "You know why we're doing this," Thomas said.

      Thomas said he told the supervisor he was going to file a report, and at that point the man turned and walked away.

      A Philadelphia police officer approached and asked what the problem was. Thomas said he identified himself and said he was a Camden officer. The Philadelphia officer suggested he calm down and enjoy his vacation.

      Back home in Glassboro a week later, Bob Thomas called the airport manager and left her what he calls a terse message.

      So... how do you feel about morons (like you) who can't read? The "one moron" was backed up by his supervisor, *and* a cop, *AND* the airport manager. Last time I checked, four was more than one.

    2. Re:Crap like this... by RapmasterT · · Score: 1

      So... how do you feel about morons (like you) who can't read? The "one moron" was backed up by his supervisor, *and* a cop, *AND* the airport manager. Last time I checked, four was more than one.

      You should check your reading *AND* math skills.

      The supervisor didn't say he agreed with the guy, he's quoted as "walking away" when the father said he would file a protest. The cop asked what was going on, doesn't seem to have offered an opinion on the situation one way or another. The airport manager had a "terse" message left on her answering machine.

      Basically, you took every person listed in this story, regardless of their involvement, and decided to list them as "supporting" the security idiot.

      Yes, people like you embarrass me. Please move to France.

  6. Paranioa by SleazyRidr · · Score: 1

    If it's not an American flag, it's probably a bomb.

    --
    Is 1563649 a prime number?