My TSA Pat Down Experience
“Those that would give up their liberty for security deserve neither and lose both.”
- Benjamin Franklin
Dear Friends,
To be quite honest, I almost didn't post this video and blog because I kept asking myself, "Am I just being a baby?" I’m also not one to stir up controversy. In fact, I do my best to live a very positive and healthy life. However, in the situation I’m about to describe, I felt truly violated and believe I should let my voice be heard. Ultimately, I hope others will do the same. Mahatma Gandhi famously said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” So, that’s what I’m doing by sharing this experience:
On my overnight, 11-hour flight back to Los Angeles last week after hosting the red carpet premiere for “Fast Five” in Rio De Janeiro, I connected in Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) where I had the misfortune of being selected to go through one of those full body scanners that emits radiation. Now, if you don’t fly very often, you might not worry about it. But I’m a frequent flyer and don’t wish to be irradiated more than I already am on flights (we get a pretty large dose of radiation while flying due to our proximity to the sun; the longer your flight, the more your radiation exposure) and in life in general (we’re exposed to radiation all day every day; it’s called “background radiation”). So I will always “opt out” of going through these body scanners, especially since the long-term effects of radiation are quite well documented: it mutates our cells, often in irreversible ways, and causes cancer. I’m all set with that!
Anyway, after “opting out,” I proceeded to follow a very nice older female TSA employee to the “pat down” area. It was an inconvenience, but I thought, “No biggie. I just went through this at LAX for the first time and it wasn’t too bad, so let’s just get it over with.”
Well, this pat down was completely different. It was MUCH MORE invasive than my first one at LAX, just a week before. To say that I felt invaded is an understatement. What bothered me most was when she ran the back of her hands down my behind, felt around my breasts, and even came in contact with my vagina! Honestly, I was in shock, especially since the woman at LAX never actually touched me there. The TSA employee at DFW touched my private area 4 times, going up both legs from behind and from the front, each time touching me there. Was I at my gynecologist’s office? No! This was crazy!
I felt completely helpless and violated during the entire process (in fact, I still do), so I became extremely upset. If I wanted to get back to Los Angeles, I had no choice but to be violated, whether by radiation or a stranger. I just kept thinking, “What have I done to deserve this treatment as an upstanding, law-abiding American citizen?” Am I a threat to US security? I was Miss USA, for Pete’s sake!
Besides, is this procedure really protecting us? I remember hearing about an Al Qaeda terrorist successfully evading security detection by placing a bomb in his rectum. All in an attempt to assassinate Saudi Prince Mohammed Bin Nayef. So what if that happened in the US? Would we then be subjected to random rectal exams in addition to x-rays and being groped by strangers? How far is this going to go? More specifically, how far will WE let this go? As they say, if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. I think it’s time to stand up for our personal liberty.
As a frequent flyer, I knew getting a “pat down” was inevitable, but I never expected it to make me so upset. When it was over, I grabbed my things, walked over to my husband who was waiting for me, and was completely overcome with emotion.
I have never felt more violated in my life than I did that morning at DFW, and I’ve heard of others feeling the same way after these “pat downs.” Just a couple weeks ago, a video of a six-year-old girl being patted down by TSA made headlines. Talk about unjust and unacceptable. So I decided to speak to a TSA supervisor about how I felt, and make a video about what happened to post on my blog.
This “pat down” is a total violation of our rights (we shouldn’t be searched this way without probable cause or a search warrant), therefore I will be filing a complaint via phone, online and also in writing with the TSA to complain each and every time for as long as the TSA is violating my rights. I’m 100% against it, and if you care about your freedom, you should be too. This is precisely the kind of unjust search and seizure our Constitution was created to protect us from.
In my conversation with the TSA supervisor, I expressed to her how physically violated I felt. She was kind and understanding, but was nonetheless in charge of a department that was violating the rights of countless Americans every day. At one point during our conversation, I told her, “the fact is, if someone wanted to harm us, they simply would.”
Guess what. She agreed! She even went so far as to say, “We’re not allowed to touch children like we do adults. If someone really wanted to hide something, they could use a child. I know. There’re definitely loop holes with this.” So apparently, not even TSA employees believe this unconstitutional invasion of privacy works!
Here’s the video I made right after going through the invasive, unjust, unconstitutional and ineffective “pat down.” Honestly, I don’t like that I’m putting myself out there like this, but I wanted you to know what happened, what I was feeling, and that I hope you, too, will speak up if and when this happens to you. We shouldn’t be giving up our liberties as Americans because of our fears. The government can’t keep us safe. No matter how much they promise us they can, it’s a false promise.
