Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Time For a Few Questions

Make sure you greet them (at the third gate, if you get my meaning) with a smile and a sig heil:

"A question for you; How did Logan travelers handle the new TSA queries? Plenty welcomed the safety measure; others were nervous, self-conscious" by Katie Johnston, Globe Staff / August 3, 2011

Although most passengers interviewed by the Globe at Logan yesterday said they welcomed the questioning as an additional safety measure, it did cause some apprehension.

Bridget Whitehead, 24, who was flying back to Cincinnati after attending a friend’s wedding at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, couldn’t immediately remember how long she had been in the area.

“I was kind of nervous,’’ said Whitehead. “When people are on vacation, they kind of just lose track of time.’’

Her behavior apparently wasn’t enough to prompt an extra TSA screening.

Alice Lippitt, 28, of Seattle, who was here for the Newport Folk Festival, said being questioned can sometimes make people act guilty for no reason.

“I can definitely get into situations where I feel like I’m being grilled and automatically I’m on the defense,’’ Lippitt said. “And that doesn’t look good.’’

For most travelers, the interaction lasted 20 or 30 seconds, but Ryan O’Malley, 36, who was on his way to San Diego, struck up a longer conversation with one of the TSA officers when he realized they both knew people at the sheriff’s office in Worcester.

Still, he knew the TSA officer was doing more than making small talk.

“I did notice him kind of focusing on how I was acting, because he really, really made a lot of eye contact, seeing if I was shifty or not,’’ said O’Malley.

After about a minute, they shook hands and O’Malley, deemed not shifty, was allowed to go on his way.  

Who are the groping perverts to judge who is shifty?

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