Remember the recent incident involving TSA and the 95 year old cancer patient? They made her get out of her wheel chair and remove her diaper. People, justifiably, were outraged at what happened. TSA's official response, no doubt carefully vetted by a cadre of bureaucrats, was they were following "established procedures."
What TSA needs to do is have some established common sense. That includes simply saying what happened was stupid and they'll re-think a similar situation next time instead of making a 95 year old woman, with cancer, in a wheel chair take off her diaper.
TSA serves a critical role in keeping us safe when we travel. Sure, it's a hassle going through security these days but the acts of others make it necessary. I travel a fair amount and in most cases going through security is usually done with a minimum of hassle.
But what TSA gets attention for is making 95 year old cancer patients take her diapers off, or patting down young kids or the infamous "touch my junk" episode. TSA does nothing to promote the human side of their mission, so instead they are perceived as being inhuman.
Google "TSA Grope" and you get 765-thousand hits. It's too bad. Arguably TSA's role is as important as our military fighting over seas. The difference is TSA is fodder for viral videos and the source of punch lines by late night comedians.
And far too many negative news stories.
TSA has fallen into the trap of hiding behind rigid "officialese" and so far at least, resisting any attempt to put a human face on the agency or it's mission and most importantly the people that carry it out. They aren't alone. When you hear "BP," what comes to mind?
It's avoidable of course. Sadly, that's the stupid part.
Brian Olson
Conversation Starters Public Relations
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