Confrontation With TSA Agent Leaves Grandpa's Ashes On Floor

[Huey P. Long]

Source: Indiana News

Confrontation With TSA Agent Leaves Grandpa's Ashes On Floor
Indianapolis Man Furious Over Treatment At Florida Airport Checkpoint

POSTED: 5:42 pm EDT June 25, 2012
UPDATED: 7:30 pm EDT June 25, 2012

INDIANAPOLIS -- A man's attempt to bring the ashes of his grandfather home to Indianapolis ended with an angry scene in a Florida airport, with the ashes spilled on the terminal floor.

John Gross, a resident of Indianapolis' south side, was leaving Florida with the remains of his grandfather -- Mario Mark Marcaletti, a Sicilian immigrant who worked for the Penn Central Railroad in central Indiana -- in a tightly sealed jar marked "Human Remains."

Gross said he didn't think he'd have a problem, until he ran into a TSA agent at the Orlando airport.
-

"They opened up my bag, and I told them, 'Please, be careful. These are my grandpa's ashes,'" Gross told RTV6's Norman Cox. "She picked up the jar. She opened it up.
"I was told later on that she had no right to even open it, that they could have used other devices, like an X-ray machine. So she opened it up. She used her finger and was sifting through it. And then she accidentally spilled it." Gross says about a quarter to a third of the contents spilled on the floor, leaving him frantically trying to gather up as much as he could while anxious passengers waited behind him.
"She didn't apologize. She started laughing. I was on my hands and knees picking up bone fragments. I couldn't pick up all, everything that was lost. I mean, there was a long line behind me."
=

Read more: http://www.theindychannel.com/news/31224633/detail.html

[Dawson Leery]

1. The TSA, parasites, should be abolished.

Under no circumstances would I allow these thugs union representation.

[truedelphi]

22. So who do we vote for? Both sides of the aisle

enable these parasites. That Democratic Senator from Missouri, she even speaks about the "love pats" that the TSA offers the public.

I am so disgusted at this nation's elected officials. And knowing that many of our House of Reps and Senators probably have a financially motivated interest in these procedures, with kick backs for newly approved scanning machines, etc,. I am nauseated.

As a school kid in The USA, I was told that the right to travel freely was a hallmark of a democracy. Now I know we don't have a free society.

Empty suits to vote for, people that no one should have to consider voting for. If it weren't for few good people like Garamendi and Jackie Spiers, I don't know if I could bother helping with Democratic campaigns.

[Dont call me Shirley]

32. Claire mccaskill has turned out to be a R in democratic clothing. What a waste.

[Sherman A1]

37. Agreed

I wish we had something better.

[Iggy]

52. BEENGO!

for years I've been stating most of the "democrats" in congress are deadbeats/little to no diff
between them and the repugs.

Up until recently, the response from "progressives" was mostly the bovine dull stare.

how about Rangel? Another lifer deadbeat that needs to be thrown out of office

[greiner3]

65. Enjoy your stay!

[kestrel91316]

35. Me, too..........they said restriction of people's right to travel was one of

the WORST things about those communist dictatorships: USSR and Red China.


"....As a school kid in The USA, I was told that the right to travel freely was a hallmark of a democracy...."

[HowHasItComeToThis]

44. THEY ARRESTED MY BARBASOL YESTERDAY IN NEW ORLEANS AFTER PASSING IN SFO AND HOU WHAT A JOKE

BUT OSAMA DOESN'T SHAVE DOES HE?????

[Huey P. Long]

50. 'Both sides of the aisle enable these parasites'

Yes they do, and getting rich, more power, and enslaving the people.
They benefit from this financially and do corporate bidding exclusively now.

Its coming. The hammer that is. The teams are conspiring against us.

[bloomington-lib]

53. At some point we need to stop "voting for people" and start running against people.

We need to overwhelm the govt with us instead of them.

[truedelphi]

56. Totally agree. However, often to do that, sometimes

A person has to step outside the party with a "D" in its name.

For whatever reason, the Republicans are more supportive of people who want to run. If you' re a Dem who wants to run, opn the Dem platform you must show you are a "real" person, which usually entails having a Master's degree. And you have to be approved of by the Big Whigs in the party. (In California, you pretty much have to toady up to someone who is close to Diane Feinstein, unless you are Jerry Brown. Which most of us aren't!)