And here’s the TSA compliment/complaint card that I filled out and mailed to the DFW TSA. I’ll be filling one out each time I get “patted down” at an airport. Hopefully tears won’t be involved every time:
;)
CLICK TO ENLARGE
Like I say in the video, we as individuals have to speak up and protect our liberty. If you feel like your Constitutional rights have been violated by the TSA, please follow my lead and contact your Congressional representatives. Let them know that if they want your vote they must stand up for our rights.
I would love to hear your thoughts on this so feel free to post a comment below.
Lots of love,
SusieCastillo.net
Hello Friends,
First of all, thank you all for your tremendous support and kind words on what I (and countless others, including children and elderly) went through. My work requires me to travel often, and I don't want to be degraded and driven to tears (or go through those dangerous body scanners) everytime I fly. If I could, I would boycott airline travel altogether, but that would mean that I, and MANY others, wouldn't work.
I just started a petition on Twitter demanding the TSA stop these invasive "enhanced pat downs". Please help me spread the word and retweet!
Also, please sign the following petition to Congress. I will be personally handing it to them in hopes of finding a better way to screen passengers that is more effective, less invasive, and doesn't violate our rights: www.susiecastillo.net.
Finally, please be intelligent and do your research before commenting on this subject. I welcome opposing opinions to mine, but only if you are respectful to everyone else. Comments that are slanderous, disrespectful, contain inapropriate language, are rude (you get the point) will be deleted. Be constructive, polite and smart adults when you post no matter where your feelings lie or don't bother commenting.
Thanks and blessings to you all,
Susie
Reader Comments (643)
Dear Susie,
You have now been indoctrinated by the NWO. I am truly sorry you had to endure such a vulgar experience in the name of "Safety". Ever since the 9/11 attacks, our government has declared war against the American people. The Patroit Act was implemented in a very short time period. I believe it was already written and waiting to be used. Now, we are slowly but steadily loosing our Constitutional protections. As a public person, you may have some power to fight back against the loss of our Constitutional rights. Perhaps calling for some days to boycott flying would be most effective. I doubt that complaining to the TSA will have any effect at all. I fear for our country and the American way of life. We must stick together or we will hang separately. God bless you and our country.
Quit flying! And tell everyone you know to do the same. Sooner or later the airlines will start howling and they will put an end to this mess. This is how the Nazis operated and we need to put an end to this immediately!
You don't have any constitutional rights unless you stand up for them. Hit them where it hurts and refuse to fly. Try to reduce your exposure to corporatism as much as possible. Only deal with your local business folk if you can.
Trade in your worthless fiat monopoly money and purchase silver and gold. Protect your wealth with metal, not paper. Your paper is losing value by the minute. Go to https://silversaver.com/share/43JNH
if you want to buy silver on a dollar cost averaging method. It's very simple to use and you can purchase as little as 25/week or 50/month. Good luck and thanks for bringing this to the forefront.
your fan
See...
iamthewitness.com
Just saw your video on I think Info net. What happened to you and others is disgraceful. The DA over SF International has now said he will prosecute such actions if witnessed by a sheriff. Why can't you take the woman's name, badge number to your local sheriff and demand charges be filed against the TSA agent for sexual molestation.
At some point a brave DA just may agree to file charges. They are not above the law.
I am sorry you had to go through that Susie. I belong to a Political Action Committee called Texans for Accountable Government and we have been pushing back against the use of both body scanners and enhanced pat downs. As you say in your video, none of it works, if a terrorist wanted to kill people, they would just blow themselves up in the lobby. We should never give up our freedoms willingly and people who have not committed a crime should not be treated like a criminal. Check out our video we made here in Austin and check out our site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0ZuKF9pJlo
http://tagtexas.org/176-the-fight-against-naked-body-scanners-and-qenhanced-pat-downq-procedures-in-austin
tagtexas.org
Susie,
The petition website looks to have been hacked! I want to sign this badly! Do you know I have not flown in 4 years??? Ever since the scanners went in and the pat down procedures were implemented I have refused to fly and will only drive. I have driven 24 hours in TWO days to not have to fly!!!!!!
KEEP IT UP!!!!! I am SO sorry that you had to go through such a HORRIBLE experience. You are RIGHT and many of us feel EXACTLY like you do about these dreadfukl machines and the INTRUSIVE, OVER-THE-TOP pat down procedures.
