Thread: Woman arrested at ABIA after refusing enhanced pat down

Woman arrested at ABIA after refusing enhanced pat down

by JIM BERGAMO / KVUE News

kvue.com

Posted on December 22, 2010 at 9:38 PM

Updated today at 9:39 AM

Early Wednesday morning, a computer glitch shut down a security checkpoint for a couple of hours at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. The line snaked out the door as many travelers waited for more than an hour and some missed their flights. One of the first people in line after that shutdown never made it through. She was arrested and banned from the airport.

Claire Hirschkind, 56, who says she is a rape victim and who has a pacemaker-type device implanted in her chest, says her constitutional rights were violated. She says she never broke any laws. But the Transportation Security Administration disagrees.

Hirschkind was hoping to spend Christmas with friends in California, but she never made it past the security checkpoint.

"I can't go through because I have the equivalent of a pacemaker in me," she said.

Hirschkind said because of the device in her body, she was led to a female TSA employee and three Austin police officers. She says she was told she was going to be patted down.

"I turned to the police officer and said, 'I have given no due cause to give up my constitutional rights. You can wand me,'" and they said, 'No, you have to do this,'" she said.

Hirschkind agreed to the pat down, but on one condition.

"I told them, 'No, I'm not going to have my breasts felt,' and she said, 'Yes, you are,'" said Hirschkind.

When Hirschkind refused, she says that "the police actually pushed me to the floor, (and) handcuffed me. I was crying by then. They drug me 25 yards across the floor in front of the whole security."

An ABIA spokesman says it is TSA policy that anyone activating a security alarm has two options. One is to opt out and not fly, and the other option is to subject themselves to an enhanced pat down. Hirschkind refused both and was arrested.

Other travelers KVUE talked to say they empathize with Hirschkind, but the law is the law.

"I understand her side of it, and their side as well, but it is for our protection so I have no problems with it," said Gwen Washington, who lives in Killeen.

"It's unfortunate that that happened and she didn't get to fly home, but it makes me feel a little safer," said Emily Protine.

The TSA did release a statement Wednesday that said in part, "Our officers are trained to treat all passengers with dignity and respect. Security is not optional."

The TSA says less than three percent of travelers get a pat-down.

http://www.kvue.com/news/local/Woman-ar ... 54199.html

Originally Posted by Ratbstard

"I told them, 'No, I'm not going to have my breasts felt,' and she said, 'Yes, you are,'" said Hirschkind.

Perverts. A sign that our country is going down the same road as Nazi Germany.

"It's unfortunate that that happened and she didn't get to fly home, but it makes me feel a little safer," said Emily Protine Sheeple.

I find it ridiculous how many don't know the Constitition yet claim their constitutional rights have been violated because of one little line being all she knows.

The preable says enough:
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish
Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the
general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do
ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

First it talkes about The People, not the Person. The entire preable is talking about providing for the safety and security of The People. However the constitution is apparently written for the benefits of ONE person instead of the Safety of all The People. Her rights were not violated, she was not sexually harassed, she was not singled out because of race or sex. Show me where in the constitution it would even suggest her rights were violated. Rights of privacy are not for being in a public place but rights of privacy in ones own confines such as their house.

I believe all these actions are merely conditioning the unaware to accept a police state.

IT SCARES THE FECES OUT OF ME HOW MANY ARE SO ACCEPTING!

I just need to know that soldiers I fought with who did give their lives didn't die for nothing when the American people are more concerned about their privacy then the extremist anti western groups we were fighting against. I want to know they didn't die for an American society that has no care about itself anymore.

And we have how many PEOPLE in this land of ours that are not supposed to be here?

It takes PEOPLE to form a more perfect UNION; a person would have a hard time forming much of a union. (people include the person)

A person has a right to be secure in their person, and effects, etc.

Something about those that are willing to give up their freedoms and liberties for a sense of security deserve neither comes to mind also.

Just my $0.02 worth, not yet adjusted for inflation.

Syanis wrote,

I just need to know that soldiers I fought with who did give their lives didn't die for nothing

Let us pray that day never comes. You and me are here posting right now due to their sacrifices. They did not choose the conflict or the politics around it,......they served, they sacrificed, and we are the beneficiaries of their ultimate sacrifice. Words do not seem to do justice to their sacrifice.........

and,

when the American people are more concerned about their privacy

Their privacy from an intrusive and tyrannical government.

Originally Posted by Syanis

I find it ridiculous how many don't know the Constitition yet claim their constitutional rights have been violated because of one little line being all she knows.
.

What about the Constitutionally protected rights of individuals against unreasonable search, and innocent until proven guilty?

By the way there are no "constitutional rights", the Constitution does not give us rights, God does, the Constitution prohibits the government from taking those God given rights away. At least in theory, in practice seems they can do whatever they want.

Originally Posted by Syanis

I find it ridiculous how many don't know the Constitition yet claim their constitutional rights have been violated because of one little line being all she knows.
.

What about the Constitutionally protected rights of individuals against unreasonable search, and innocent until proven guilty?

By the way there are no "constitutional rights", the Constitution does not give us rights, God does, the Constitution prohibits the government from taking those God given rights away. At least in theory, in practice seems they can do whatever they want.