TSA Tit for Tat Landed Woman in the Bosom of Trouble

It's OK for TSA to grope you, but apparently that's not a two-way street. A 61-year-old traveler found out the hard way that if you fought the law, the law won:

Authorities say a Colorado woman who allegedly groped a female Transportation Security Administration agent at Phoenix's international airport is facing a felony count of sexual abuse.

Phoenix police say 61-year-old Yukari Mihamae is accused of grabbing the left breast of the unidentified TSA agent Thursday at an airport checkpoint.

TSA spokesperson Kawika Riley confirmed the altercation to msnbc.com in a statement: "On July 14 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, local law enforcement arrested a passenger for assaulting a TSA officer during the screening process."

Link


It's a rare case for me but I hope she wins. I've been 'thoroughly' examined by border security and I really think they overestimate the authority they have. I've always thought my crotch and boobs were my own business until I left Canada to go to San Fran... Apparently there was no problem with me going to Japan a year b4 but me going to California was HUGE deal! Did I mention I'm half black and look a little "terroristish"
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interesting how it is ok for the tsa to grope everyone including young children and the elderly for our 'safety' but when we grope them back we get charged with sexual assault. interesting world we live in.
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What the TSA agents doing is just part of their job but these agents should be careful in performing their tasks because sometimes the customers feel bad with their improper approaches. TSA is now facing so many issues concerning their approach to the public. Last Saturday, A TN female was arrested Saturday when she objected to a TSA pat down of her child. The woman was imprisoned for disorderly conduct after she grew to be belligerent. Last month, the TSA changed its policy on pat downs of children. This incident comes after that policy change. I read this here: Woman arrested for scene when TSA attempt to pat down her daughter.
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I'd rather risk the occasional terrorist attack than have millions groped each year.
At what point have we surrendered too much freedom and the terrorists have won?
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I don't travel so I don't have to deal with this. But could you imagine what would happen if you tried this with a regular cop when they do a pat down as your being arrested. You be must worse off than being arrested, you'd be lucky if you only had to make a trip to the emergency room. TSA official are just doing their job. Admittedly they should have MUCH MORE training if they are going to be made to do these pat down searches. If you want to get the system changed then complain to the people who put the rules into place not the person who gets stuck doing the job they are made to do.
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I will continue to refuse to fly until US citizens are no longer treated like criminals. I would probably end up in jail if I saw anyone groping my wife or children.
It's time Americans took a stand and said no more.
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Scotchdrnkr you are not comparing apples to apples with your comment. I don't want to argue this, I just want to point out that the two things you compared are different.

In one case you are being arrested, likely with probable cause.

In another case, you are being probed and groped without any indication that you are doing anything wrong.
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First off, let me say I'm completely opposed to the gestapo tactics we American's are forced to deal with when we fly. TSA is out of control and something needs to be done about to stop it.

But in the case of this story: "she squeezed and twisted the agent's breast with both hands"

That's out of line.
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I don't give a damn about "US citizens being treated like criminals". That's their government and their TSA who do that, get your courage and fight it properly.

I start complaining when those stupid methods are imposed abroad, an they are. We cannot do anything, just say "screw USA" and travel elsewhere.
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Reminds me of Thomas Hobbes De Corpore Politico (The Body Politic). He basically argues that when entering into a body politic, such as the United States of America, you subjugate your inalienable rights to the political forces. That is to say if you are going to be a member of a country you have to abide by that countries laws and processes or GTFO. In the USA you can vote, protest and do a number of things that people in less democratic nations can do. But media mavens and public relations bandits are good at stirring up the right kind of emotions (propaganda) to advance their ideological views. Not only are they good at propaganda, the vast majority of Americans are media illiterate and self-deceived. A kind of perversion of 'American Transcendentalist' ideals - Emerson's "Individual" became an egotist and not the lofty ideal he shared with Thoreau.

Just to give an idea of how far away the American Individual is from Emerson and his compatriots:

"'individualism is a word recently coined to express a new idea. Our fathers only knew about egoism." - Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America

"The history of humanity [is] the record of a grand march...at all times tending to one point--the ultimate perfection of man. The course of civilization is the progress of man from a state of savage individualism to that of an individualism more elevated, moral and refined." - "The Course of Civilization." Democratic Review (1839)

"Democracy, freedom, has its roots in the sacred truth that every man hath in him the divine Reason, or that... all men are created capable of so doing. That is the equality and the only equality of all men. To this truth we look when we say, Reverence thyself; Be true to thyself." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Journal Entry, 1833

"Whoso would be a man must be a nonconformist. He who would gather immortal palms must not be hindered by the name of goodness, but must explore if it be goodness." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Self-Reliance" (Norton, p. 1165)
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To add; one of the most notable and earliest perversions of Emersonian Individualism was Reebok's U.B.U. ("You be You") campaign. The commercials depict people performing all kinds of activities while quotes from Emerson's "Self-Reliance" are read aloud and ends with the slogan "Reebok let's U.B.U."

Of course this is obviously a contradiction of Emerson's philosophy. Aline Brosh wrote an article for The Harvard Crimson titled "Stomping on Individualism" in which she wrote:

"The postmodern randomness of the the quintessential American philosopher, Reebok is trying to address not only our need to buy any particular brand of ads is meant to stress individuality and uniqueness, as does Emerson's philosophy. But the ads distort that philosophy by implying that Emersonian self reliance can be found in, of all things, sneakers."

She sums it all up as a particularly successful trend in marketing and a bad omen for the American "Individual":

"What is ominous is that Reebok ads are remarkably successful at achieving what all advertising attempts to do, namely associating a product with an identity. It's the old ploy--eat Wheaties and you'll be as bouncy and healthy as Mary Lou Retton--but it has an added twist. The U.B.U. ad campaigns refers not just to appearance or to health or to product quality. It refers to how we see ourselves as Americans."

Sources:
http://www.thecrimson.com/article/1988/10/11/stomping-on-individualism-pbrbeeboks-are-just/
Reebok Commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hslN0C8GGaA
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