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news says TSA agent died "in the line of duty"

77zach

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hmmm.....don't know what to say about that

I heard something more ominous: The "TSA 'officer' was killed in the line of duty. TSA officers were unable to protect themselves because they're unarmed."

Oh no, government employees must always be able to protect themselves, unlike their employers, we the people.
 

Fallschirjmäger

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I don't see the controversy.

He was at the airport, at his assigned duty station, doing his assigned duty and getting paid for it.
If he was at the airport way in the back of the baggage terminal bangin' a ticket agent while snorting arugula, I might say it wasn't in 'line of duty.'

Am I just missing something?
 

stealthyeliminator

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I don't see the controversy.

He was at the airport, at his assigned duty station, doing his assigned duty and getting paid for it.
If he was at the airport way in the back of the baggage terminal bangin' a ticket agent while snorting arugula, I might say it wasn't in 'line of duty.'

Am I just missing something?

You aren't missing anything, you're ignoring it. I'm assuming you're simply trying to force someone to spell it out. I don't think it's necessary.

It's the same ol' word play BS. This is that, that is this, even when it isn't, but we're government so you'll agree with what we say. It's so blatant that it's nauseating, but we're government, so you'll agree with what we say.

TSA agents are not officers. TSA agents do not have a duty. Oppression and violation can never qualify as a 'duty'

TSA agents don't need to be armed to defend themselves. They just need a designated airport employee to stand at the airport entrance with a double barrel shotgun, which can be fired into the air to scare away any potential criminals.
 
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Fallschirjmäger

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TSA Worker killed
TSA Agent killed
TSA Officer killed


The TSA says they are Transportation Safety Officers. I think some are getting a bit over-worked by the use of the title 'officer.'


There are police officers. There are also probation officers, officers of the court, Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Officers (Commissioned, Warranted and Non-Commissioned) in the military. My handy dictionary gives synonyms for officer as representative, deputy, agent, envoy.

So, yeah, go ahead and spell it out.
 

davidmcbeth

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There are police officers. There are also probation officers, officers of the court, Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Officers (Commissioned, Warranted and Non-Commissioned) in the military. My handy dictionary gives synonyms for officer as representative, deputy, agent, envoy.

So, yeah, go ahead and spell it out.

Officer officers officers everywhere ... kinda loses it meaning ....

And officer, to me, is someone who MUST follow orders (even if it means 100% probability of death), and if not, gets tossed into prison.
 

Fallschirjmäger

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Your definition of what an officer is, combined with a fiver will get me a mediocre cup of coffee at Starbucks, jurisprudentially speaking; it's non-persuasive. Rail against it all you like, but as one of the definitions of an "officer" is to have authority, and a TSA agent/worker/officer/trained monkey has the authority to prevent you from boarding a commercial aircraft if you do not comply with his/her orders in the performance of duty.

Tell me, do you get this worked up over someone employed by a government entity who's labelled as an Animal Control Officer? Are you upset if he didn't swear an Animal Control Officer's Oath of Duty or something?



Life is too short for me to get worked up over frou-frou; any TSA employee only has limited authority, for a limited time, and in a limited area.


p.s. My definition of a good OpenCarry.Org poster is one that will unquestioningly send me $100 in small, unmarked bills every Monday. Are you a good OCDO poster, David? Are you?
 
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davidmcbeth

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Your definition of what an officer is, combined with a fiver will get me a mediocre cup of coffee at Starbucks, jurisprudentially speaking;


p.s. My definition of a good OpenCarry.Org poster is one that will unquestioningly send me $100 in small, unmarked bills every Monday. Are you a good OCDO poster, David? Are you?

What the hey, ya getting a starbucks coffee ... what more you want?

They are policemen, not "officers". They are 'dog catchers", not animal control officers...that one is quite a laugh.
 

skidmark

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It's the "in the line of duty" thing that sticks in my craw.

That phrase used to be reserved for folks who died while putting themself in harm's way, as opposed to being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'll even give cops writing a ticket on the side of the road that get run over a "killed in the line of duty" before I'd give it to TSA guy. The cop knew writing a ticket on the side of the road is dangerous and did it anyway. I'll support "in the line of duty" for a firefighter who dies three days later after falling out during a fire due to smoke inhalation, but not for the firefighter that gets run over trying to direct the engine as it backs into the firehouse.

