Woman (rape victim) arrested at ABIA after refusing enhanced pat down

[Richard D]

Source: KVUE TV

Early Wednesday morning, a computer glitch shut down a security checkpoint for a couple of hours at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The line snaked out the door as many travelers waited for more than an hour and some missed their flights. One of the first people in line after that shutdown never made it through. She was arrested and banned from the airport.

Claire Hirschkind, 56, who says she is a rape victim and who has a pacemaker-type device implanted in her chest, says her constitutional rights were violated. She says she never broke any laws. But the Transportation Security Administration disagrees.

Hirschkind was hoping to spend Christmas with friends in California, but she never made it past the security checkpoint.
"I can't go through because I have the equivalent of a pacemaker in me," she said.

Hirschkind said because of the device in her body, she was led to a female TSA employee and three Austin police officers. She says she was told she was going to be patted down.

Read more: http://www.kvue.com/news/local/Woman-arrested-at-ABIA-after-refusing-enhanced-pat-down-112354199.html

[Taverner]

1. Good. Fight it. No one should touch us in the way the TSA does.

[Arctic Dave]

2. +1

[hlthe2b]

3. +1000

[TheMadMonk]

6. Did you read the passenger comments at the end?

The US has become a nation of psychotic, willfully ignorant sheep.

[Taverner]

10. I can understand why they are that way

Until it happens in your face to you - you don't understand why everyone is so upset.

But once it does, then it makes an impression.

[kath]

20. Those comments make me want to

:puke: and :puke: and :puke: and :puke:

Stupid fucking ignorant sheep.

[alp227]

4. Good for her, and it's KVUE actually.

Those TSA tools lack compassion. I mean she's a frickin' rape victim! Don't those spoiled brats know how it feels like? I remember the story of the man named Thomas Sawyer whose search caused his urine bag whatever it was to pop and spill. A fellow spoiled brat in Texas is smirking somewhere...

[Richard D]

9. Thanks

Corrected.

[EFerrari]

5. Resist.

[earthside]

7. My daughter has a parakeet.

It is very safe -- because it is in a cage.

The bird doesn't have any freedom, but it is safe and secure.

This is the avenue Americans are choosing: safe and secure, but less free every day that this TSA regimen is in effect.

[ooglymoogly]

13. Take out the safe and secure and you have a point.

They are choosing slavery, just like the good Germans did.

[crim son]

8. So, throwing her to the ground, cuffing her and hauling her away is what the TSA

considers "dignity and respect." Vile. As for the passengers who claim to know how the victim feels, BULLSHIT. But nobody will do anything about this until enough have endured the same needless humiliation and realize how ridiculous the process is. Safety would not have been "compromised" if the poor woman had at least been allowed to walk away. It's obvious that intimidation is part of the process and hell, what suicide-bent terrorist is going to give a crap about intimidation? It's the rest of us, the blameless, who have to deal with it. There has to be a better way than what we're doing now.

[Richard D]

11. It's all so stupid.

Like, if a suicide terrorist is really about to be patted down, they're not going to blow themselves and everyone around them to pieces?
That alone would probably do more damage to commercial flight than taking down a plane. Most people would think that they have little chance of being on a plane with a terrorist, but if the TSA inspection, the so-called first defense. was blown up at a major airport, whew, commercial aviation would probably never recover.

[pitohui]

17. have you ever been to the airport? have you ever been on an airplane?

believe it or not, there is a very real diff. between the number of victims you get by taking down a plane in the air and by shooting up/blowing up the airport

the airplane comes down, and that's 200 people dead

you start shooting up the airport and if it's rome, maybe you kill 5 people, it's new orleans, maybe you kill ONE people

there's absolutely no comparison to taking down a commercial vehicle in the air and taking down a huge snake-like line of people on the ground, and just because you are not observant enough to know that, don't assume terrorists are too stupid to know that

the guy who ended up killing one dead at new orleans has been forgotten and the claim is now that there has never been a terror event since 9-11 (it occurred in 2003)

atta will be remembered for the rest of usa history

sure a suicide terrorist can take down a pizza parlor, plenty do in israel, and no one remembers who they are or what they gave their lives for...that's for the true losers

if we can confine it to true losers blowing up people by onesies and twosies once every decade that's an advance over having four aircraft fly out of the sky into buildings, it's just math

i'm sorry you don't like being patted down, who does but being blown the fuck into a million pieces invades my lifestyle a lot worse

