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Alaska Rep. Cissna Refuses Pat-Down at Sea-Tac AirportCissna refused the pat-down and according to her staff, she was given a choice: take the pat-down or find another way home.Related Content
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTVA-CBS 11 News) Alaska State Representative Sharon Cissna (D-Anchorage) is coming back to our state by sea after refusing a pat-down at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
The lawmaker had been in Seattle for medical treatment. Cissna's chief of staff said she had already gone through the full body scan at Sea-Tac when "Cissna was singled out by the TSA for a full body pat-down, despite submitting to their controversial full body scan, because the scan showed that she had had a mastectomy," according to a press release. Cissna refused the pat-down and according to her staff, she was given a choice: take the pat-down or find another way home. The state representative is now scheduled to head back to Juneau via the Alaska Marine Highway System. "We take the professionalism of our workforce and the integrity of our security procedures very seriously and will address any alleged issues directly with the passenger and not through the news media," responded TSA officials in a statement. It is unclear why Cissna refused the pat-down or why her mastectomy would have triggered any alarms. The following is Rep. Sharon Cissna's account of the events of February 20th, 2011 at SEA-TAC International Airport: "The evening of the 20th of February 2011 started with relief, as I was anxious to get back to the important work of the Alaskan Legislature. Heading into security after time with the line of passengers, I felt upbeat. I'd blocked out the horror of three months earlier, but after the pleasant TSA agent checked the ticket and ID, I suddenly found myself directed into scanning by the Seattle Airport's full-body imaging scan. The horror began again. A female agent placed herself blocking my passage. Scan results would again display that my breast cancer and the resulting scars pointed a TSA finger of irregularity at my chest. I would require invasive, probing hands of a stranger over my body. Memories of violation would consume my thoughts again." "Being a public servant and elected representative momentarily disappeared. Facing the agent I began to remember what my husband and I'd decided after the previous intensive physical search. That I never had to submit to that horror again! It would be difficult, we agreed, but I had the choice to say no, this twisted policy did not have to be the price of flying to Juneau!" "So last night, as more and more TSA, airline, airport and police gathered, I became stronger in remembering to fight the submission to a physical hand exam. I repeatedly said that I would not allow the feeling-up and I would not use the transportation mode that required it." "For nearly fifty years I've fought for the rights of assault victims, population in which my wonderful Alaska sadly ranks number one, both for men and women who have been abused. The very last thing an assault victim or molested person can deal with is yet more trauma and the groping of strangers, the hands of government 'safety' policy." "For these people, as well as myself, I refused to submit." "The trip to Juneau is one of adventure in working to restore dignity to government policies designed to build the well-being of our people. All of them. The trip to the Capitol has been by car, small plane and the Alaska Marine Highway. It feels like a trip of pride as well." "The TSA threat of "Do you want to fly?" means something very different to Alaskans. Flying in Alaska is not a choice, but a necessity. The freedom to travel should never come at the price of basic human dignity and pride." |
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Ancient Mariner said on Tuesday, Aug 30 at 5:45 PM
Good for you, Congresswoman! Both the naked scanners and the frisking are unreasonable searches and seizures which are specifically prohibited by the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Exercising our statutory right to travel is not, and never will be probable cause for such intrusive searches. Representative Cissna, please introduce legislation to eliminate the naked body scanners immediately. Thank you.
73155601JA said on Wednesday, May 8 at 3:25 PM
Actually Mariner, you're wrong. The USSC has consistently this kind of incident, liked or not, is not an unreasonable 4th amendment search. The AK state constitution gives people all kinds of crazy rights and hamstrings law enforcement to the point of making Alaska a perceived loon-fest in the eyes of the other 49 states. This also makes Alaskans think that Alaska's criminal-friendly, liberal and anti-police state constitution is the rule rather than the exception to the intent of the founding father's vision in our Federal Constitution. It is not a "RIGHT" to fly. It is a paid, regulated, contractural service. You are not guaranteed. You can be bumped. You can be kicked off. You mnust follow the federal and airline rules and it you don't like it (I personally don't), then don't fly. I endure it so I CAN fly. She didn't do it and she didn't fly. End of story!
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