So then what happens? It means you run as a third party candidate. Now some Greens and Independents are getting voted in, but one big fear of mine is that should a third party make enough headway to be a real competitor, the "Leadership" of the Major Parties will co-opt the new party.

And the sad thing is, Di Fi has done so much harm to the party with the "D" in it. Yet she is considered to be a Dem while someone who sees through her act is labelled as being tinfoil or worse.

[quakerboy]

30. Perhaps they need a union

and maybe some training. If they were highly trained security professionals earning a reasonable wage, things like this might stop happening.

That said, the whole security theater thing is ridiculous. When GW and his repugs put it all in high gear and started Homeland Security, it was a terrible idea, and that hasn't changed. Our whole domestic law enforcement setup is corrupted and jacked up. In my darker moments I wonder if things like the TSA, our police departments, etc are beyond the possibility of successful reform.

[KansDem]

2. WTF? Even the deceased are not safe from TSA bungling!!!

She didn't apologize. She started laughing.

TSA needs to be disbanded and Michael Chertoff and his "investors" at Rapiscan need to find real jobs...

[asjr]

7. She should be fired for this! It is bad enough to go

through an ordeal with only one's bags. It has been reduced in this case to entertainment. I really feel for that man.

[geardaddy]

34. +1000

She needs to be fired.

[rhett o rick]

62. That would be instant gratification. They would just replace her with another just like her.

She isnt the problem. The TSA is out of control.

[mysuzuki2]

47. I am normally a calm and peaceful person but if this had happened to me

at the point the agent started laughing I would have been sorely tempted to knock her teeth down her throat.

[dixiegrrrrl]

54. I hope the guy got names from other passengers

so they could testify in the lawsuit.
with any luck more than one person was using their phone camera.

[whathehell]

76. Yes, that is really an outrage...n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. OMG

[nashville_brook]

4. classic. i wish there were more outrage over these incidents.

we sem to have passed into the acceptance stage of grief over losing our minds.

the first pson to campaign on reforming this shit is going to win easily. talk about bipartisan support. one thing we can all agree on is this has gone too far.

[OnyxCollie]

5. Remember, this is happening under a Democratic administration.

This is as good as it's gonna get.

[Iggy]

25. AND, Guess Who Pays the Salaries

of the goons in the TSA??

you got it-- OUR tax dollars!

Why are the airlines NOT paying for airport security? is that not the place where they do part of their
business?

[JHB]

51. Guess who pays to defend this toad and pay the lawsuit damages?

Got it in one.

[madashelltoo]

6. Like Chris Rock said,

"There's a reason to kick an old man down a flight of stairs . . . just don't do it." I would probably be in handcuffs until now if that had happened to my grandpop.

[clang1]

8. It will become normal. Don't worry. It will be ok. Pfft n/t

[LibDemAlways]

9. TSA is a joke. The screeners are not even required to be

high school graduates. Jobs of last resort and the public is supposed to accept that these incompetents can protect anybody. Bullshit. Dismantle the whole boondoggle.

[cstanleytech]

12. And replace it with what exactly? The FBI? CIA? NSA? Coast Guard? I mean come on

there has to be some security measures you realize.

[clang1]

14. Any of these the people that used to do the job? Guess some people have already forgotten that n/t

[newspeak]

83. yes, some people seem to forget that we had screening BEFORE 9/11

My dad died in 1998 and I took his ashes on the plane with me, the security x-rayed his little box and asked me what it was. I told her it was my dad and she was very respectful. Also, before 9/11, I loved to fly. Security was always respectful and some humorous; now, some seem to get off on the authority and laugh at others' expense.

I wonder how many congresscritters and people like chertoff are making money on our new fatherland, big brother business.

[rhett o rick]

18. Of course. So what do you suggest? nm

[cstanleytech]

59. rhett, that is what I was asking LibDemAlways.

Sure if we lived in a perfect world we wouldnt need the police or other law enforcement agencies let alone the TSA but we dont live in that world rhett, we live in this one.

[rhett o rick]

61. I understand but the TSA is out of control and I dont believe their extra

exuberance makes us any safer. In fact I suspect it may make things worse. When they spend so much time on old ladies in wheel chairs and little kids, their eye is off the ball. We need to crank it back a notch.