[hlthe2b]

23. Good Heavens... I don't even know where to begin with your post...

While I think you are very much misinformed, in the interest of the holiday, however, I'm just going to let it pass.... Peace.

[Feron]

37. I suppose you don't step into a car either.

You have a far greater chance of dying in a car accident or being struck by lightning than you do of dying in a terrorist attack.

For every boogeyman terrorist, you have thousands, if not millions, of drunk and reckless drivers on the road at any moment.

The TSA security theater does nothing to stop a terrorist. In tests they miss more mock bombs than they catch. And they have yet to stop a single terrorist.

You don't give up your Constitutional rights by purchasing a plane ticket. And there are ways to screen passengers without ineffective and intrusive virtual strip searches and patdowns.

Even worse is that these scanners and procedures are being extended to courthouses and mass transit (bus/metro). So avoiding flying is not a guarantee of forever avoiding the scanners.

Additionally Al Queda's aim is to cause severe economic damage to the United States. As the undie bomber proved, you don't need a bodycount in order for the country to spend billions spinning its wheels in response. And the government's response to an airport bombing would make flying even more unattractive than it is now.

Giving up liberties for safety leaves you with neither. And free societies aren't for cowards.

[MadMaddie]

42. Look perhaps you have forgotten we are one of the most

advanced countries in the world. The TSA should be able to balance security with the following:

Each of these cases has happened with horrendous results.

- How to deal with Rape Victims
- How to deal with prosthetics
- How to deal with colostomy bags
- How to deal with children
- How to deal with the elderly
- How to deal with handicapped and the blind.

Instead what we see are simplistic and jackbooted policies that do not benefit the America Public.
Trust me I am concerned about security too but thuggish behavior and arresting this woman who has explained her situation is not the right answer.

Perhaps you should analyze how the Israelies conduct Airport security. They do not pat down people until they have gone through several levels of tests.

What you are saying is that our TSA employees are not capable of distinguishing a women who is terrified of the process they are implementing.

The USA is at least 30 years behind the Israelies in this area. Why is that? If this was your mother, daugher, sister or wife would you feel the same way?

America cannot continue to veer away from the Constitutional rights of Americans because of fear.

Britain, France, Israel and other countries are not using such draconian measures why is America?

Truth is, I am not going to live my life in fear because some asshole is making threats. This mania in the U.S is destroying us.

[Statistical]

46. Your ignorance and arrogance is astounding. Many security EXPERTS disagree.

Bruce Schneier for example in his book "Schneier on Security" explains that all the TSA has done is move the choke-point. Rather than blow up a plane to kill 200 people you can simply blow up the checkpoint to kill an equal number of people.

http://www.amazon.com/Schneier-Security-Bruce/dp/0470395354/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1293319244&sr=1-1

Imagine instead of a terrorist trying to get a bomb or gun onto a plane they attack the checkpoint.

Imagine a dozen men each with suicide vest, couple thousands ball bearings as shrapnel. They get into separate lines (one terrorist per line) and detonate their vests at the same time.

How many hundreds of people would that kill? What exactly could current TSA "security checkpoint" (I use that term very loosely) do to stop it. Nothing.

The idea that getting your nuts squeezed makes you safer if a joke. You are merely a pawn in a Police State. The final step in transition to Police State is populace acceptance. Without the populace accepting and supporting a Police State it will fail.