If we give TSA guy "in the line of duty" we might as well give "in the line of duty" to the teacher who slips, falls, and snaps their neck while doing cafeteria monitoring duty.

stay safe.
 

stealthyeliminator

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I already did spell it out. It isn't about whether or not the definition 'technically' fits, its about how they are using the words, strategically, blantanlty conveying a certain message, and it is the intended message that is false. This is the entire reason for this thread and no one else seems to have a problem picking that up. They are heroizing a (suspected) thug, inflating his supposed authority, and inflating his supposed supposed job responsibilities to a level of nobility that they will never reach in reality.

On a side note, +1 nightmare

Edit: my words might be poorly chosen, but at least the message conveyed is honest.
 
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Citizen

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Honest Headline Needed

An honest headline would read:


Actor Dies On-Stage

Dissassociated Press 10/31/13

An actor at the Security Theater died today when...
 

b0neZ

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Heaven forbid this ever happen, but if a store security guard were hit by gunfire by just being there, would they be considered "injured in the line of duty"?
 

Fallschirjmäger

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It's the "in the line of duty" thing that sticks in my craw
...
If we give TSA guy "in the line of duty" we might as well give "in the line of duty" to the teacher who slips, falls, and snaps their neck while doing cafeteria monitoring duty.
We already do give "LoD" to a teacher who slips and falls, although it's more commonly known as Worker's Compensation. We give "LoD" to a firefighter who falls off a ladder while rescuing a kitty trapped in a tree.


Let's say Adam is on top of a tall ladder cleaning his neighbor's second story windows. Adam slips off the ladder to shatter his collar bone. His company says, "Gee that's tough. Be in on time tomorrow or we'll hire someone new to replace your clumsy butt."
Make one tiny change; his company is a gutter cleaning company and it was his job to be on that ladder and suddenly lots of insurance and workplace safety rules get involved because the broken collar bone happened as a result of his job; his "line of duty."

As it applies to agents/officers of the government, and especially our military:
There is a presumption that all diseases, injuries or deaths occur "in the line of duty - not due to own misconduct." A LOD investigation is generally conducted whenever a soldier/government employee acquires a disease, incurs a significant injury or is injured under unusual circumstances. In a LOD investigation, there are three possible outcomes...

(1) "in the line of duty- not due to own misconduct";
(2) "not in the line of duty- not due to own misconduct"; or,
(3) "not in the line of duty- due to own misconduct."
The first two will get you full hospitalization and benefits, with the third you're generally on your own.

As I witnessed as a soldier; normally even a car accident will earn a soldier a 'line of duty' death and death benefits. Unfortunately, said soldier had told a friend he was going out on the town to score some drugs and he died on the way back to base. His death was ruled to have been caused by driving while intoxicated, with the contributing factor that he was apparently engaged in a criminal enterprise (the drugs), therefor it was determined to be "Not in Line of Duty - Due to Own Misconduct." His survivors were denied government death benefits.

Although the TSA may be "security theater", it's official purpose is to protect Americans and other travelers from lactating mothers, Medal of Honor winners. As they are entrusted with such authority, the term "Line of Duty" isn't inapplicable as the result of a death incurred while doing exactly what their government duties entail.
 

davidmcbeth

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And all involved, with the probable exception of MAJ Hasan, will receive full benefits as their deaths were determined to be "in line of duty - not due to own negligence."

You make good points ... I wonder if his family gets $$ through workman's comp ? Hope they filled out the appropriate paperwork with OSHA.
 

Fallschirjmäger

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I'll worry about it when he gets buried at Arlington or awarded a posthumous Purple Heart.

Do you have any angst about police officers or firefighters being said to have died "in the line of duty"?
 

davidmcbeth

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Heaven forbid this ever happen, but if a store security guard were hit by gunfire by just being there, would they be considered "injured in the line of duty"?

Interesting question. If its Workmans Comp., the only relief to him is via a WC claim (no type of civil suit could be filed)...
 
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