[LibDemAlways]

21. Where did I say there shouldn't be security? Seriously, the TSA doesn't

exist to make you secure. It exists to employ otherwise unemployable morons and to line the pockets of the assholes who make nudie scanners.

The US ought to seriously speak with the Israelis about how to implement security measures to prevent terrorism. It would be money well spent.

[Huey P. Long]

23. Lucrative contracts for the connected, concocted threats to get us to submit.

Slave training for the oncoming police state.

[truedelphi]

39. yes considering tht REAL terrorists can have plastic explsoives

Shaped like luggage or anything that is needed to conceal them, what this TSA baloney is really about is enslaving us.

[Huey P. Long]

41. I would submit the 'real terrorists' are the ones terrorizing the people

ter·ror·ism   /ˈtɛrəˌrɪzəm/ Show Spelled[ter-uh-riz-uhm] Show IPA
noun
1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.

We are being 'terrorized' by the people in power.

[truedelphi]

57. great reply. I love yr thinking on this. n/t

[cstanleytech]

66. By that definition you yourself could be considered as such. nt

[Nihil]

69. I'd be interested to see why you think that is true.

i.e., what is in post .41 that would allow you to consider the writer to be a terrorist

The post contained the following at the time I'm writing this:

I would submit the 'real terrorists' are the ones terrorizing the people
ter·ror·ism   /ˈtɛrəˌrɪzəm/ Show Spelled Show IPA
noun
1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.
2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.

We are being 'terrorized' by the people in power.

How is Huey P. Long doing any of the above?

[cstanleytech]

70. Its because of the definitions they posted and then their own words.

Example

"We are being 'terrorized' by the people in power."

Could very well be 3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.

Next we have the comment of

"Slave training for the oncoming police state."

1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.


I am not saying though that they are a terrorist though or that I believe they are just that if we went strickly by that definition then they could be considered one by some.

[Huey P. Long]

72. Your contortions of language are impotent and illogical.

You would have the story/report itself as being 'terroristic'.
See no evil!

[cstanleytech]

74. Except Huey I am not saying you are a terrorist

merely that to some your writings itself could be considered as such if we applied the definition you posted.
In fact some of my past posts I am willing to wager could be considered as such as could a good % of DUers if we went strictly by the definition you used.


Edit: you are right though, I was mistaken in an area as your slave comment is probably closer to 3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government. seeing as you didint use any threat of force.

[clang1]

49. re: It exists to employ otherwise unemployable morons and to line the pockets of the assholes who ma

Yep. At least they are working I guess.

[kurtzapril4]

63. I really fucking resent that.

It exists to employ otherwise unemployable morons

Really? I know someone it employs! She lost her former decent paying job, and her home, due to the company she worked for moving her job to SE Asia (where ARE those stiff penalties OBama was going to levy against companies that outsource? Not there, are they?). Then she was homeless for awhile, and lived in her car. I used to bring her food and toiletries. Then she was able to scrape up enough dough to get a cel phone, and a PO Box so she could apply for jobs, even though she lived in her car. Then she got a job with the TSA. Then she got an apartment. Now she's working full time and trying to get her master's degree. She hasn't yet "groped" anyone, checked a toddler's diaper, or spilled anyone's grampy's ashes. She does, however, have to put up with a lot of shit from a bunch of whinging grown up children, all day, every day. She's been threatened, spit on, shoved, and sworn at. Unfortunately, she's required to be polite.

Piss off. How many tens of thousands of people fly without incident every single day? Every damn time one of these apparently rare incidents happen, some of you yobbos run around screeching like terrified babboons about the peons who work for the TSA. Some of whom ARE clueless, auto-maton dullards. I bet YOU work with some clueless, auto-maton dullards. There are tons of them, everywhere, in all walks of life. I bet you got your coffee from one this morning when you got your latte at Starbucks.

If you don't like the TSA, do something about it. Good luck with that! We all know it's security theatre, but TPTB don't seem to have any sort of problem with them, including that guy in the Whitehouse who has a "D" after his name.

