Bad Combination: Nipple Rings and Airport Security

Originally Posted by http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSREE85411920080328

A woman who claims she was ordered by federal airport screeners to remove her nipple rings with pliers demanded an apology from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration on Thursday.

Mandi Hamlin, 37, also called for an investigation into the February 24 incident in Lubbock, Texas, saying that snickering male agents violated TSA policy by forcing her to remove the jewelry.

"I felt surprised, embarrassed, humiliated, scared and angry," Hamlin told reporters at the offices of her Los Angeles attorney, Gloria Allred.

"This situation was totally out of control. I will not sit quietly. No one deserves to be treated this way."

The TSA, a unit of the Department of Homeland Security that was set up after the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001, said it was investigating the incident but that agents were trained to search people with piercings in "sensitive areas" with dignity and respect.

"TSA is well aware of terrorists' interest in hiding dangerous items in sensitive areas of the body, therefore we have a duty to the American public to resolve any alarm we discover," the agency said in a written statement.

The TSA said incidents of female terrorists hiding explosives in "sensitive areas" were on the rise and provided a picture of a "bra bomb" that was used in training its agents.

Allred said the incident began when Hamlin, who has a number of piercings, set off a hand-held metal detector and told a TSA officer that her nipple rings were the problem.

A small group of TSA officers gathered around Hamlin, Allred said, and told her she would have to remove the jewelry from her nipples if she wanted to board her flight.

Hamlin went behind a curtain and removed one of her nipple piercings but could not budge the other, tearfully telling the officers it could not be taken out without pliers, Allred said.

"As Ms. Hamlin struggled to remove the piercing behind the curtain, she could hear a growing number of predominantly male TSA officers snickering in the background," the attorney said.

Allred said TSA policy called for a pat-down under such circumstances but did not require the piercings to be removed.

Well, just when I thought I heard bad stories about airport security. One more to add to the collection. The descriptions/arguments used by officers does reminds me of Austin Powers and fembots, but in the end I'm just shaking my head... Some idiots can't tell differences between a bomb, machine gun, and a nipple ring. Now when will be the time we hear of a guy asked to remove a cock ring? Because, they will if its detected, right?

...

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Well, the first thing that tells me that the charges against the TSA employees have been grossly trumped up is the fact that the prosecuting attorney is Gloria Allred.

Seriously, you don't get Allred unless your goal is to draw blood from a stone.

This Hamlin woman was probably all belligerent with the guards, forcing them to take an aggressive stance. And now she has the nerve to act indignant when she could've proven very calmly that she wasn't a threat. When you become defensive, they're trained to think you've got reason.

Also, any woman with nipple rings is also a woman who enjoys a bit of attention. This reeks of opportunism to me.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Crash Landon

Well, the first thing that tells me that the charges against the TSA employees have been grossly trumped up is the fact that the prosecuting attorney is Gloria Allred.

Seriously, you don't get Allred unless your goal is to draw blood from a stone.

This Hamlin woman was probably all belligerent with the guards, forcing them to take an aggressive stance. And now she has the nerve to act indignant when she could've proven very calmly that she wasn't a threat. When you become defensive, they're trained to think you've got reason.

Also, any woman with nipple rings is also a woman who enjoys a bit of attention. This reeks of opportunism to me.

Any woman who has nipples rings enjoys a bit of... shut up, Crash. It's a piercing no one can SEE. Which is often the point. Also, I've seen this woman interviewed, she seems pretty down to earth and quiet. You're way off base on this one.

Allred is an ambulance chaser, but she came to the woman, not the other way around. The only thing here that seems like misinformation is the usage of pliers to remove the CBR piercing. That's how you take them out. With pliers. If she was doing it at home, she'd use pliers. The ridiculous thing here is them making her take them out. I have a few sensitive piercings, and they've set off the detector a few times. A pat down in a back room and you're on your way. These employees went over and above. Once they found she had nipple rings, they could easily have given her a wand swipe to make sure there was nothing in the bra itself and let her go. She wouldn't have complained. You know this sort of thing happens with body piercings. These employees went over the top.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

See, I would have just removed the nipple rings at home where I had the proper tools to do so instead of getting into a potential situation like this.

At the same time, I wonder how you deal with the situation. You can't just say "those things setting off the alarm? Those are my nipple rings" and expect a TSA agent to believe you. I mean, it's their JOB to not take your word for anything.

So what're they going to do? Look down the woman's shirt to confirm it was indeed her nipple rings? That would be a whole new lawsuit.

I don't think this kind of KILL KILL KILL attitude in court is necessary at all, though. I mean jesus, Allred? Give me a break.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

So what're they going to do? Look down the woman's shirt to confirm it was indeed her nipple rings?

Originally Posted by the article

Allred said TSA policy called for a pat-down under such circumstances but did not require the piercings to be removed.

Originally Posted by a different article

On its Web site, the TSA warns that passengers "may be additionally screened because of hidden items such as body piercings, which alarmed the metal detector."

"If you are selected for additional screening, you may ask to remove your body piercing in private as an alternative to a pat-down search," the site says.

Hamlin would have accepted a "pat-down" had it been offered, Allred said.

(different article url)

I love how I have to type something outside of quotes. nice.

Also I love how it took me SIX TIMES to post this message, because firefox wouldn't recognize my backspace-hitting as being relevant to the text box, and instead backed me out of the thread entirely. Nice work there guys.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by a lucca

Making Sass look like an asshole frowny face

I was just sayin', man. The woman would have probably cried foul if she had to have a guy pat down her boobs, too.

