I do, indeed, concede the "obvious" as stated above. I also concede that I have, over time, become a bit hypersensitive after being, by association, the recipient of extensive criticism. While I am no longer with TSA, I still have many high quality friends who are not deserving of the slander. In much the same way police and military resent the constant barrage of written and verbal attacks. Today, the military is, rightfully, held up in praise. But, when I was in the service during Vietnam the public, not all, not most, took the liberty of attacking our compassion and mental capacity. For doing a job which is demanding physically and mentally.
I hope no one dies, as you surely must recognize hyperbole when you see it. Your comments in your article seemed a bit too inclusive. Your "Do you want fries with that," comment had no qualifier attached.
MOST of the others posted were also all-inclusive of the remarks like the "thugs." No pretense of even surgical excision of the majority of agents from their target. You seem to take some umbrage at my few remarks directed at you. Imagine 90% of all letters aimed at you, questioning your compassion and mental capacity. I have not seen many which delineate between the agents and policy. 90% of the remarks are addressed to the agents. The agents do not do their searches to "grope" anybody. They try and make sure there are no dangerous items headed for the plane. By the way, drugs and weapons are commonly found in diapers.

You miss my point. The shoe bomber, Richard Reid was a white male not resembling a muslim. I could not agree more about Muslims being the problem, but there are also Muslim converts who do not look the part! As a matter of fact, I have seen old ladies also not looking the part who are Muslim, from which we have confiscated potential weapons!
What the other agents are doing is looking for exactly what you say they should be looking for.
The truth is, that VERY FEW passengers actually see what or who is actually removed from a bag/flight.

The above was responding to Mark Meed.

They (TSA agents) are a bit higher in caliber than as you referred to in your article. I considered it my job to welcome the passengers and received MANY laudatory comments from airlines and passengers. Quite honestly, I had some passengers return to me after screening with thanks for being "patient" with them. I say that not out of self congratulations but in defense of my position of defending my (former) fellow agents.
They are not allowed to choose which security checks they will enforce, and that in itself would work to the negative...would it not? "Smart policies, rather than stupid ones," in itself invites qualitative analysis with the person making the statement placing themselves into the mix as a judge. WHAT should they check? Everything but my bags? WHO should they check? Everyone but me?
Why are we reduced to calling those working to protect us "Thugs?" (See above comments. "...thugs at the gate") They are honest people doing honest work. The public would be astounded, perhaps even horrified, to learn of the things actually discovered and removed at the gate...by those "thugs."

The "power play" is asinine.
Some agents are much more sticklers for the protocol than others. How many times have we heard someone express surprise that some person they knew was capable of some atrocity???
Unless you've walked that proverbial mile in my shoes...be very careful who you call an idiot.
Overkill? Would it have been overkill if they had found the underwear bomb? Or have you not heard about that one?

There are more agents that you realize. They don't all wear uniforms. Your "sexual abuse" identifies you as a liberal feminist. "Only search the men and only above ??? age." And certainly no self respecting terrorist would disguise HIMself as a nun or woman...and for sure they wouldn't stoop so low as to plant weapons/bombs on a child."

I have no idea what "reports" you read, but I seriously doubt their validity. Yet another "THEY say." There are different stages of security. Should we therefore, using your reasoning, cease all screening/searches because someone might get through anyway. "Throw open the gates and let 'em grab a seat."
I was among the first to roll out as a "screener." We were accused by every race/ethnicity of profiling. A Catholic priest once berated us and said he was completely against what we did because we were profiling Arab/Muslims. He actually said that was the whole reason for TSA - to harass Muslims. If every one is screened in the same way, there SHOULD not be complaints. the "shoe bomber" looked nothing like what the public believes they all look like. What do you say if a white nut case blows up a plane? "Oh, that's okay. At least they didn't frisk ME."

Another Saturday afternoon beer fest security expert. There are more security agents in the terminal than you realize. I seriously suspect that you would be the very first to scream at TSA were a disguised terrorist to make it through and blow up a plane. If you think the terrorists are above disguising themselves as nuns or planting explosives on children or women you are in a sad case of denial. From your statement I must believe you are of the mind that only men should be searched.

As a retired TSA agent I know the pressure they are under. He was doing his job whether you appreciate it or not. I seriously doubt that he was getting his jollies as you seem to imply. Believe it or not, he, more than likely, is as adverse to do it as you are to have it done. Perhaps you are the one in need of a reassessment of respect.
Happy 9/11. You do remember that, don't you?

I have no love loss for muslims. we watched them closely, even closer without making it obvious; they didn't skate as you and the author seem to think. The other bad guys hide many things, such as drugs and weapons ON children from babies on up! To say they don't is pure rejection of the type of morals we deal with. Richard Reid - the shoe bomber - was a white man, looked nothing like a muslem. Then there is the "American Taliban."
Were someone to sneak a bomb aboard on the person of a child, you guys would be the first calling for TSA agents' blood. If they exempted children from searches, guess where the bad guys would hide the next bomb. I NEVER searched a child or adult in any way other than respectful. Parents got angry on occasion. Adults threatened us. Of course, I can't speak for anyone outside of Texas. Perhaps you don't have any bad guys in the other states.
To say that Muslims don't come in any other race or dress than traditional Arab is untrue and unrealistic. The article implied that all TSA officers were/are worthy of no job but flipping burgers. I'll put myself and my fellow officers character and morals up against you or the author any time. I don't claim to be better, as he does...just every bit as good. I was a medic in the service and literally held lives in my hands. I have worked in legal work. I have done volunteer work. I am not ashamed of my life. Aside from that, who is the author that he can claim flipping burgers is not an honorable job. It beats belittling honest workers with smug arrogance.