You sir are the problem. How about you take this as a challenge. Read some books on security and maybe it will wake you up. Maybe you will wake up very angry at how this society has sold your freedoms for a bill of goods all in the name of "security"

[skepticscott]

49. And this is just what could be done

at an airport. How many people could be killed by similar tactics at a sporting event, where tens of thousands of people are packed as tightly together as possible? And what will happen to security at every sports stadium and arena in the country the first time such an attack occurs?

[greiner3]

52. Can I call you idiot;

Or is that breaking DU's rules?

[wtmusic]

12. Ironically, this complete inflexibility with rules makes us far more vulnerable.

Easy to defeat a security mechanism when you know exactly what to expect.

[Ruperto31]

14. The point of this is not "security"--it's sexual humiliation.

Airports are now Abu Ghraib "lite."

What is the purpose of sexual humiliation?

To get submission. Sexual humiliation and the fear of sexual humiliation get compliance. That's how it's supposed to work in interrogation, and now it seems to be working among the flying public.

Is there any sh*t the US public won't eat?

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Barack_America]

16. Congratulations for writing the most callous post I've ever seen on DU.

And with 6+ years and 22,000 posts and counting, that's saying something.

[pitohui]

18. yes i actually travel, and i'm not interested in bullshit reasons why somebody is special

i'm a victim too but i don't play the victim card because i'm not going to be party to putting that loophole out there for the drug dealers and terrorists

i want the ability to travel w/out being blown up into a million little pieces

the hobbyist who flies once a year, you know what? just stay home, it doesn't matter enough to you anyway

[Barack_America]

21. Had it occurred to you that your experiences may be different?

That perhaps the pat-down could be a real trigger for her though it apparently is not for you?

Also, could you remind me how many planes have been brought down by crotch bombs, necessitating the enhanced pat-downs in the first place?

Finally, I'm sorry to hear that you are also a victim.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

26. I'd rather be blown into a million little pieces

than to be like you.

I also have been here since 2001 and find your post shameful.

[GoneOffShore]

31. The TSA has a brief to catch terrorists but they haven't caught one.

They've stolen laptops and other personal effects, confiscated yogurt and snow globes (WTF is that about), made travelers take off their shoes and done little else.

What they have done is made the US population into a nation of security accepting, "Were are your papers?", easily led sheep.

You want the ability to travel without being blown up? Walk where you need to go. And soon the TSA will be checking you out if you want to do that.

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Dappleganger]

36. Some of us need to fly because of funerals and sick family members.

But hey, we're just a bunch of fucking hobbyists so what do we know.

[TheKentuckian]

40. A statement as good as baaahhhhh but with a heaping helping of wicked witch of the west thrown in

[CoffeeCat]

41. I'm a victim as well...

...and I would never pass judgment on another victim. Like you are. Some
victims are able to move on with few triggers. Others, are easily triggered
and some, like myself--are living with PTSD.

Plus, this woman has a pacemaker. It is likely that this kind of interrogation
could really upset her.

I'm shocked not that you disagree with this victim--but that you claim that you
are a victim as well and yet you have no tolerance for her very personal response
to this difficult situation.

[Statistical]

45. You are aware TSA hasn't caught a single terrorist.

Every single attempted terrorist attack post 9/11 was stopped by individuals OTHER THAN the TSA.

The TSA "security checkpoints" have done absolutely nothing to make airlines secure.

The sad thing is you accept a Police State because it makes you FEEL (huge emphasis on feel) safer.

[Lucian]

48. Way to play right in to their fears.

[Fumesucker]

54. Far more planes have crashed due to mechanical problems/pilot error, etc..

Than due to terrorist actions.

Don't those reasons for people getting "blown up into a million little pieces" concern you?

Or is it only terrorism/drug dealers that scare you?

Truth be known life cannot be made completely safe, you will always have the risk of being blown up into a million little pieces, no matter how many strangers you allow to grope your crotch.

[hlthe2b]

24. I've been here since 2001 and I would have to agree...

My God.

[ooglymoogly]

53. You make an unassailable point...longgevity alone, does not

make one smarter.

