# TSA agent plants bag of powder on passenger. "It was just a joke." **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 26, 2010, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534 "2010-01-26T17:31:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/61 "2010-01-27T16:32:50Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > The TSA is a business and will use a least cost solution for any given problem. The TSA is not a business: it’s a part of the federal executive branch of government. That means, if it can get the Congress to appropriate enough funds, it is not going to use a “least cost solution”. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/62 "2010-01-27T17:08:59Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > The TSA is not a business: it’s a part of the federal executive branch of government. That means, if it can get the Congress to appropriate enough funds, it is not going to use a “least cost solution”. Okay. I misspoke. Not a business per-se, but it does not operate without money. It has budgets and expense reports and all the other financial trappings that any business organization must deal with. Instead of stockholders they must justify themselves and the money the spend to congress. So yes, they will seek least cost for maximum benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/63 "2010-01-27T17:17:04Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > It has budgets and expense reports and all the other financial trappings that any business organization must deal with. Instead of stockholders they must justify themselves and the money the spend to congress. > > So yes, they will seek least cost for maximum benefit. I’m not sure that is exactly how federal bureaucracies work. There is considerable pressure to spend one’s entire budget, so as to be able to request increased funding next year. There are few, if any, incentives to spend less than allocated. Moreover, the TSA _may_ (I have not checked the numbers) be in the position such that it is politically advantageous for politicians to throw more money at them than TSA even thinks they need themselves. No one wants to appear soft on terrorism, so let’s throw more money at it. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/64 "2010-01-27T17:17:10Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > I will, as soon as it gets to the top of my Netflix queue. Oooh, just say no. ---
**Author:** ![Kiber](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kiber/32/317_2.png) [@Kiber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiber)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/65 "2010-01-27T17:23:00Z")
To me - part of the outrage comes by the disproportionate reaction, had it been done from the other side. Travelers, who “joke” about bombs, for example, aren’t allowed to continue on after a 20 second delay. Travelers who do the same type of “joking” are arrested. So no - I don’t think too much outrage is a problem here. The bottom line - this guy lost his job for being a jerk. Had it been the other way around, a traveler would have lost his/her freedom (for some amount of time, at least). So I think this TSA jerk actually got off pretty lightly. Ultimately - what’s good for the goose, should be good for the TSA jerk as well. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/66 "2010-01-27T18:11:48Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > I definitely accuse you of being hyperbolic. When was the last time you saw an armed soldier in an airport? Every single time I enter an airport in the UK. They’re very fond of their guns over there. And I got to use a homophone triple in one sentence, too. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/67 "2010-01-27T18:29:00Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Not armed soldiers, but at O’Hare I have often seen Chicago cops dressed in their black riot gear - pants tucked into combat boots, holding what in my ignorance I will describe as automatic rifles. Was sort of surprised to see a couple the last time I was through there, a couple of months ago. > > I guess I am unusual, but I do not feel more secure the more openly displayed automatic firearms I see. Next time you’re at O’Hare, just walk up and ask one of the cops if his rifle is full or semi auto. Then ask if you can hold it while your wife takes a picture. What’s the worst that could happen? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/68 "2010-01-27T18:54:47Z")
That’s how scared an American was, on American soil - now imagine being a foreigner visiting the US and having a TSA guard pull that stunt (which is entirely likely, given that it happened in an airport) - the very thought terrifies me. These people hold a completely disproportional amount of power over travellers - I cant even imagine how much trouble a tiny envelope of white powder would cause for me in a foreign country. I agree with everyone that this stunt was far beyond acceptable - making anyone scared for no good reason in that situation for any length of time was incomprehensibly stupid. Firing is not enough for this guy; I hope karma comes around and returns what he gave. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/69 "2010-01-27T19:14:23Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > If that had happened to me I’d definitely have been arrested. > > For punching that fuckwit in the face for thinking it was a funny joke. The blood gushing from his nose would have made it worth it. Now see, that would have been funny, too. And the tasering you would get for that, also. By the time you all finish, I will be on the floor, crying tears of laughter. ETA: Kiber, that is an interesting point. If it were a traveller that had made the joke, “Oops, you found my coke…just kidding, it’s flour.”, would she be arrested or some other such nonsense? ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/70 "2010-01-27T19:15:22Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > And I got to use a homophone triple in one sentence, too. “And I got to use a homophone more than two times in one sentence, too.” Fix’d. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/71 "2010-01-27T19:18:34Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > Now see, that would have been funny, too. And the tasering you would get for that, also. By the time you all finish, I will be on the floor, crying tears of laughter. And then you would get tased, for laughing, and then that would set off a bunch of other people laughing, and they would get tased, and it would be just like the puke scene from “Stand By Me” except instead of puking it would be laughing. And tasers. That would be totally awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/72 "2010-01-27T19:20:24Z")
