The latest TSA ridiculousness thread

[sexobon]

Originally Posted by chrisinhouston

... She looked me in the eye and told me that they can make up the rules as they go and also told me that my Constitutional rights are invalid in the screening area, both of which I really take issue with. ...

Police can also tell you to open the trunk of your car without probable cause even though you are Constitutionally protected from unreasonable search. The courts have upheld that it's perfectly legal for the police to tell you to do it and that it's your responsibility to know your rights and refuse to do it. If you comply and they find something illegal, it's admissible as evidence obtained via consensual search. Even if you say that you felt intimidated by the fact that a police officer was armed and you feared reprisal for noncompliance, the courts have upheld that unless the police threatened to shoot you your fear was unsubstantiated since the police officer was required to be armed.

This cat and mouse game with citizens' rights has been going on since long before 9-11 and applied to potential suspects of being gang members, drug traffickers, illegal aliens ... etc. long before being applied on a high visibility national scale in airports to thwart terrorism. Some people assert their rights through knowledge and perseverance while others cry rape and fall by the wayside. You seem to be among the former, congratulations.