Hi Susie,
As I watched your video and read your blog, I was saddened and a bit frustrated. I understand your horrible experience. I was flying home on the first day that these scanners were installed in the Atlanta airport. I hadn't heard much press about these scanners and wasn't expecting to have to deal with one. I was a little surprised by the hoopla that was raised when I expressed concern about the radiation from the scanner, yelling "we've got an opt-out!". The "pat down" was humiliating as a 25 year old woman. I did nothing wrong, yet I left in tears feeling like I did something wrong. I fly rather often and suffer high anxiety every time I gave to go through security. There are no checks and balances for what kinds of procedures TSA is allowed to implement and no regard for basic human rights. I worry about what's next as this doesn't make us any safer from terrorist attacks. Thanks for sharing and for taking a stand. As a fellow pat down victim, I am eager to take this stand with you. Please update with any other ways to support your stand.
Susie,
I am sorry that the US Government has violated your constitutional and human rights. They do this every day. Their objective of the DHS/ TSA is not to protect us from terrorism but to show us (American citizens) that they have power and control over us. We are living in an ever increasing police state where the government is entering every facet of our personal lives. Thank you for speaking out on this becasue you have a voice. One of the comments suggested that you should consider being a "silent warrior". I disagree! If we the American people remain silent the government will continue assaulting our liberty. You may take some heat for your stand but remember that Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and the rest of the founding fathers risked their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to resist tyrrany and birth a nation. Shouldn't we be willing to do the same to hold onto our liberty?
@Ben, PhD/MD:
Your cheery observations and your credentials do not help, unfortunately. Putting all radiation concerns completely aside, the scanners still create privacy-invading, stored and easily shared porno-scans, which are a clear violation of the US Constitutions' 4th Amendment. As regards the scanners, physicians with MD Anderson Cancer Center here in Houston opt for the pat-downs to avoid the full-body radiation because -- maintain that the radiation is indeed harmful and cumulative.
I greatly appreciate your willingness to stand up and speak out for what you believe in; specifically for the way in which TSA consistently violates our Fourth Amendment rights. As a cancer survivor, with a prosthetic shoulder, I always have to be patted down, and always feel violated by it. The last time I travelled, through Stockton airport, I had multiple TSA agents groping my breasts because the underwire in my bra had shifted, and the two sides were not symetrical - therefore I was an obvious terrorist/drug courier. From this point forward I will follow your lead and file a complaint each and every time - and I will be sharing this on Facebook, Twitter, and on my internet broadcast The Freedom Hour on ybsradio.com(shameless plug).
Thank you for standing up for freedom and liberty!
Yours in freedom,
Sara
You need to support Ron Paul. He is one of the few politicians who are against this form of rape.
Out government no longer acts as the protector of our rights. Our government violates the rights it is supposed to protect.
I'm curious about one thing after watching the video, did you think even for just a second about calling the police and lodging a criminal complaint? Did you at any point think you had consented to what anywhere else would be considered sexual battery? If the answer to the second question is no, then why not lodge a criminal complain?
Hey Susie, I wrote the following on my political website and it is important advice that I would like to extend to you:
While it is good to keep our pressure on the U.S. Congress and White House Administration as she suggests, Castillo should absolutely contact the local police and D.A. for the Dallas Forth Worth area and file a criminal report that she was sexually assaulted. We cannot rely on the Federal Government to police the Federal Government. When comedian and magician Penn Jillette was sexually assaulted by a TSA officer in 2002, he called the local police right on the spot and refused to leave the airport until the police arrived and took his report that a crime had been committed. You can read Jillette's incredible story of that incident here. If any of you go through what Castillo did, do what Jillette did and call the local police.
My hat's off to you, Susie. You are a true hero and I admire you for your courageous stand against tyranny and institutionalized sexual assault by the TSA in this country. Even in your Final Answer segment of the 2003 Miss America pageant, you described the power of cell phone and computer technology as characterizing our era. Now you are using that technology to help fight against Washington's out-of-control police state. I wish you all the best.
Sincerely,
Wes Messamore
I'm so sorry you had to go through that mija. Just know that their are others out there that have been through similar situations and we are working very hard to hold these people accountable for their actions, change laws and keep travelers safe.
