Wednesday, July 27, 2005

Woman Faces Prison After Run-In With Airport Screener

It’s hard to tell which aspect of this story is worst: that government goons are “combating terrorism” by feeling up 62-year old former schoolteachers; that it’s permissible for TSA agents to brazenly grope people but returning the insult is considered a crime; or that the feds have elevated themselves into a separate class of victim – apparently this woman is being charged for “assault of a federal employee,” as though the egregious part isn’t assault but the exalted status of the federal employee. Really belies the antiquated notion that the state exists to serve its citizens when the opposite has been true forever.

Who among us feels safer or freer knowing that stories like this are depressingly common?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Being a newly minted federal employee myself, the exalted status of the federal worker is not lost on me. When you work for G.W. you are raised to a new level of existence, an uber-murkin if you will, with all the rights, protections and perks therein. When your boss is someone who never makes a mistake, and seemingly all who work for him are also incapable of doing anything wrong, it's hard not to shine that halo every once in a while. In fact, I believe that if I screw up on the job enough, I am eligible for a pay raise, and if my screw up results in the bombing of another country, then I may even be eligible for the Medal of Freedom! God Bless America!

J Ballot said...

Congratulations on your newly exalted status!

You'll have to keep us posted on the progress of your meteoric rise through the government ranks. I expected the private sector would have its share of "Peter Principle" exemplars but I'm curious to hear how it's applied on the federal level. If I don't hear news of a promotion within a few weeks, I'll just have to assume you're being way too competent and astute for your position! Either that, or they'll have caught wind of some of your crazy librul inclinations...