[Renew Deal]

19. Oh shit

:wtf:

[truthisfreedom]

22. Merry Christmas, everybody! Try not to fight, play nice now! 8^D

Happy New Year too!

[slackmaster]

25. There should be a way for people who can't tolerate being frisked to get pre-cleared for boarding

Some kind of background check, and a credential that allows you to board after the basic metal detector and having carry-on bags X-rayed jut to make sure you didn't forget to doff a weapon before you entered the security check line.

[KeepItReal]

27. They are phasing out the basic metal detector

I got "selected" for the backscatter xray this week (actually TSA gal was just herding folks through the backscatter x-ray when the basic metal detector was in use).

I refused the backscatter and requested the basic metal detector and they told me "no" and I had to get frisked. My Jedi mind trick worked once in the past (before the opt out publicity hit) and I talked them into letting me use the normal metal detector.

Believe me, I made the TSA guy as uncomfortable as possible while he did his business.

[Downwinder]

28. It is not about security. It is about control and conditioning.

[seabeyond]

30. yup. a bunch of sheep. baaaaaah. nt

[sarcasmo]

39. Downwinder has it right, all about controlling the masses.

[MadHound]

29. Probably the two most chilling quotes in the whole piece

Come from bystanders waiting to board.

"I understand her side of it, and their side as well, but it is for our protection so I have no problems with it," said Gwen Washington, who lives in Killeen.

"It's unfortunate that that happened and she didn't get to fly home, but it makes me feel a little safer," said Emily Protine."

That old saying about liberty and security comes to mind. Our country is a bunch of scared sheeple, ready to hand over everything for some false sense of security.

[GoneOffShore]

32. There's a least a similar chilling comment in this thread.

[Puzzledtraveller]

34. I wrote my reps and senators

Got a form letter from Mitchy boy about how he understands citizens concerns over TSA procedures but going on to read he's pretty much in lock step with whatever the TSA wants to do, immediately sighting 9/11. What a tool.

[Randypiper]

35. There are two issues here

When Hirschkind refused, she says that "the police actually pushed me to the floor, (and) handcuffed me. I was crying by then. They drug me 25 yards across the floor in front of the whole security."



Her being arrested is bad enough, but why the brutality of the arrest. It seems to me arrests are becoming punishments too and sometimes even leading into unnecessary tasering. This upsets me more.

[sarcasmo]

38. Kick, fight the take over.

[barbtries]

43. from the article:

"Other travelers KVUE talked to say they empathize with Hirschkind, but the law is the law."

what kind of fucking LAW?! who made this law? the patriot act? all of a sudden they're doing shit like this? so fucked up!!

[LisaL]

51. I can't figure out what the law is either.

Refuse a pat down and get arrested? What kind of law is that?

[Statistical]

44. These responses indicate the Police State takeover is complete ...

"I understand her side of it, and their side as well, but it is for our protection so I have no problems with it," said Gwen Washington, who lives in Killeen.

"It's unfortunate that that happened and she didn't get to fly home, but it makes me feel a little safer," said Emily Protine.

Populace acceptance is the final step to a Police State. Not only is the population accepting they feel "better" for being part of the Police State. The grand experiment is over.

[Lucian]

47. But the pat downs aren't that bad and they're needed!

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

I want to slap the stupidity out of anyone who says that. Yes, pat downs DO violate our rights, but some are too stupid to see that.

[pasto76]

50. awesome, lets mistreat and remind a survivor of extreme violence to protect against a pipedream

makes the bile rise. So now this woman effectively has a restraining order against her.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

55. I can't wait to see the civil lawsuit.

And maybe two criminal charges against the cops, one for false imprisonment as well as aggravated assault.

:popcorn:

[mahatmakanejeeves]

56. "Security is not optional."

The TSA did release a statement Wednesday that said in part, "Our officers are trained to treat all passengers with dignity and respect. Security is not optional."

I guess we've found the perfect replacement for "E Pluribus Unum."