Congressman strips

[policewebdev]

Congressman's Metal Hip Forces Airport Strip Search

DETROIT -- A U.S. congressman was forced to strip to his underwear before boarding a flight to Detroit because screeners didn't believe he had a metal hip.

Michigan Democrat John Dingell told a local newspaper about his experience Saturday. He couldn't convince private Northwest Airlines guards at Reagan National Airport outside Washington that his hip could be setting off the alarm.

First they made the 75-year-old remove his overcoat, then his suit coat, then his shoes and socks. They took him to a back room where he removed his trousers.

Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said that he's troubled by the incident and is investigating.

Dingell said that he wants to make sure he was treated like everyone else, and that his search was necessary

[Mike Tx]

I saw that. It proves politicians think they're better than everybody else. They want all these security people to do their job, but when it comes to one of the elite, then they don't like it. It's like giving the mayor a ticket.

[SpecOpsWarrior]

Honest to god, I would have refused!

I would be perfectly willing to submit to a frisk search to board an aircraft if I kept setting off the metal detector with my cast iron skull, but a strip search, there aint no way in hell.

I would have told them, you either refuse to let me board and I will go on my way or you let me through, but I am not taking off my clothes for a strip search.

[klar]

I think that having a crongessman go through this is a sign that airport screeners are now taking their job more seriously. Many who will not allow this to be done to them will be finding more time consumming routes to where they are going or they will just be staying home. I think the american people will either put up with the enhanced security for their protection of the choices for quick transportation will be eliminated. I think subjecting a congressman to this was right in the way that they wanted to make sure. and wrong that society has come to the point that they will not take the word of someone that they have a metal joint or plate inside them.

Klar

[DMS 525]

What more did the old bozo want? A burlesque j*** band nearby, with someone playing "Night Train" on the saxophone?

On the other hand, a simple frisk, and scan with a wand would have proven him right. Like a 75 year old Senator has nothing better to do than hijack an airliner.

[Fastie]

Funny this should happen now. A couple months ago I was talking to an older man while waiting for my new tires to be put on my car. He was very nice but I kinda wondered if he was telling the truth when he told me this. He said he has had 2 hip replacements and EVERY time he flies, even prior to 9/11 he is made to submit to a strip search. I thought that was horrible, but think about it, everything else in the world is forged so why not a medical card saying you have a hip implant or some other metal item inside your body. Then put the gun/knife/whatever in your underware and we have another airline problem waiting to happen. I've seen the airport "frisks" and they don't seem to get overly "personal" with checking.

For myself personally, if I had to go through that EVERY time I took a plane ride, well lets just say I wouldn't be flying anywhere. Did I mention how much I enjoy driving? LOL....

I don't know what the answer is, no matter how much security or strip searches we put in place some suicidal idiot is gonna come up with a way to get around it.