Retired Teacher & Cancer Survivor Left Covered in Urine After TSA Patdown
Posted by Jim Hoft on Saturday, November 20, 2010, 5:39 PM
A retired teacher and cancer survivor was left covered in urine after a TSA patdown in Detroit.
The teacher was left humiliated, crying and covered in urine after making it through security.
MSNBC reported:
A retired special education teacher on his way to a wedding in Orlando, Fla., said he was left humiliated, crying and covered with his own urine after an enhanced pat-down by TSA officers recently at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
“I was absolutely humiliated, I couldn’t even speak,” said Thomas D. “Tom” Sawyer, 61, of Lansing, Mich.
Sawyer is a bladder cancer survivor who now wears a urostomy bag, which collects his urine from a stoma, or opening in his stomach. “I have to wear special clothes and in order to mount the bag I have to seal a wafer to my stomach and then attach the bag. If the seal is broken, urine can leak all over my body and clothes.”
On Nov. 7, Sawyer said he went through the security scanner at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. “Evidently the scanner picked up on my urostomy bag, because I was chosen for a pat-down procedure.”
Due to his medical condition, Sawyer asked to be screened in private. “One officer looked at another, rolled his eyes and said that they really didn’t have any place to take me,” said Sawyer. “After I said again that I’d like privacy, they took me to an office.”
Sawyer wears pants two sizes too large in order to accommodate the medical equipment he wears. He’d taken off his belt to go through the scanner and once in the office with security personnel, his pants fell down around his ankles. “I had to ask twice if it was OK to pull up my shorts,” said Sawyer, “And every time I tried to tell them about my medical condition, they said they didn’t need to know about that.”
…“One agent watched as the other used his flat hand to go slowly down my chest. I tried to warn him that he would hit the bag and break the seal on my bag, but he ignored me. Sure enough, the seal was broken and urine started dribbling down my shirt and my leg and into my pants.”
The security officer finished the pat-down, tested the gloves for any trace of explosives and then, Sawyer said, “He told me I could go. They never apologized. They never offered to help. They acted like they hadn’t seen what happened. But I know they saw it because I had a wet mark.”
Humiliated, upset and wet, Sawyer said he had to walk through the airport soaked in urine, board his plane and wait until after takeoff before he could clean up.
But Uncle Barack says its necessary so shut up and get your groping.
70% of MSNBC readers support National Opt Out Day.
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Published May 16, 2012 at 7:37 pm - 46 Comments
Blue Collar Todd commented:
Is it time to stop flying yet?
http://www.bluecollarphilosophy.com/2010/11/is-it-time-to-stop-flying-now-tsa-out.html
I’d rather spend 24 hours in a car over 2-3 days with my 3 kids then expose them to the TSA.
katy commented:
This is getting OUT-FREAKING-RAGEOUS!!!!
I am just screaming out loud at this point!
katy commented:
If we stop flying..they’ve won.
This is meant to intimidate us.
Cripple our ability to freely move about.
Give credence to the enviro-wackos who want to stop air travel.
thebronze commented:
When will enough be enough of this bulls**t?
FedUp commented:
Let’s send Michelle, Sasha and Malia through the security and then see how whatshisname feels about it!
thebronze commented:
Where is my comment??
Conservative Ken commented:
He should have made sure he handed the bag to the ignorant TSA agent. Let them get a healthy dose of humiliation.
This day and age, we are all guilty until proven innocent. It makes me want to hit back….AND HARD!!
nobama commented:
Maybe I’ll wear a full depends and refuse the xray let them put their hand in a diaper of pee. Only way we can stop this is to refuse to fly anymore. Then the airlines will put pressure on the tsa. Do what the Israeli’s do, profile on behaviour.
Bonny Kate commented:
Will people take it or not? Fighting back is imperative. Whether it’s boycotting flying or suing, action must be taken. And no, the government hasn’t won if we stop flying.
Take back America
Dave-O commented:
Amen Ken – I’m with you!! this is waaaaaay over the line!
Andreas K. commented:
This is totally out of hand. They will investigate? Yeah, and pigs can fly. They won’t do anything. They’ll just pretend and then carry on.
Boycotting flying won’t change anything. You’ll just ruin the airlines and play into the hands of the red fascists. Yes, the government will have won when you stop flying. Because then, they have control over your mobility. You stop flying and that leaves train, bus and car. Next step: trains. Then busses. Then you’ll be left only with your car. Well, that car will be killed by cap & tax because it produces “eeeeeeeebil CO2″.
Sue them. Bring your cameras, record everything. Put it online, let it go viral.
Granny commented:
#1 November 20, 2010 at 5:49 pm
Blue Collar Todd commented:
Is it time to stop flying yet?
http://www.bluecollarphilosophy.com/2010/11/is-it-time-to-stop-flying-now-tsa-out.html
I’d rather spend 24 hours in a car over 2-3 days with my 3 kids then expose them to the TSA.
