Jill Filipovic claims to have found quite a surprise when she arrived in Ireland. Upon opening up her luggage, she allegedly discovered that the TSA had done an inspection of her luggage. What was disconcerting is that, after finding a sex toy in her luggage, an inspector left a message on the inspection notice saying “GET YOUR FREAK ON GIRL”
Filipovic admits that “I also just died laughing in my hotel room” but found it to be an obvious total violation of privacy.
As the article below notes, the TSA appears less interested in actual weapons as opposed to sex toys. A.38-caliber handgun fell out of a duffel bag as a luggage ramp crew was loading it onto an Alaska Airlines flight to Portland, Ore.
It is not clear what TSA will do in this matter. Filipovic is a writer who went public with her experience.
If true, it is a pretty serious breach of privacy to send jokes or taunts to passengers based on their personal items. However, what would the damages be in such a case, particularly given the right to inspect and Filipovic’s admission that she found the note funny?
It reminds me of that scene in Fight Club:
Source: Prison Planet as first seen on Reddit.
I think I’ll trademark “Get your freak on!”
Swarthmore Mom–You hit the nail on the head with the Missy Elliot’s video!
Oro Lee, good comment! Now the TSA is not only invading your privacy (yea, yea, legally) but passing judgment? Suppose the anonymous inspector made it a point to write “sinner” on the form whenever s/he found sex toys, revealing lingerie or even breast prosthetics? Just because it was a funny comment doesn’t make he judgment less humiliating.
Oro Lee, good comment! Now the TSA is not only invading your privacy (yea, yea, legaly) but passing judgment? Suppose the anonymouse inspector made it a point to write “sinner” on the foem whenever s/he found sex toys, revealing lingere or even breast prosthetics? Just because it was a funny comment doesn’t make he judgment less humiliating.
I’m glad she could laugh about it, and agree that civil action is probably not a good response. However, publicity is absolutely appropriate. The TSA keeps telling us that its employees are being well trained and held to its standards. Anecdotal information is all we have to give us a sense of whether or not these are mere words. A single anecdote may not be particularly informative, but at some point anecdotes in the aggregate help identify customs.
The TSA certainly has its freak on duty.
Filipovic admits that “I also just died laughing in my hotel room” but found it to be an obvious total violation of privacy.
She was so hurt by the invasion of privacy by a single person that she wanted the whole world to know all about it.
Sure the agent did wrong, but she is creating the drama. Complain to the organization and move on.
I imagine she is seeking publicity as a means to profit or for just publicity’s sake alone.
Celebrate the sex toy–its yours, not your problem, they probably got one of their own after work–there is no privacy–
what I do when I find on the net stories from years ago I wrote that are embarrassingly sexual and make me go oh god, is I gather them together in a bundle and send them to kindle or pubit.
Blouise, Will do. It was so funny.
SwM,
Don’t remember … need to be refreshed 😉
Blouise, You are right. I will always remember the comment of yours about a woman and a vibrator. I think it took place in Illinois.
Hmm…..If in Texas and she had more than 5….she could get hit with trafficking…
Hey … they have the right to paw through your stuff and they want to let you know how much they enjoy that right.
Throw the damn thing away and get a new one ’cause getting intimate, even once removed, with a TSA employee presents a real “ick” factor.
“Much ado about nothing!”
No, not really. As Mark Twain noted, the are are lies, damn lies, and statistics. It is a lot easier for the average Joe to credit anecdotal events with too great a significance than to sort through various volumes of easily forgotten reports concerning the performance of an agency.
Goodwill matters (or at least it should), especially to an employer already maligned by the public. This incident displays a glaring lack of professionalism. The sins of the employee are visited upon the employer, whose reputation takes another hit.
The agent should be summarily dismissed, not so much for any harm to the passenger, but for the harm suffered by the employer. And as a reminder to the other employees of the high standards of their job.
Unless, insisting that one does one’s job in a competent and professional manner is much ado about nothing.
New suggestion,work it out in dancing:
http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/ea/16711680/wshhj909gi60Y5aeQ713
Seems a bit contrived to these eyes. Writer finds suggestive note on TSA document and alerts the media. Does she have a new book?
“Filipovic’s admission that she found the note funny?”
Nuff said.
Agree with erykah.
Much ado about nothing! Girl, go get your freak on and forget about it, damn.