OK, as most of those who know me know that I can not stand bureaucratic bullshit. I work for bureaucracy and I hate it when I see it at work. Typically it’s dealt out by office bound desk jockeys who have no real idea how to do whatever that agency is actually supposed to do. I've seen some folks who can not only talk out of both sides of their mouth at the same time, but out of their ass. Some are experts at making up bullshit and explaining why it's not their problem or their fault.
When a citizen comes to me and ask a police question, I like to give them a direct no bullshit answer. If it’s something that I can’t help them with, I explain why and try to get them in touch with somebody who can. I never say: “It’s not my job” or “ I can’t help you.”
Now, to be totally honest, there are often nutjobs who we really can’t help and there’s no hope for them….they’ll complain about how bright the moon is at night and crap like that.
However, I was sent a contact link for the TSA to bring up concerns about TSA workers etc. I thought it over, and thought: “Wow, the Department of Homeland Security and the TSA are really trying to fix things and make them better….great, maybe I’ll write them.”
I wrote about the San Francisco Airport and the insane way they handle firearms when you check them in for a flight. I explained in detail how dangerous they were when handling my handguns in the past etc. Then, I explained when I returned from other airports how much better they were.
Now, despite the fact that some TSA screeners are contract employees, they are all getting paid by the US Government one way or another.
This was their bureaucratic bullshit response:
Thank you for your e-mail.
At the direction of Congress, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) established a program at some airports using private contractors instead of Federal security officers. These airports, although regulated by TSA, are not staffed by a Federal workforce. To address your concerns, you should contact that airport's screening contractor directly.
We hope this information is helpful.
TCC Contact Center
Now I feel much better...knowing that some pogue behind a desk is doing not a damn thing.
7 comments:
Judas H, "Making the best of a bad job" doesn't even touch the sides, does it?
Did you expect a reply of, '...thank you, Dude, we'll get right on that.'? It's the government...you got as good as they give.
1. BS reply.
2. With a little effort, you can bring a world of hurt down on the person who wrote it.
3. Everyone contracted to perform governmental duties is subject to oversight by the contracting authority.
4. If KBR, Blackwater (Xe), Mantech, Triple Canopy -and on and on- fall short, they are in violation of contract and subject to disciplinary action by the government.
5. TSA can't pass it on to the contractor. They are responsible.
6. The weasel-worded reply probably reflects organizational culture.
7. Judging by the ignorant and accusatory crap coming out of the mouth of that organization's 'leadership,' your reply might be the school solution -at least until they get called on it.
V/R JWest
Mr West,
I'm wondering if they'd put me on the "NO FLY LIST" if I kept complaining. But since I don't give a shit and hate fucking flying anyway...I'll let it go.
I remember what a smart man said one time: "You can't fix stupid."
1. Might put you on some list.
2. A SS guy I worked with shortly after I got out of the USMC informed me that my name was put on a "watch list" for the DC area. Thanks for my good work on their behalf?
3. Turned out the SS had a list of about 20,000 potential threats in the local area. Guys who said or wrote stuff deemed to be threatening -or just people like me who had the capability to cause trouble, if we felt like it.
4. That was years ago -God knows how long that list must be now.
5. The list of lettered agencies concerned with internal security has done growed, too.
6. The accusations about the American public coming from their leadership make it likely that there are a few lists out there.
7. And, yeah, bitch at TSA and you just might wind up feeling a little love when you deal with them.
V/R JWest
But Mr West, I've spent the last 30 plus years stopping trouble as a cop and "defending" the coutry as a soldier. I just can't understand when a person, like the TSA folks I've seen at the SF airport are so dumb when it comes to checking in firearms and screening soldiers traveling on orders.
I didn't feel any safer...as a matter of fact, I felt like we'd be safer without the illusion that they were doing something good.
1. The TSA folks are odd bodies looking for a government job -or signed on by a contractor for $9/hr -$12/hr if they are licensed to carry.(Haven't seen TSA folks carrying)
2. Very few of these folks would pass the screening employed by most US police departments.
3. Don't compare them to yourself.
4. Have been military and in various aspects of the security business for many years -and frequently learn stuff from your writing.
5. Wackenhut might have some people on your level -but not many.
6. Require TSA HR or a civilian contractor to maintain standards that you would accept as an understudy and they'd run screaming from the room.
7. There just aren't that many good ones out there.
V/R JWest
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