TSA: Your Safety Is Our Priority

Helen Whalen Cohen | December 30, 2010 2:57 PM

Happy (almost) New Year! Hopefully if you were traveling, you were able to make it home without too many delays or spending too much time in a terminal. I was able to fly back to DC (and get the obligatory screening) last night.

After getting scanned, I was pulled aside by an agent who explained that she was required to check my bag. What did she need to look for? My razor blade? Liquid soap? No. The object that caught their attention was my 7/16 wrench. But since it was less than seven inches long I was able to bring it on the plane after all.

Did this accomplish anything? This is one more example of TSA security theater. As a co-worker pointed out, their biggest fear must have been that I would use that wrench to dismantle the plane.