Victory! Man protests TSA with 4th Amendment written on his chest—Wins civil rights lawsuit against the agency

The Travel Security Administration (TSA) isn't exactly known for its respect of the Fourth Amendment and many bizarre abuses have been well documented. Yet justice is rare where the agency is concerned. This is why the victory of Aaron Tobey in a civil rights lawsuit against the TSA is so sweet.

Molestation, coercion and other 'security' methods

The out of control search protocol of the TSA is rife with abuse, maltreatment and intimidation. Unfortunately, stories similar to that of Erin Chase are not uncommon:

"I stood there, an American citizen, a mom traveling with a baby with special needs formula, sexually assaulted by a government official. I began shaking and felt completely violate, abused and assaulted by the TSA agent. I shook for several hours, and woke up the next day shaking."

Another mother was forced to pump milk from her breasts into empty bottles before she was allowed to board a plane. And a leukemia patient in Florida was subjected to a humiliating strip search. Likewise, the TSA in New York harassed a breast cancer victim and, a month later, three different elderly women complained of invasive searches for apparently no reason.

Concerned individuals rightly question: How are these 'security measures' actually protecting the American people? With a budget of $8 billion, the TSA claims two of its best finds for 2011 included "a handful of reptiles and, in one instance, the science project of a college student," as reported by RT Question More. With such insanity, it's no wonder citizens are taking a stand for the Fourth Amendment—the right against unreasonable search and seizure.

Strip search as a form of rebellion

When Aaron Tobey went to catch his flight in order to attend his grandmother's funeral, he came prepared. Written across his chest in magic marker was an abbreviated version of the Fourth Amendment. He refused to go through the advanced imaging technology X-ray machines and opted for the invasive pat-down. During the procedure, he removed most of his clothing and displayed the Fourth Amendment for all to see in protest of TSA security measures. He was handcuffed and detained at the Richmond International Airport for 90 minutes before being released. On January 25, 2013, Tobey won a trial for his lawsuit seeking $250,000 in damages from the TSA. According to Judge Roger Gregory:

"Here, Mr. Tobey engaged in a silent, peaceful protest using the text of our Constitution—he was well within the ambit of First Amendment protections. And while it is tempting to hold that First Amendment rights should acquiesce to national security in this instance, our Forefather Benjamin Franklin warned against such a temptation by opining that those ‘who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.’ We take heed of his warning and are therefore unwilling to relinquish our First Amendment protections—even in an airport."

"A complete fiasco"

Even top governmental officials are beginning to acknowledge the absurd nature of the agency. Rep. John Mica (R.-Fla), co-creator of the TSA and chairman of the House Transportation Committee, states in exasperation:

“The whole program has been hijacked by bureaucrats. Everything they have done has been reactive.They take shoes off because of [shoe-bomber] Richard Reid, passengers are patted down because of the diaper bomber, and you can’t pack liquids because the British uncovered a plot using liquids. It’s an agency that is always one step out of step." In his parting words, Mica classifies the TSA as a "complete fiasco."

Sources for this article include:

http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2013/01/4th-amendment-chest-trial/

http://www.uscourts.gov/EducationalResources/ClassroomActivities/FourthAmendment.aspx

http://rt.com/usa/news/ron-paul-end-tsa-595/

http://www.infowars.com/ron-paul-announces-‘end-the-tsa’-money-bomb/

http://www.naturalnews.com/038512_2013_predictions_insanity.html

http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/constitution/item/12663-ron-paul-family-detained-by-tsa-again

http://www.ronpaul.com/2012-01-24/ron-paul-to-tsa-stop-irradiating-our-bodies-and-fondling-our-children/

http://www.dailypaul.com/207751/official-campaign-money-bomb-end-the-tsa-is-live-now

http://www.thedailysheeple.com/22-must-read-tsa-enhanced-security-procedures-quotes_112010

http://www.naturalnews.com/035143_TSA_breast_pump_bottles.html