Dr.. Ron Paul introduces the American Traveler Dignity Act in response to regulatory measures taken by the TSA to implement potentially dangerous X-Ray screening procedures or invasive "pat-downs" by TSA officials. Campaign for Liberty has released a written statement opposing this regulatory overreach by the TSA.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qwsdq69AHnw
hi susie, sorry to hear about your attack on your person and dignity. america has become socialist/communist as they herd us the sheeple thru the airports.i'm surprised i haven't heard of one husband or boyfriend punching or trying to protect his wife or girlfriend from the" T.S.A. JACK BOOTED THUGS". TIME TO STAND UP FOR WHATS RIGHT AMERICA. IF THIS WAS ANYWHERE ELSE THEY'D BE ARRESTED FOR MOLESTATION OR RAPE. it looks as though the exploitation of sex by the media has paid off.AMERICANS LET THIS GO BY LIKE SHOPPING AT THE STORE,HO HUM ! LETS GET THRU THE LINE BUSINESS AS USUAL. AMERICANS STOP THINK, YOU ARE NOT ANIMALS, YOU ARE HUMAN BEINGS WITH DIGNITY.DON'T TAKE THIS FROM THESE SICKOS,RESIST.IF YOU HAVE TO DRIVE YOUR CAR OR RENT ONE HIT THEM IN THE POCKET BOOK! QUIT FLYING GET OTHERS TO QUIT ALSO.
Ben,
I am also a physician and have degrees in life science as well as physics and nuclear engineering. You cannot compare the backscatter dosage to that of a chest xray, because they are in a completely different kVp range. Nor can the radiation be compared to background, nor the dose from high altitudes. Energy deposition is not the only factor; you're comparing apples to bananas. This is discussed in the many articles examining the risks of backscatter technology, which you fail to address, showing you know nothing about the subject.
If anything, this should give sufficient cause for concern to 'opt out', because of the potential risk from a technology that is completely unproven, with no long term clinical studies of effects such as skin cancer, not even studies on ANIMALS.
Terrorists don't scare me, because they only succeed if they change our way of life. I applaud the bravery of our Miss America. Keep your head held high, Susie, you're a role model for all Americans!
Clark
(Ron Paul 2012)
Susie,
I saw your video and heard about your experience on Alex Jones. I know these scumbags pull out good looking women and children to terrorize and fondle. No one should have to go thru this. We do not automatically lose our 4th Ammendment right just because we fly. I hope you can find a lawyer that will sue the C**P out of these creeps. The girl who had to show her boobs in Corpus did. If we don't all stand together and stand up to these morons, we will be prodded, scanned and poked at shopping malls, ball games, concerts, bus stations, cruise lines, etc. And I think you are right. The rectal exam / cavity search is coming. I have boycotted flying since this started. If I can't drive there, I don't go. Of course many people have to fly for their jobs. So this makes it hard for them. Radiation is not safe. Let's just ask the people of Japan. Stay strong girl. You are tough. You are an all American Beauty Queen. Hang in there!! Sandra - Patriot and Born Again Christian.
The bad news is we waive our civil rights when we buy a ticket on a commercial airliner. The short story is that by entering into a commercial contract with the Federally regulated airline we give our permission to be treated this way by the TSA. This falls under the jurisdiction of commerce law (equity) not common law (constitution). The only way to get this changed is to refuse to fly. If everyone in America refused to fly on just one day the financial cost would have the airlines screaming at their socialist/fascist lawmaker partners to change the situation post haste. Remember, we can't claim our rights were violated because we VOLUNTARILY gave them up. Sad, but true!
Hi Susie...
As a wife, mother, grandmother I am upset over what you have experienced with a TSA pat-down.
I travel occasionally (to see my children/grandchildren) & am against getting any more radiation than
we normally do in every day life. I will choose the pat-down with the HOPE that I won't be assaulted
as you were. This is unbelievable and inconceiveable that we American women are facing the
consequences of either being radiated or sexually assaulted before boarding a plane. Both are
serious violations to us. I understand your breaking down & even crying afterwards, Susie. I would
too. I wish I was there to hug & comfort you, I really do. The only thing I can do is to confront TSA.gov with my feelings. If a better solution isn't possible then we will find another way to travel! It's up to the airline industry to solve this or else lose our business!
Sorry to hear about this most disgusting violation. Any human being who is ok with this is a soulless monster. You should have filed a complaint with the local police department because they are more likely to take it seriously. Could in fact result in the arrest of the agent responsible which is probably what it's going to take to get this fascist dictatorship to back down.
People, remember that this is a non-political thing now -- George Bush gave us the "Homeland Security Act" which makes molestation "legal," and Barrack Obama is allowing it to happen on his watch. All government is bad government and once we realize that we can learn to live as free human beings rather than slaves.