Originally Posted by Sum Ting Wong

I don't believe anyone here has said all TSA agents are criminals or are lazy. I've no doubt there are plenty of hard working, honest and responsible people who work for the TSA, but the organization itself does not keep the bar very high.

These are the requirements of getting a job for the TSA:

a background investigation, including a credit and criminal check
a drug screening and medical evaluation
no debt defaults of $7,500 or more (except for some bankruptcies)
no delinquent federal or state taxes or past-due child support payments
males must be registered for Selective Service
must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national at time of application
must be at least 18 at the time of application
must be English proficient
must have a high-school diploma, a GED –or – “at least one year of full-time work experience in the security industry, aviation screening, or as an X-ray technician.”

There are more stringent requirements to pump gas or flip burgers let alone be an armed federal agent. The FBI process for example requires background investigations, character references, lie detector tests etc. I doubt many TSA personnel could get a state issued CCW if they tried.

Anyone who has flown in the past decade or so has no doubt seen first hand many examples of bullying, abuse of power, improper touching, harassment, unprofessionalism and the like, at the hands of TSA personnel. Are these glorified mall cops really the kind of people you feel comfortable having a badge AND gun?