TSA Groper Files Suit Against Blogger

An anonymous reader writes "TSA employee Theldala Magee has filed a lawsuit against a blogger demanding $500k in damages for alleging a particularly invasive search involving multiple incursions of a finger into the passenger's vagina. The passenger, who likened the feeling to being raped, is being sued for defamation for supposedly sullying the otherwise good name of a checkpoint smurf."

Rape requires intention

[RobinEggs]

I understand that what this woman experienced was, if described accurately, very unpleasant and physically similar to a moderately traumatic and invasive sexual assault.

Nevertheless, I wish people would stop demeaning the experiences of actual rape victims by throwing out the word for every possible unpleasant physical experience involving the groin or breasts. It only makes the kind of people who dismiss the seriousness of sexual assault in the first place that much more insulated from the gravity of real sex crimes. In my opinion rape requires an intent to invade, control, and discomfort for sexual reasons, and (also in my opinion) the fact that the crotch was involved doesn't automatically make something sexual. There's nothing inherently sexual about a security screening, no matter how roughly or ignorantly done and no matter the body parts checked, so please stop calling it rape based solely on the physical characteristics.

Re:If I ever take my family overseas

[EaglemanBSA]

This is why I don't fly anymore. Molest me, fine, it'll piss me off and I'll want to talk to a manager. Molest my kid, and I swear by my pretty floral bonnet I will end you.

Anybody touching

[Quila]

her private parts without explicit consent and complete freedom to decline without repraisal is sexual assault.

And that person will be physically injured by me unless he or she is lucky enough to have the cops get there first.

Re:USA

[scamper_22]

It's posts like this that should show you that Europeans are just as enlightened or ignorant as Americans.

Do you really think that is the average person's experience at the airport? Do you really think Americans are nuts?

Seriously, you think the US is some crazy place?
I was born in Africa, have a very Muslim name, live in Canada now, and have been to the US dozens of times. Sometimes for work. Sometimes for play.

You know what US border/airport security is like? It's pretty routine... apart from the whole taking off my shoes thing. But the personnel are pretty normal. No different than I've experienced in the UK or Holland.

During my last trip for work in Florida, I left my shaving cream and toothpaste in my carry-on bag by accident. Normally I throw it all out. It got flagged in the scanners. The guy called his supervisor. They had me step aside, emptied the bag... found out it was shaving cream, cracked a joke... threw out my shaving cream, and I was on my way. Pretty regular behavior.

I'm sure some people have had bad experiences. But people have had bad experiences in the UK, Canada, France... too. The US just isn't that nutty.

You are unduly uptight

[Kupfernigk]

....and ignorant. Ever heard of Papal bulls? The Pope's letters on doctrine have the first words as the title. The use of the first few words of something as the title has, in fact, a very long history; far longer than email. You are just demonstrating your lack of education and narrow cultural prejudices

Re:Theldala gonna to be gettin' PAID!

[KingAlanI]

"doing what they told me to do" defense ... is no defense at all.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg_Defense [wikipedia.org]

Very subtle Godwin. And one that's actually on-topic ;)