This post is in response to the mom blogger who wrote, “TSA Agents Took My Son.”
If you haven’t heard the story, a woman was traveling with her baby through the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson airport and ended up needing a second security screening, which she says was triggered by her son’s pacifier clip. She wrote a long, teary, desperate blog post about her terrifying experience. She claims the agents took her baby and disappeared.
Naturally, anyone who read her post was appalled. After all, her description of the event was truly a parent’s worst nightmare – strangers taking a baby – how could TSA allow such a thing?
I know TSA takes pride in ensuring children are never separated from their parents and since there are always two sides to every story, what really happened?
Apparently, TSA was made aware of the blog post and made every effort to contact the blogger and dig for the truth and, if needed, rectify the situation. She didn’t respond to the calls.
Last night Blogger Bob of the TSA Blog Team tactically responded to the post and not only defended TSA but went a step further and posted a video of the woman’s actual experience of the situation, which proved the entire story to be fictitious.
The baby was never removed from her care and she never made any dramatic phone calls to her mother during the event (a part of the story). If you watched the video you probably agree it was simply a routine security screening.
Did this woman not realize how many cameras are in the airport and that her lie would eventually be exposed?
After reading the comments in response to the TSA blog I was astounded by the number of people who defend this mother who not only put the security agents’ jobs at risk, but put another nick in the blogging community’s credibility.
One of the most common defenses for the blogger was that the screening took too long. Well, guess what, that is why TSA and the airlines recommend passenger arrive at the airport with plenty of time to spare (and allow enough times between connecting flights) for this very reason. If you are passing through security less than an hour before your flight departs and get caught at security, whether there are long lines or you need additional screening, that is your own fault – and don’t expect any special treatment. Do you know how many other people are trying to get to their flight?
Parents should especially allow more time since they are bombarded with gear and children who need diaper changes and potty stops.
I’d like to give this blogger the benefit of the doubt, but the video is hard to argue.
Many people are looking forward to her response regarding “TSA Agents Took My Son” – as there are a lot of disappointed bloggers and readers right now.
What is your opinion of the situation?
Talk about 2 sides to the story… My amusement comes from the people saying the search took too long. Oh, heaven forbid it takes 10 minutes. What would they be saying if a short search missed something? Then the search wouldn’t have been thorough enough. Travel is a privilege, not a right. Personally I don’t mind the additional safety measures- though it is debatable how much safer they make you.
I am very curious to see if there will be a response. I know she is on a flight now, but wonder if she will speak up after she arrives at her destination.
This whole thing is a storm in a tea cup. Nic cried ‘Wolf’ for no good reason and has now been found out.
While a 10-minute screening is quite long, and I’ve never actually seen one take that long, it seems that would be the traveler’s own fault for not following procedure. Say what you will about the actual process (ridiculous as much of it is), it doesn’t take much time for the average person.
The line may be long however, but that’s less the TSA’s fault than people not knowing the busy times for an airport.
I’m SO glad you posted about this!
She has since issued an “apology” which frankly doesn’t sound like much of an apology to anyone (namely the TSA) at all:
http://www.mybottlesup.com/my-apologies/
I’m disgusted that what she calls her “freedom of speech” is in fact a childish, melodramatic tirade. Obviously, she had a bad time going through security; I get that. Perhaps TSA staff treated her innapropriately (she *was* in that box a long time with TSA people ignoring her). But did she have to post such an immature, overly dramatic treatise about her experience? One that simply does not add up?
THEN she Tweeted about it and got all of her friends to re-tweet. Concerned, empathetic moms all over the WORLD spread her story virally. (I am so thankful I didn’t RT it; I was actually embarrassed by all the drama in her writing. Just sounded fishy to me from the get-go.) I understand the need to vent, but she can do that to her husband, her mother, her neighbor. She should have taken a few breaths before vomiting her anxiety all over the screen and then spreading news of the post all over the Internet.
She’s claiming that the TSA video is not complete. That it doesn’t show when her son was taken away, nor the couple of phone calls she made. Give me a break.
What I find most ironic: her “I blog with integrity” badge on her site. As bloggers, we’ve got to realize that EVERYTHING WE WRITE is going to be put under a microscope. Before you hit “publish” think about what you’re writing, friends. And before you get the world to rally around you, figure out if you really want that attention. Do you NEED that attention?
I don’t find this woman having much integrity at all.
BUT, I of all people understand that there are two sides to every story. I wonder if she’ll give us a nice bow to tie on this one after she finishes talking to the TSA about that missing video….