[Psephos]

67. You lost me when you took the gratuitous swipe at Starbucks barristas.

Last edited Wed Jun 27, 2012, 12:30 AM - Edit history (1)

It makes your post sound just like the one you're railing against.

[kurtzapril4]

81. I should have made myself a lot clearer and worded it better.

I didn't mean that all barristas are automatons. Some of them are, though.

[Psephos]

82. I'm on board with you now. :) n/t

[kurtzapril4]

85. Why thank you!

I didn't mean to piss off anyone except the "TSA personnel are evil" crowd.

[4th law of robotics]

27. A competent organization.

[cstanleytech]

60. Well that leaves out the FBI, CIA, Coast Guard and the NSA then :)

[ChairmanAgnostic]

10. some years back I saw something similar.

flying to hawaii (NOT looking for a birth certificate), I was in line when an elderly man was going through security. LAX, flight to honolulu. He had his wife's remains there, and was following her wishes to return her to the state of her birth.

First, they attacked him for having a goldplated, jewel encrusted nail clipper she gave him as a gift. The bastards broke it apart in front of his face, then threw it away (I suspect the jewels were retrieved). Then, they forced open the jar and poured all the ashes into a plastic carrier they send through xray. By this time, he was crying. When he complained, they threatened to arrest him and charge him with disturbing the peace.

Fuckers, all.

Another time, TSA came close to arresting me in Chicago, simply because I wanted to used a public toilet in the Union Station, using a less used entrance. They were planning a special party for Bush fundraisers, and obviously I was not on the list.

[FiveGoodMen]

13. Horrible

[DURHAM D]

11. I recently flew out of Orlando.

TSA deliberately caused people to miss flights. I watched as they kept changing the stanchions to block people who had been waiting in line for a long time and then allow lines of people just arriving to go in front of those that had been waiting. The TSA people were all laughing among themselves.

They also kept making announcements (not on the PA system) that made no sense and could only be heard by a few people. Then the TSA workers all looked at each other and giggled.

There is a culture of cruelty among the TSA workers in Orlando.

[just1voice]

15. Criminal govt contractors + paid off politicians = TSA machines and abuse

We are a criminal country and until people start demanding action, trials and convictions, nothing will change.

[clang1]

19. +1000 and it will not change. PERIOD. Until there is action. It needs to be that simple

and it is that simple. PERIOD.

[harun]

16. Criminal. The worker and whoever trained them need to be fired.

[Lionessa]

17. May I suggest next time USPS. TSA sucks.

I don't fly, but if I ever have to I'm just going to make a package to where I'm going with everything except my clothes, and maybe even a few of those since lost luggage is a usual issue.

[Twinguard]

20. Yep.

My wife and I do that regularly. When we fly, we pack a backpack with a spare set of clothes, toothbrushes, book, iPod, etc... and ship the rest of our stuff.

It's so much easier. No more hassles of finding space in the overhead compartment or retrieving luggage once we land. We are usually first (or close to first) in the taxi lines. Flying sucks, but with a bit of preparation it can be made to suck just a little bit less.

[Auggie]

29. Right. Anything remotely questionable, ship it.

[revolution breeze]

40. But this is his grandfather's remains.

I can see why he wanted to keep them close. When my daughter's best friend died, the funeral home packaged her remains in a special container so her mother would not have problems with TSA, sealing and labeling the box and providing her with documentation to show to security. Had anyone given her any grief about it, I am sure her inner pitbull would have come out. She and I laughed about "Kimmie" riding on the belt through the x-ray machine (gallows humor). The flight attendant was very sensitive to her situation, taking her daughter home, and allowed her to keep it with her throughout the flight.

I remember when my neice's husband's casket was sent home, it came in the cargo bay of the plane. I know it would have been difficult to have sent it otherwise, but there was something just so sad about seeing it come out of the plane, followed by everyone's luggage.

[Lionessa]

42. I didn't say I didn't understand, but my sensibility would encourage the smart decision

here rather than my emotional one.

[revolution breeze]

43. I understand

It has only been a year since my friend's daughter died while living with me. Her mother lives in Seattle and just thinking that this could have happened to her makes me so very sad and angry. This story just makes me furious.

[Iggy]

24. Hey! There could be

cocaine in that urn!!

