General Discussion

It happened to me twice in Amsterdam and once in Frankfurt on the way to the USA. The one time the TSA came close to harassing me was at Logan Airport in Boston when I was on my way to Dallas. Single male passenger with a beard, must be Taliban, right?. After the security check, as TSA guy approached me and said I had been chosen for a random (suuure it was) additional security check.

But I knew immediately what was going on, and these guys are nothing but bureaucrats trained by other bureaucrats. They are told what to expect (objections and protest) and how to react (with firmness and force if necessary). So, what does one do in this situation? Give them the opposite of what they are expecting. I immediately assumed the voice of a Southern Drill Sergeant from a Marine boot camp, and said, as if I were the one giving orders, "alright, sir, let's get it done!" The TSA guy was so surprised, he ran a hand up my leg while I stood rigid and cooperative, and he quickly said, OK, thank you, and got lost.