> [@MsWhatsit](#): > > And then you would get tased, for laughing, and then that would set off a bunch of other people laughing, and they would get tased, and it would be just like the puke scene from “Stand By Me” except instead of puking it would be laughing. And tasers. > > That would be totally awesome. With Benny Hill music. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/73 "2010-01-27T20:12:04Z")
> [@Una\_Persson](#): > > And I got to use a homophone triple in one sentence, too. > [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > “And I got to use a homophone more than two times in one sentence, too.” > > Fix’d. 😃 _Tu_ too to two? ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2010, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/74 "2010-01-27T23:45:16Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > When was the last time you saw an armed soldier in an airport? I have yet to ever see one. Well, I didn’t make the original comment about armed soldiers in airports, but since you asked I can attest to the following: [ol] [li]In Chicago at O’Hare I saw a member of the CPD with an auto- or semi-auto rifle the week of Thanksgiving 2009.[/li][li]The last week of September and again 12 days later in the first week of October 2009 in the International terminal at the Newark airport I saw two armed soldiers just standing around watching people. And by armed, yes I mean with rifles.[/li][li]Every time I have flown in or out of Dallas-Fort Worth since 9/11 I have seen members of the National Guard on duty in the airport. That would be typically 4 times a year. So that would be a total of 34 times for just DFW. I admit this is almost always around a major holiday so I don’t know about the rest of the time.[/li][/ol] How’s that? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/75 "2010-01-28T00:25:33Z")
I’m glad dude was fired. That was just an inexcusable action. There was no reason whatsoever for that. None. That must have been his strange way of singling her out because he wanted a date with her. She is indeed a cute girl. Sorta like the whole 4th grade “I’m pulling your pigtails because I actually like you, but I can’t let my friends see” shit. Would El Al ever pull some shit like this? Do we want airport security like Israel has? Because every time the system in America gets abused, subverted or repeatedly fails inspection tests, I think that is where we’re heading. We’re still way too lax…but how to rectify that issue in the face of inconvenience? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/76 "2010-01-28T02:50:30Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > But see, that’s the thing. From the inside looking out, I don’t think that’s true. I, too, have tremendous power to fuck with people via my badge. But I don’t, because I’m a normal person. But even if I tried, my supervisor would put the kaibosh on that immediately. And if he didn’t, _his_ boss would. See, there are so many cogs in the machinery that one of us doesn’t have enough power to truly screw with people the way you think we can. > > For example, let’s say the guy REALLY had it in for this girl. He’d try to send her to screening or something. The agent has to provide a reason for the detainment. “She looked funny” isn’t enough reason. And if he wanted to do something else to her, there are a bunch of other people that would need to be in on it, and they’d need to go through a lot of checks and balances to pull it off… This is ridiculous. If that guy REALLY had it in for that girl, he simply wouldn’t have admitted it was a joke. He would have planted the powder, ‘found’ it and turned her in. He would have just acted as if the joke were the truth, lied to the other TSA people and they would have backed him to the hilt. The woman might spend days in jail even if it was baby powder – depending on how long it took to get it tested at a lab. She could conceivably spend years in jail (though unlikely because of the small amount) if the powder had turned out to really be cocaine. Unless a security camera caught him planting the baggie, I’d guess the odds of catching him would be very very low. After all, what do most actually guilty people claim when they’re caught with contraband? That the cops or somebody else planted it on them. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/77 "2010-01-28T04:52:57Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > If that guy REALLY had it in for that girl … he simply would have planted the powder …and they would have backed him to the hilt. More like “they would have ratted him out at the first chance they got”, for two reasons. One, people, even government workers, are decent people. Two, people like their jobs and aren’t going to risk it for this numbskull. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/78 "2010-01-28T05:23:01Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > More like “they would have ratted him out at the first chance they got”, for two reasons. One, people, even government workers, are decent people. Two, people like their jobs and aren’t going to risk it for this numbskull. What are you talking about? I was responding mainly to this claim: > [@](#): > > See, there are so many cogs in the machinery that one of us doesn’t have enough power to truly screw with people the way you think we can. Why would he tell his coworkers that he was framing an innocent passenger? He would just say to them what he said to her – he found the baggie in her luggage. I’m not suggesting a conspiracy is necessary or even beneficial. Quite the opposite My point is that a badge does indeed give the holder a tremedous power to fuck with people’s lives. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/79 "2010-01-28T05:32:22Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > I definitely accuse you of being hyperbolic. When was the last time you saw an armed soldier in an airport? Last month, in Hong Kong/China. ---
**Author:** ![Picard\_Kills\_Kirk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/dec6dc/32.png) [@Picard\_Kills\_Kirk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Picard_Kills_Kirk)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2010, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534/80 "2010-01-28T06:53:32Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > I’ve been more terrified than that by thinking “Did I leave the oven/iron/tub on when I left?!” If you are more scared of leaving your iron on than being caught with an unknown white powdery substance by airport security, we are obviously living in two different worlds. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tsa-agent-plants-bag-of-powder-on-passenger-it-was-just-a-joke/526534.md?page=5)