WWW.GUILFORDIAN.COM
-WORLD & NATION
Transportation Security Administration agents
violate passengers’ trust, steal money and property
AGENTS FOUND GUILTY OF THEFT
WHILE ON DUTY, PASSENGERS LOSE
CONFIDENCE IN SECURITY
BY CLARENCE TURPIN
Staff Writer
Former Transportation Security Administration agent
Pythias Brown was recently sentenced to three years in
prison for stealing approximately $800,000 in property from
passengers passing through airport security. This was such
common practice for Brown that it nearly became routine.
The TSA is an agency created to safeguard U.S.
transportation systems. Their main function is to make flying
a protected process for all. Fiaving a TSA agent steal from
passengers undermines their intended purpose and violates
passengers in costly ways.
'They never searched us, they never searched our bags,"
said Brown in an interview with ABC News. "It was so easy
that I could walk out of the airport with bags of passenger
belongings."
From testimony in additional interviews with Brown and
other TSA agents, one could speculate that the accessibility
and lack of supervision made stealing from passengers
normal behavior.
"It was like being on drugs," said Brown to ABC. "I was
like, 'What am I doing?' but the next day I was right back at
it."
TSA agent John Irwin also provided reasoning behind his
decision to steal $520 in cash from a single passenger. Irwin
claimed the passenger was rude to a co-worker and "had it
coming to him."
While there are TSA agents who do not steal, the
justifications that the accused and convicted TSA agents are
offering to the media suggest a disregard for protocol and
passenger's property. Assistant Professor of Justice & Policy
Studies Sanjay Marwah identifies a rationale behind this
pattern of excuses.
"I think they were trying to justify their own behavior and
argue that many do it to make themselves feel better and
rationalize why they did it," said Marwah. "This is called
technique of neutralization in criminology, which you can see
in the ABC News interview with them."
These responses from TSA agents leave many people
feeling uneasy about past and future run-ins witJi airport
security. Among those who feel uneasy are students from
Guilford College who find themselves frequently flying
throughout the course of a year.
Sophomore Omer Atishkin of Israel has crossed paths with
the TSA on many occasions.
"I still have to fly regardless of what has taken place," said
Atishkin. "I would avoid flying with that company if it seems
to be connected to the theft."
Other students report losing confidence in airport security
and TSA agents.
"TSA agents are supposed to keep you and your belongings
safe," said senior Mellissa Beeh. how could you trust
them?"
Junior Lizz Carella considers a more preventive approach
saying, "I would be more careful in the way I pack next time."
Several media sources are offering advice that might
prevent passengers from becoming victims.
In an interview with ABC, Brown revealed some tips for
travelers. These include: 1) Do not put valuables in checked
bags, 2) try not to set off x-ray alarms as this draws more
attention to you and your belongings and 3) do not trust
TSA-approved locks, due to the fact that they are easily
manipulated by the agents. An acceptable alternative would
be to provide your own locks with a code unique to you or a
device that only a limited amount of people are able to unlock.
This is a truly unfortunate development for the general
public, but with tighter precautionary measures, fewer people
should become victims of internal airport theft.
It takes two to merge but all to agree
BY L.A. LOGAN
Staff Writer
$45 billion. Deal or no deal?
A possible merger between British BAE
Systems and European Aeronautic Defense
and Space o)llapsed due to German Chancellor
Angela Merkel's refusal to sign off on the deal,
as well as a concern for the confidentiality
of U.S. Department of Defense contracts
with BAE Systems. If the five governments
- the U.S., U.K., Spain, Germany and France
- had agreed upon a deal, they would have
produced the world's largest aerospace
defense company.
"It could create a genuine defense-aerospace
industrial champion for Europe," Alexander
Nio)ll, military expert at the International
Institute for Strategic Studies in London
told the New York Hmes. "Indeed, the deal
would be a natural reaction to the prospect of
shrinking defense-equipment markets."
EADS is the world's second largest
aerospace and defense company, specializing
in the manufacture of commerdd and military
aircraft. British BAE Systems is the U.K.'s
largest defense contractor and one of the
largest suppliers to the U.S. Department of
Defense.
One main issue for merger's disapproval
was the potential release of U.S. military
contract irfformation to other governments.
"If other countries got a hold of our secret
contracts they'd be able to better prepare for us
knowing that irfformation," said former Marine
aircraft mechanic Joe Logan. "We definitely
should be wary of the merger because we
don't want anyone tapping into our secret
resources and knowing our capabilities."
The U.S. government holds military
defense irfformation in strict confidence and
was concerned about the transparency of
irfformation that might foUow a merger.
"(The United States wants) to protect
secrecy of BAE's national security operations
in the U.S.," according to the Wdl Street
Journal. 'The U.S. last year accounted for
more than 40 percent of BAE's $31 billion in
revenue. A significant part of this came from
sensitive operations."
Problems arose from various governments
in seeking a collective agreement on this mega
deal throughout negotiations.
'The critical issue is what the government
ownership will be," an anon5m[ious sourre
with direct knowledge of the talks said to
the New York Hmes. 'The only reason not
to do a deal would be around government
owneiship."
Britain's Secretary of Defense Philip
Hammond said Britain was prepared to block
the merger unless the governments of France
and Germany reduced their EADS stakes.
Specifically, Hammond said he recommended
vetoing the deal if it would give France and
Germany control of EADS.
"Angela Merkel took Tom Enders (EADS
chief executive) by surprise," said Dick
Olver, chairman of British BAE Systems, to
The National. "He didn't expect her to be so
negative. She was the one who made the deal
not go ahead."
""France wants to keep a stake but will
not rule out adding more," an observer told
the New York Times."Other coimtries did not
want to miss out on the opportunity to profit
from this massive merger and showed support
for the deal. Yet, there was concern about an
unequal balance of control among coimtries.
"France wants to keep a stake but will
not rule out adding more," an observer told
the New York limes. "Germany wants to
match France's role to avoid being left aside
by Europe's other main powers, and Britain
wants to cap state involvement."
Great Britain, Germany and France refused
to finalize the historical deal due to their roles
within the merger.
'I'm ready to admit that we never
expected to face such opposition against
the deal, in particular not in Berlin,"
Enders said in a letter to employees.
Plan and prepare for Spring 2013 online registratjo'n
November I I, 2012- January 27, 2013
1. Clear all of your holds!
2. Set up an appointment with your advisor and ask for your Alternate PIN because it is
required for registration.
3. Access your Degree Evaluation on BannerWeb. Print it out, for you will need during i
the meeting.
Starts at 10:30 p.m. on the beginning date specified
Student Status;
Senior or Unclassified
(current earned credits 88 or greater or students that already have a college degree)
Sunday, November 11 - Sunday, January 27
Junior
(current earned credits 56 to 87)
Tuesday, November 13 - Sunday, January 27
Sophomore
(current earned credits 24 to 55)
Thursday, November 15 - Sunday, January 27
First Year
(current earned credits less than 24)
Sunday, November 18 - Sunday, January 27
Message from the Academic Dean’s Office: In response to student wishes, we are posting
on the web course syllabi for most departments for most courses scheduled for spring
2013.These syllabi are from previous terms but should provide a good idea of what each
course will include. You may access them by www.guilford.edu, click Current Student,
Course Schedules: choose spring 2013, then click on the course title and the faculty
name next to “Sample Syllabus”.
*Other registration information can be found on GuilfordNet*