[4th law of robotics]

26. You can understand her concern

this guy had clearly died and allowed himself to be cremated in a vain attempt to get around being freedom-fingered in the airport.

She wasn't having any of that. For all we know those were the remains of a terrorist.

[Blue_Tires]

28. I'm starting to believe people are intentionally applying for TSA jobs

with the intention of burning down the house from inside with a string of weekly incidents of outrageous bumbling...

Hell...I may even fill out an application...

[truedelphi]

38. A few years ago, the starting wage for a TSA employee was

$ 28 bucks an hour. So you'll be well paid while wearing the uniform.


No discernible qualifications either. (Other than having a clean record, and valid ID.)

[Moosepoop]

55. The pay must have gone way down since then...

Popular Employers

United States
Transportation Security
Administration (TSA)

Hourly Rate

$9.85 - $16.33

http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Security_Screener,_Airline/Hourly_Rate

[notadmblnd]

31. Now there's a group fo Federal employees that the government could do away with.

[Dont call me Shirley]

33. I am so sorry you had to endure terroristic torment from one of our own civil servants.

[revolution breeze]

36. This story needs to be seen by everyone!

Anyone who doesn't read this and get outraged is an idiot! I am forwarding the link to everyone in my address book with a note to call their Congress rep and tell them this is why the TSA has got to go. I wish there was video.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

46. JUST A REPUB JOBS PROGRAM, IT IS A NO BRAINER FROM BOTH ENDS

[RoccoR5955]

48. The most useless government agency,

dreamed up by the most useless resident of the White House.

It's becoming an insult to call myself a citizen of the US, as the wing nuts are destroying everything in The Commons for their profits. This is very sad, and disgusting.

[pink-o]

58. It's even worse than you think...

The airlines loathe TSA...the airline employees believe TSA means "Thousands Standing Around", and they do nothing to help us. I've heard them tell passengers who get the extra special pat downs that the carrier is responsible and don't complain to TSA. I've barged right in and "corrected" them...kinda risky cuz they could easily report us and we old get ding-ed for security breeches.

But let me tell you the sickest thing about Bushy and Dickey's little bureaucratic creation: most of the TSA employees are contracted. They wear the uniform, but they're not real TSA. They may work for Covenant (like here in SFO) or another company euphemistically called "vendors". So those employees are not invested in their jobs, they get paid way less (the reason for doing it) and they have no association with the govt.

It's basically outsourcing in your own country. But if you're wondering why TSA doesn't seem to give a shit about protecting passengers, that's probably a big reason.

[newspeak]

84. I remember when they had the debate after 9/11 for contracting out security

Is TSA contracted out in some areas? I know they've contracted out some national security functions. I don't trust any corporation whose only goal is to make profit. Many corporations today are global, so what fealty do they have to this country?

Security was a lot nicer and respectful before 9/11. Is it who they are hiring now or did some of our security get contracted to private corporations who don't give a fek?

[The Wizard]

64. Another

bin Laden victory

[12ZTR]

68. I'm sick & tired

...of everybody complaining about TSA & then continuing to fly. Those people are getting exactly what they deserve. If enough stupids stop flying the TSA will disappear. The airlines will demand it.

[ManiacJoe]

80. What do you suggest for reasonable alternatives for long distance travel?

Hint: "reasonable" disqualifies car/bus.

[Marrah_G]

71. Who the heck is training and screening these people working at the TSA?

[cstanleytech]

75. No idea but whoever it is should be removed and they should hire someone else.

I suspect however that there will always be some who slip through the screenings process and get hired.

[bedazzled]

73. same thing happened to my mom eight years ago -- except my dad didn't end up on the floor

luckily

my mom is victimized by these folks everywhere she goes. they practically patted her
down at the kennedy space center!

they seem to like bullying little old ladies. less chance of them fighting back, i guess

[bluestateguy]

77. There are some professions that just do not attract the pick of the litter

TSA workers would be among that group, as well as the private security employees that did airport security before TSA.

[neohippie]

78. probably not a wise thing to do to a Sicilian

I hope that lady is haunted by the grandfather's ghost, and it was probably not very wise to anger a Sicilian family at least not where i come from...

[BlueIris]

79. Feckless thug.

That is the single most disturbing story I have yet read about TSA. Awful.