The TSA is racist
When I reached the front of the security line, I requested not to go through the machine. Here is how the conversation progressed):
Me: I would rather not go through the x-ray machine. Is there an alternative process?
TSA: The x-rays are mandatory.
Me: No, they aren’t.
TSA: All passengers are required to go through the screening.
Me: I can opt out of the x-rays if I want. There has to be an alternative process.
TSA: Stand over there, sir. (She indicated an area about ten feet away.)
The TSA lady called over another agent and had a rather long (probably about a minute-long) conversation with him, after which they came over to me:
TSA (man): Sir, the screening process is mandatory.
Me: Okay, but I don’t want to go through the x-rays.
TSA (woman): Stay here, please, sir.
They both left again and moved back over to the woman’s podium, where they called over a man who looked like a supervisor. This supervisor came over:
Supervisor: Please come this way, sir. (He leads me to a side area of the checkpoint.)
TSA (woman): It’ll be a minute before an agent can pat you down.
Me: Okay.
After about seven-ish minutes, I walked over to the woman TSA agent:
Me: Excuse, me? How long will this take?
TSA: Please stand back, sir.
Me: I’ve been waiting for an agent for more than five minutes. How much longer?
TSA: Go back over there, sir. He’ll be here soon.
I went back to the “designated area” to continue waiting. After ten more minutes, I went back up to the podium, where the original woman had been replaced by a man:
(remember that the time Is accelerated, not rely ten minutes)
Me: Excuse me, sir. I’ve been waiting for fifteen minutes for a pat down over there.
TSA: What?
Me: I’ve been waiting for a patdown for fifteen minutes.
TSA: Why?
Me: I opted out of the x-rays. Another agent took me over there and told me to wait. That was fifteen minutes ago.
TSA: Just a minute. (He got up and walked over to another agent and I went back to the side area.)
TSA: (a minute later): Why don’t you want to go through the screening?
Me: I just would rather not.
TSA: You don’t have a reason?
Me: Excuse me (my gentile)? I don’t think that’s any of your business.
TSA: You need to give a reason.
Me: No, I actually don’t. You need to provide an alternate option if I don’t want to go through the x-ray.
TSA: Stay here. We’ll get to you eventually.
The agent walked away after saying that last bit in the most condescending, rude tone I’d ever heard from a TSA agent. I was taken aback by how he said it and didn’t reply. After ten more minutes, I went up to the same male agent and asked for a supervisor, to which he replied “He’s busy.”
Me: What did you just say?
TSA: He’s busy.
Me: I’ve been waiting for half an hour. That is unacceptable. I want to speak with a supervisor.
TSA: Just go back over there. I’ll call an agent over.
Me: And what exactly have you been doing for the past fifteen minutes?
TSA: Sir, you need to go back over there now.
Me: I want to talk to your supervisor now.
TSA: Whatever.
After this, I went back to the side area of the checkpoint. I was considering just going through the x-ray machine, but I felt like that would be like giving up, so I just stood there and waited. After a few minutes, two agents came over to me:
TSA: You were yelling at the agent over there?
Me: No.
TSA: Disrupting the screening process is a federal offense. When is your flight?
Me): Hardly. Why? So you can make me miss it?
TSA: Kid, lay off the attitude.
Me: “Kid”? Did you actually just say that? Where is your supervisor?
TSA: Busy.
Me (this kind of just slipped out): Doing what? Groping a few ninety year-olds? I’ve been waiting almost forty-five minutes! I want to speak with him now.
TSA: Do you want to miss your flight?
Me: (I knew I looked infuriated but I tried to gain my composer as the Supervisor approached) Hello. (I said it very awkwardly; I was hesitant and scared)
Supervisor: Excuse me; you’ll have to follow me. {He is carrying his bag}
By: John Smith
You REALLY need to bring this up to the airport authorities, within a couple of days of it happening. Good thing is, they have everything on video, and the TSA can be punished if they treat you like this!
If you wanna see real racism, go to the Atlanta airport and see how white people are screamed at, threatened and bullied by racist TSA agents and how people of color are treated like royalty
Racism comes in all colors ..not just white
I completely agree. People tend to forget racism comes in all colors..not just white. It happened to me at the St. Louis airport. When I called them on it, they acted like they could not believe something like this would ever happen to a white person.
Not liking the feeling that I need to comment on a minor, yet very unpleasant incident at Fort Lauderdale airport. A girl, whose name started with an R, was unnecessarily rude to my family and myself, while polite and courteous to the girls of her own ethnic group. Her co-worker watched what happened and it was obvious that he didn’t approve. At least that gave a bit of comfort that my family’s perception wasn’t competently off.