____________
I’ve driven across country with kids. And I’ve flown the same with my granddaughter about the time she was 5. Give me the open road any day in the week. There is so much to see in this country, so much that is beautiful. Interesting places, interesting food, little bits of history. There are places you can still see the wheel ruts left by the wagons on the Oregon Trail. It’ll take you about four days to drive from Vermont to Arizona, but it is SO worth every single minute. Pack a little plastic bin with travel games & coloring books and it is all good. Remember to bring a new surprise they don’t know about for when they get bored each day on the road.
That flight out there with my grandchild? Had to rush so much between planes that we got nothing to eat all day other than the few snacks I had brought for her and the one teeny bag of peanuts the airline gave her. One one leg of the journey we sat in a row of three. The third party in our row was a black woman. The flight attendant served drinks to every single person on that plane except our row. I finally had to get up to get my grandchild something to drink. On another leg of the journey some ass nearly 7 feet tall laid his seat back (economy so the seats were very close) until it rested literally on my lap and refused to put the seat up even so that I could get out to take the child to the bathroom. Second most miserable trip of my life.
Redwine commented:
It’s about power and control. Period. More horrors ahead.
Something needs to be done to take our country back!
Sally commented:
We need to fight back; absolutely.
Do not refuse to fly. It will only financially cripple the airlines. Then the nice, benevolent government will “bail them out” and take them over, as well.
Good for this man for telling his story. People need to keep filing reports and making their experiences public. There is a narrow window of opportunity before the media is bored by it all….
ps: Granny- always take food w/ you if you fly w/ the children.
billyjoejimbob commented:
Whiskey tango foxtrot
TSA is out of control amigos
Most of the TSA agents are decent folks – most of them
they did not design or request the new enhanced patdowns
it is the guys in admin who develop the rules
write your congress and demand a change – or else
you will vote and support whoever runs against them – whoever else runs
in terms of the AIT scanner
in my dr’s office – when ever I need and x-ray
there is a “certified” or board certified radiologist operating the equipment
and i see the certificated posted on the wall so that I know that a qualified person
is operating the equipment
perhaps if we are picked for the new AIT
we should state ” I am not refusing the scan. I am asking if the person operating the equipment is board certified and if so I respectfully request to be shown the documents”
Even cab drivers are required to have their hack license and picture ID displayed.
There may some state laws requiring that AIT or any x-ray machine be operated by qualified personnel – not some one who has been given a one day seminar on how to punch a button
remember – the person running the AIT is NOT the person who sees the image
Be strong – polite- respectful but firm
billyjoejimbob
citizen of the USA
semper fi
Granny commented:
This sort of terrorism over the American people is completely unacceptable. TSA needs to be disbanded entirely!
Did take food Sally – it was a very long flight. 2 plane changes. Hour and a half plus trip to the airport each way. I know about bringing food when you travel LOL.
kansas commented:
Don’t fly. Break the airlines if they don’t stand up for their customers. Enough.
Miss Smith commented:
Jack-booted thugs! This is absolutely unforgivable! TSA agents are the terrorists!
Theadora commented:
I don’t know if boycotting the airlines is the answer. It seems to me that would be giving in to the bullies.
We have to stop them!
We need thousands – hundreds of thousands – of people to just refuse to go through the scanner or be pat down. Civil disobedience. The agents can’t arrest everyone.
Ginger commented:
Hey God…. you getting mad anough yet? I am!
avery commented:
Send TSA to secure our southern Border.
Taxpayer1234 commented:
Poor Mr. Sawyer! That’s just horrible.
I have a friend who’s used a urostomy bag since he was a child. Let’s just say he’s won every p*ssing match he’s entered, and I can’t see him losing one to the TSA!
Ginger commented:
Don’t you wonder if those TSA workers are really laid off SEIU, thugs? Really! Has any one heard or seen any one of the TSA people acting with any compassion at all! They are enjoying their positions! Why?
Perfected democrat commented:
My father had the identical medical circumstances for over a year before he passed away this last August, so this particular incident rings a special chord for me. I hope Mr. Sawyer is able to sue everyone involved in the incident. The Obama Democrats and their left-wing/jihadi culture cousins are getting a little more brazen everyday; I’ll stop here with this comment…..
Muffin commented:
Convict these people. Outrageous. Is everyone brain dead in Washington? Can we resolve this in the next 24 hours, please?
Idiots.
TXPatriot commented:
Surely there are enough of these to do a class action lawsuit by now. Sue the TSA! Where are the lawyers when you need them!
Coastal commented:
Mr. Sawyer! So sorry you experienced this! OMG! If I was a relative and knew it was a possibility that this would happen I would of ended up arrested!!! This makes me so angry. Where is the decency or the respect of other people in all of this! THERE ISNT ANY. Sue the TSA, everybody sue them, hell, the people that have not even flown yet sue them. We have to stop this!
Barbara commented:
I’m 62; always been interested in current events. I can’t remember anything like this since the civil rights outrages when I was a child–segregation of public institutions, separate and unequal public accommodations. The entire air-travelling public is being targeted: the business traveller cannot opt out of flying, while families on vacation could elect to drive. The business traveller is the higher margin customer; if the high-end business travellers decided to opt-out of flying for a while, along with others, this would grab the attention of the airlines. The airlines should be much more active in advocating for the travelling public.
