News reporting

This morning HLN News with Robin Meade had two stories about issues with the TSA, our federal agency that tries to keep us safe when flying.

The first story was a couple of days old but it ran again and was about a young lady, perhaps a teenager, who got delayed at the Norfolk, VA airport. TSA authorities stopped her because she was carrying a handbag with a fake metal-looking gun on the side of it as decoration on the bag.  First, I do not understand why a purse company wants to put a fake (but real looking) gun on a bag as a design, but they did.  Second, I don't understand who would want to buy a ladies handbag with a gun on the side of it.  But this young woman did.   The news story interviewed her because she was upset that she got pulled aside, and that the TSA needed to check her out.  She missed her flight because she was "singled out."

The second story on HLN this morning was about an 85 year old woman who could not go through the airport x-ray machine at an airport because she wears a heart defibulator.  Therefore, she too, was pulled aside by the TSA and patted down.  She said she was "strip searched" but the TSA denied that.

When I heard both these stories I had several reactions.  1) I was annoyed. Flying is an option for the public.  Nobody HAS to fly and just because a person buys a ticket to fly they still have to abide by federal, airport, and airline rules.  2) I laughed.  Can people still be that dumb to not know what happens when you go through airport security?  I guess so. 

3) But, I was also mad...  not at the two females who were upset about their treatment by the TSA.  I was mad at HLN.  Come on!  This is news? Really?  Two people out of the hundreds of thousands who fly made a little stink about getting pulled out of line and HLN ran their stories over and over.  These two now have their 15 minutes (actually more) of fame because the news organizations gave them time for something that the TSA is required to do.  Am I missing something?   I am happy that our airport agents are serious and do not let anything  or anyone through.  The elderly woman said "I'm 85 years old and weigh alittle over 100 pounds.  Do I look like a terrorist?"    I say...maybe.  Who knows!   Thank you TSA for doing your job.   As for HLN, like so many of the other news outlets, once again you picked stories that were for sensationalism, and not for informing us.