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TSA detains man for carrying cash {Gadling}
Apr 4th 2009 9:59AM I listened to the full audio and can tell you exactly where the St Louis Police came in and took over the interrogation. When Officer Shelton comes in and the TSA agent says he's being a smart ass and he's done with him (Steve Bierfeldt). Assume, assert and disagree all you want but I know this for a fact, aafter that point it was no longer TSA and they probably weren't even in the room any more.
Ken, I also know for a fact that the TSA does not think it can get away with what ever it wants. I won't go so far as calling you an idiot but you are ill-informed and ignorant of your facts.
TSA detains man for carrying cash {Gadling}
Apr 4th 2009 9:43AM Maxi, how much do you think Timothy McVeigh spent on his explosives? How much do you think it costs to build a bomb to bring a plane down or buy weapons to arm 5 terrorits for a Mumbai style attack. How would someone pay for that? Probably cash based on past instances. Standard operating procedure has been "large" amounts of cash. Large being subjective, even terrorists work on a budget.
I was comparing Bierfeldt to Timothy McVeigh to make the point that profiling someone doesn't work. To say the TSA should only stop middle eastern men between the ages of 17 and 35 is ridiculous. I was not comparing cash to ammonium nitrate (although $4700.00 will get you a lot of that too). I appreciate your comment and thank you for your input on my post.
TSA detains man for carrying cash {Gadling}
Apr 4th 2009 8:29AM Thanks for the link Leah. I haven't had a chance to listen to it but definitely will.
Ken, thanks for your inciteful response.
TSA detains man for carrying cash {Gadling}
Apr 3rd 2009 12:17PM David,
I think the issue the people that commented have deals mostly with the accuracy of the reporting. While the subtleties are slight, there is definitely an important difference between TSA or local law enforcement behaving this way. In either case I think it's over the line and would hope that some kind of disciplinary action would be taken. With full disclosure in mind though, I have to say the big reason it's important to me, is that being in the TSA I would hate to see my organization behave that way. Despite what is everywhere on the internet most of us are not jackbooted thugs. There are slugs like anywhere but most of the people I work with care about making air travel safe AND upholding citizens rights.
I also don't believe that reporters should have free reign to write anything because they can. They have a responsibility to get the facts straight. It is not only wrong to misrepresent facts for sensationalism but it devalues the message. I think how Bierfeldt was treated was wrong but that gets lost by twisting the facts of what actually happened.
As for treating someone a certain way going against the Constitution, you're right. Bierfeldt was obviously not stopped because he fit a certain profile and that's what the reporters seem to have a problem with. They are the ones suggesting we profile. I think you are "preaching to the choir" on this one.
I also think both parties involved let their egos get the best of them, although being a fan of the Constitution myself, I think the cops were more wrong than Bierfeldt. And you might want to check your Constitutional law handbook, I'm not sure myself about the subtleties, but recording people without their knowledge can be against the law. That's why security video cameras don't record sound.
TSA detains man for carrying cash {Gadling}
Apr 2nd 2009 5:26PM I think it's important to note that it was Law Enforcement, not the TSA that detained Bierfeldt. The TSA doesn't have the authority to take anyone to the Police Dept. I have worked with the TSA at the St Louis airport and not only is that not something I believe the would do, I believe those in charge wouldn't tolerate it from the screeners.
As for the assertion that Bierfeldt didn't look like a terrorist, neither did Timothy McVeigh.
