Good Grief: TSA Searches 96-Year-Old Wheelchair Bound Woman, Sparks Debate

Talk about an invasion of privacy. Millions of people have watched TSA agents pat-down, search, and creep upon a 96-year-old wheelchair bound mother. While public safety and airport security is important, many are saying this was over the line and completely unnecessary. Still, others assert the TSA agents were doing their duty.

Jeanne Clarkson was traveling with her mother, Evelyn Labrier who happens to be in a wheel chair when TSA agents decided that her mother might some how pose a security threat and needed an invasive pat-down.

(Via CBS News)

“I was just shocked. I’ve traveled with her before, I’ve been in a wheelchair myself unable to walk through the machines and I’ve never had that kind of a pat-down ever. I was just shocked. I couldn’t believe they were doing this to my 96-year-old mother,” Jeanne Clarkson told CBS News transportation correspondent Kris Van Cleave. “It was just shock, and frustration because they would not talk to me. I felt helpless.”

Clarkson says she, her fiancé and Evelyn LaBrier were traveling back home to Anderson, Indiana after visiting her son in Maryland. The TSA screener was polite and explained what was happening during the search which included a pat-down of LaBrier’s chest and pelvis region.

. . .

Commenters on Facebook have offered a mix bag of reactions. Some say “This poor lady! Her shoulder was stiff and she needed that arm rest so badly! She was so patient! She may have needed to use the restroom after all that prodding! Bless her!” and “Wow,sorry your mother had to go through that,like she has something to hide.where do they get these ingorant (sic) people?”

(Read more from “Good Grief: TSA Searches 96-Year-Old Wheelchair Bound Woman, Sparks Debate” HERE)

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