TSA stops woman from boarding flight over purse design

[HipChick]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/02/tsa-stops-passenger-over-purse-design_n_1125354.html




Vanessa Gibbs had no problem getting her Western-themed purse through security at Jacksonville International Airport. But, on her return trip from Norfolk, Virginia, she was told her purse was a federal offense, reports News 4 Jax.

Gibbs, 17, carries the purse, embellished with a faux-gun design, nearly every day.

Agents eventually recognized the gun was fake, but she was told to check the bag or surrender it. The ordeal caused Gibbs to miss her flight and be re-routed to Orlando.

"I carried this from Jacksonville to Norfolk, and I've carried it from Norfolk to Jacksonville," she told the station. "Never once has anyone said anything about it until now."

The TSA still upholds the position that the purse could be considered a replica weapon, which have been prohibited since 2002.

This isn't the first time the definition of replica weapon has been stretched. Last January, two tourists were stopped at Gatwick because of a toy soldier's three-inch rifle. And, back in 2009, an eight year old had his Disney plastic sword and toy gun confiscated in Ft. Lauderdale.

[Warren DeMontague]

1. She's lucky it wasn't a t-shirt with a picture of a pot leaf

she'd be in fucking Gitmo right now.

[yurbud]

2. this is something lefties AND the NRA could protest

[Quartermass]

3. Some people really don't like to think, just bark their fuhers' orders blindly.

[ZombieHorde]

9. The TSA agents may have enjoyed fucking with her.

I have no idea what they were thinking, but many people enjoy authoritarianism.

[Renew Deal]

4. "Hands in the air! I've got a purse!"

[FSogol]

5. Based on that, they should ban people with Ed Hardy-"style" tattoos.

[joeybee12]

6. Well, it is pretty ugly...maybe this will teach her some fashion sense...nt

[HipChick]

7. ...that purse is hideous and should have been confiscate­d by the fashion police long before TSA

even got to it..

[ChairmanAgnostic]

8. how long before people are arrested for loaded fingers?

for just making like a gun with one hand, and threatening to fire?