By UPDATE (from GI Korea): Thomas Ricks is on this story as well with commenters complaining about Border Patrol checkpoints as well, which I personally have never had a problem with.
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The national security/milblogger wrote at his Facebook page-
Got arrested at the Seattle airport for refusing to say how much money I make. (The uniformed ones say I was not “arrested”, but they definitely handcuffed me.) Their videos and audios should show that I was polite, but simply refused questions that had nothing to do with national security. Port authority police eve…ntually came — they were professionals — and rescued me from the border bullies.
In a update, Yon wrote-
When they handcuffed me, I said that no country has ever treated me so badly. Not China. Not Vietnam. Not Afghanistan. Definitely not Singapore or India or Nepal or Germany, not Brunei, not Indonesia, or Malaysia, or Kuwait or Qatar or United Arab Emirates. No county has treated me with the disrespect can that can be expected from our border bullies.
and-
There is some confusion about who arrested me. TSA was not involved. The Customs people (CBP) were the actors who handcuffed me.
James Joyner owner of Outside the Beltway(my favorite blog) and like GI here, someone who allows me to write at their websites, said “We’ve got only Yon’s side of the story thus far and it honestly doesn’t make much sense.” I’ll point out that there is a ton of anecdotal evidence about the hassles air travelers have to undergo. Handcuffing someone for refusal to state their income is ridiculous but no more so than a congressman being made to strip because of his hip replacement.
Note- I have traveled by air very little since 9-11. The last time I flew, I was chosen out at Las Vegas Airport for a thorough search. My wife said it was because I didn’t shave in 3 days.
It is the sad reality. No mistake...
2:42 am on January 6th, 2010 1
I don't fly through the US anymore. The hassle isn't worth the few dollars I save when I fly home.
There are some pricks working at North American airports. I've witnessed one employee freaking out at the sight of the "long line" of people who needed his help to load their suitcases onto a conveyor belt, bitching about it to another employee. The guy was totally oblivious to the fact that we probably spoke English. He seemed so pissed off, I had to turn around and check…Nope, the line was still just made up of my son and me and the elderly Chinese couple queued behind us. There were 5 suitcases between the four of us, which he threw on the conveyor belt. The thought of filing a complaint crossed my mind, but decided it wasn't worth the trouble since he probably was in the union.
12:16 pm on January 6th, 2010 2
I just wish that security and customs personnel would get a little bit of courtesy training. There's no reason you have to be a self-important prick when doing your job. It's Mall Cop Syndrome. Delusions of grandeur from too many Magnum P.I./COPS episodes. My experience during my trip home to America in 2008 was miserable when I entered my country. The first nice person to me was a lady behind the counter of an empty souvenir shop in Dallas. I thanked her for being the first nice person I had run into in America.
2:53 pm on January 6th, 2010 3
There is always that 10% wherever you go and whatever you do. If it was recurring I could sympasize with you, however having been through numerous TSA checks in the US to and from foriegn countries what you are saying is not representative of what normally occurs. I will even add that the same is true in most countries.
12:50 am on January 7th, 2010 4
I just added an update at the top of the posting.
I think it is really depended on the airport.
I had trouble one time flying out of SEATAC due to an issue with my wife's visa that really wasn't an issue and found the TSA there very rude. The airline personnel were very professional and got the issue resolved without the help of the TSA. LAX I also find to be an absolute zoo of an airport.
That is why I like flying through San Francisco to and from the US if possible because I have never had a problem flying through San Francisco.
Overall though US airports as I have complained before on this blog are well below international standards but most people in the US don't realize it because they fly mostly domestic and don't get a chance to see what some of the great airports out there are like.
1:52 am on January 7th, 2010 5
Stay clear of St. Louis airport, that's a prime example of why TSA should be privatized.
4:16 am on January 7th, 2010 6
I'm not begging for your sympathy.
"There are some pricks working at North American airports. I’ve witnessed one employee…"
Clearly, I know most aren't.
5:02 am on January 7th, 2010 7
GI,
Absolutely right. Singapore and Hong Kong's airports are the two best I been to.
Worst airport I been to- Old Manila Domestic was positively dreadful. Since they built the new terminal it is much improved.
5:33 am on January 7th, 2010 8
ZenKimchi mentioned Dallas. That's where I live. My experience with DFW has been mixed. It seems who you are dealing with will determine your experience. Very hit or miss.
Last year, my wife had to fly to Arizona. right after getting through screening, we figured out I had an envelope full of traveler's checks she needed. She couldn't get to me without going all the way back out. The TSA folks took the envelope, scanned it and walked it over to my wife. Very nice!
A couple years prior, we had to pick my mother-in-law up from DFW. We asked the TSA people for permission for me to go down to the gate to get her. The answer was a resounding "HELL NO!!". They changed their mind after I told them she was horrible with directions and her English was limited to "hello" and "thank you", but even then they were jerks about the whole thing. I think the only reason they let me through is DFW TSA caught a bunch of flak when an old man with Alzheimer's got lost for a couple days in the airport.
12:04 pm on January 7th, 2010 9
Its OK, you weren't getting my sympathy. The world is full of 'pricks', I've witnessed many. Most, because they have the 'authority'. They usually have a very inferior sense of themselves and need to let the 'people above them' know how important they are. The world abounds with 'pricks' given authority.