SURVENT

A passenger was detained in Milawaukee on Tuesdya for making a political statement about TSA Director Kip Hawley.

A Wisconsin man who wrote "Kip Hawley is an Idiot" on a plastic bag containing toiletries said he was detained at an airport security checkpoint for about 25 minutes before authorities concluded the statement was not a threat.

Ryan Bird, 31, said he wrote the comment about Hawley -- head of the Transportation Security Administration -- as a political statement. He said he feels the TSA is imposing unreasonable rules on passengers while ignoring bigger threats. (Full Story)

Was this a good idea? Probably not, but it is stirring the pot.

The incident has ignited some chatter on Internet travel Web sites. More than 83,000 people have clicked on a FlyerTalk.com forum devoted to the episode, and the forum has grown to include 30 pages of comments.

Bird followed the rules laid out by TSA requirements for carry on items, but he decided to make a political statement in what I would say was the wrong venue. If he wanted attention though, he can declare success.

Bird put the marked bag in a plastic tray along with his shoes and cell phone. A TSA screener saw the bag and went to get a supervisor, who grabbed it and asked Bird if it was his.

"It was obvious that he was already angry," Bird said, adding that the screener told him, "You can't write things like that."

The supervisor told Bird he had the right to express his opinions "out there" -- pointing outside the screening area -- but did not have the right "in here," Bird said.

While this is a trying time for people working in the airline industry and TSA employees are on high alert, the comment supposedly made by the TSA supervisor seems a little absurd. Since when do the rights of Americans cease to apply at the airport? The supervisor was definitely out of line if the comment was made. If this did happen and other TSA employees agree with the statement, this is a huge issue. If TSA employees are beginning to get a superiority complex because they are almighty screeners, there needs to be a reality check immediately. This is an interesting incident that needs to be looked into.