Anyway, while we are all peeing our pants in apprehension about this, the terrorists will likely go after some “softer target”–I can think of many.
Practical Jane commented:
I WILL NOT FLY
My CHILDREN WILL NOT FLY
MY BETTER HALF WILL NOT FLY
MY MOTHER WILL NOT FLY
MY FATHER WILL NOT FLY
MY BROTHER WILL NOT FLY
MY SISTER WILL NOT FLY
MY IN-LAWS WILL NOT FLY
MY COUSINS WILL NOT FLY
MY NIECES WILL NOT FLY
MY NEPHEWS WILL NOT FLY
ETC, ETC, ETC
I HAVE A BIG FAMILY – 23 FIRST COUSINS ALONE – WE WON’T ALL SEE EACH OTHER IN PERSON THIS HOLIDAY, WE”LL USE SKYPE INSTEAD BECAUSE……
WE WILL NOT FLY.
OBAMA CAN TAKE THE TSA AND SHOVE IT
Nebraskan commented:
My 79 year old father makes this comment more and more often, ” Now wouldn’t Hitler be so happy to see his techniques of government control working so well in America”
This disgusts me what our government has came to making us feel guilty of no crime. Hummmm what’s next Americans???
JamesTF commented:
You all know what has to be done folks…..
aprilnovemer811 commented:
What country am I in? What kind of people let a foreign born thug get away with sitting in the White House, destroying American lives, and then feign ignorance to it on a daily basis. I’m referring to the rest of the people who are supposed to be protecting our freedom? The crime syndicate parading around as the United States Congress, Judiciary, Military, CIA, FBI? Sometimes I wish we’d have an attack in DC on a weekday, and wipe out the entire bunch.
Daugtherofsweetelderlymom commented:
It irritates me what they did to that man. No person should have to be humiliated like that. My mother is 81 years old and unable to walk to the gate so we request a wheelchair for her and over the past couple of years she has had to be patted down almost every time. Come on get real, she is 5 foot and 120 pounds white haired lady, really does she look like a threat. She is one of the sweetest ladies & is always embarrassed she has to go through that…
Colin commented:
I have the same condition as Mr Saywer, an Urostomy requiring wearing a urine collection pouch. Am in Vancouver Canada and am flying to UK next week. Have made a copy of this report to show to Canada or UK TSA if needed. This system has to change. It may need Sarah before there is proper profiling and common sense.
justasimplepatriot commented:
If we allow this to continue, we will be complicit in elevating Political Correctness to a level that supersedes everything America stands for. If we stand by and pretend it is okay to irradiate and/or grope children, nuns, old men and women while paying no extra attention to Muslims – we are surrendering to the Lunatic Left.
It is institutional insanity to prohibit effective profiling while voluntarily diverting manpower to abuse those who pose zero risk.
It is time to shout down liberal tyranny.
Taxpayer1234 commented:
We’re flying next month. My husband has a metal plate in his face–not big enough to set off the metal detectors, but it’ll surely show up on the body scan. What will they do, rip his face off to prove it’s not a bomb?!?
Jake JJJ commented:
Of course it’s Obama’s fault. But if these things had happened to Muslim Americans, or if the president were a Republican, we all know this crowd would be falling all over themselves to support the TSA.
Ellie Light commented:
Obama should get love pats every morning and the rest of his family too. So should the Congress. As for the TSA, guess where I would begin cutting the government?
stopthecrap commented:
A national no fly week is necessary if you really want to make this point stick . We must effect the airlines pocket and congresses unwillingness to act in a way that will attract national attention . The media won’t be able to hide it . Make up your minds ; do you want to keep taking this crap , or , do you really have the courage to be an American.
don abernathy commented:
so let me see…… a black man gets arrested by a white cop and Barry throws a Beer Summit.
Now not a peep………
How long does it take this idiot to finish “My Pet Goat”
roflmao
Alan Thomas Cote' commented:
“He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.”
- B. Franklin
Bankroller commented:
Dinglebarry and his ilk want Americans to stop flying. A government takeover of the airlines is the goal. A mobile population is more difficult to control, just ask the old Soviets and all communist governments. So all these latest “TSA security” measures are just part of the plan. . .
Sewing Susie commented:
I agree that whacking the airlines is not the answer, if you and i bankrupt them then hello, government takeover and control of all air service in the nation.
The answer is to whack the real villain here, which is the gov’t–fly all we want, and file complaints and complaints and more complaints, and more and more complaints, and lawsuits to boot, against the TSA agents who do the patdowns. Gum up the works and bog them down so deep they’ll never get out. If enough people file enough complaints against TSA agents, you can bet they (members of the SEIU all?) will be screaming to their higher-ups, and so on up the chain.
Shout it from the housetops!!!!!! Let’s party like it’s 1773!!!
The Cinnamon Coach commented:
This is indeed quite shocking and I feel for those involved but it seems to me that it is not so much about rules and regulations than the emotional intelligence of the people whose job it is to make sure those rules and regulations are complied with.
It’s about how people treat each other at the end of the day. And I for one would like to see more compassion and plain old common sense around!