'Cause aren't there usually female TSA people around anyways in case of this kind of circumstance? I would be more comfortable with that.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Originally Posted by Sassafrass

I was just sayin', man. The woman would have probably cried foul if she had to have a guy pat down her boobs, too.

'Cause aren't there usually female TSA people around anyways in case of this kind of circumstance? I would be more comfortable with that.

I don't know about TSA, but Canadian airlines require security of both genders to be on staff for just this reason.

FELIPE NO

I don't think you'd have to worry about anyone willingly touching you inappropriately, Sass. They'd probably just say "move along" and avoid the whole situation.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Denicalis

I don't know about TSA, but Canadian airlines require security of both genders to be on staff for just this reason.

In my experience, it varies. When I was flying out of Hartford a few months ago, there was one woman and maybe a dozen men on staff at the gate. The woman wasn't doing the pat downs, but I was only there for a few minutes so I can't say for certain. No one really needed a pat down while I was standing there.

When I flew out of Vegas and San Jose, there seemed to be an equal amount of employees at the gates. Maybe there's a variant when it comes to size of airport. =/

Skills, that's not very nice. You have hurt my precious feelings. ;_;

(Where's Gloria Allred. I am suing you for fat prejudice.)

Jam it back in, in the dark.

It has been six and a half years since 9/11. People should know that airport security is serious business by now, and should take the appropriate steps to prevent incident. I know that there are metal detectors at airports. If I have a piercing in a concealed area that I know will raise suspicion, I am going to take the damn thing out before I go to the airport. This isn't rocket science, it's common sense. Who wants to deal with the damn hassle?

Also, not at all surprised to see Champion of Anything Counterculture here defending the woman. She has an attorney who apparently has a reputation which precedes her. Do you think that this Hamlin woman appearing quiet and down to earth in interviews is anything less than perfectly orchestrated by her lawyer? I mean seriously guys, a lawsuit over "snickering"? The next person who looks at me wrong is going to get sued for making me feel surprised, embarrassed, humiliated, scared and angry. According to the story, she was behind a curtain doing this, so it wasn't exactly like a bunch of agents making her take off her clothes right in front of them.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by russ

It has been six and a half years since 9/11. People should know that airport security is serious business by now, and should take the appropriate steps to prevent incident. I know that there are metal detectors at airports. If I have a piercing in a concealed area that I know will raise suspicion, I am going to take the damn thing out before I go to the airport. This isn't rocket science, it's common sense. Who wants to deal with the damn hassle?

Also, not at all surprised to see Champion of Anything Counterculture here defending the woman. She has an attorney who apparently has a reputation which precedes her. Do you think that this Hamlin woman appearing quiet and down to earth in interviews is anything less than perfectly orchestrated by her lawyer? I mean seriously guys, a lawsuit over "snickering"? The next person who looks at me wrong is going to get sued for making me feel surprised, embarrassed, humiliated, scared and angry. According to the story, she was behind a curtain doing this, so it wasn't exactly like a bunch of agents making her take off her clothes right in front of them.

Oh, Russ, Russ, Russ. Not all body piercings can be easily taken out and then put back in. Also, most don't set off the alarms. I'd say 95% of the time, I walk through with no problems, and I have multiple piercings in. And the lawsuit isn't about snickering, it's about security agents overstepping their bounds. They didn't need to make a scene out of it. They certainly didn't need to make an issue out of it. A strip search is bad enough, but to make her remove all the piercings while the rest of them snicker in the background? This isn't high school, those people should be out of a job.

Like was said, security is serious business. Fucking act like it. Now, it's a superfluous lawsuit. Which is part of what I loathe about the US legal system, it makes it easy to do. But these people should be on the dole at this point.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Quote:

'Cause aren't there usually female TSA people around anyways in case of this kind of circumstance? I would be more comfortable with that.

Yes, there are. When I was doing a lot of flying I frequently got placed into the "Screen Heavily" group because I bought all of my tickets one-way, and they'd always keep a woman on hand for patdowns.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Another reason why TSA is a 100% waste of fucking money. You want to see more, read about how a CATSA peon (Canadian TSA) delayed a flight because he was worried about people who had HIV... What the fuck? What about the "accidental discharge" of a fucking pistol in the cockpit? What the fuck? Why are there so many "What the fuck" moments in something that should be so fucking simple. Don't get me started on how fucking hypocritical passenger screening is - and I'm not just talking about racial profiling.

The people who this is supposed to prevent are just laughing their asses off at us now. I'm sure they're estatic that 9/11 is still fucking with us... 8 years later.

References:
Prince George Citizen - HIV group furious after disease alert on plane

Quote:

Several members of a local HIV/AIDS support agency are considering filing a human rights complaint after a security guard at the Prince George Airport ordered a plane to be wiped down after they got off...The 10-person group that was flying via WestJet to a conference in Vancouver on March 28, was delayed about 40 minutes when the security guard raised concerns about "diseases," according to a Positive Living North employee.
The guard had allegedly recognized someone in the group and asked for a wipe down of the aircraft after the group left the plane.

US Airways Pilot's Gun Fires In Cockpit, "Accidental Discharge" First Time Shot Fired Under Federal Armed Pilots Program - CBS News

Quote:

A gun belonging to the pilot of a US Airways plane went off as the aircraft was on approach to land in North Carolina over the weekend, the first time a weapon issued under a federal program to arm pilots was fired, authorities said.

I was speaking idiomatically.