Hi all,
Had a distrubing experience at the airport two days ago that I'd like to share. I fly a lot for bueiness; I've never had a single problem and have actually become quite adept at navigating the security proceedures at the airports. I've never complained, and I've never been hassled in any way. On Monday afternoon, I went to the ticket counter to check in for a flight to Philly. I usually use the automated check in for US Air, but it kicked me out and told me to see an agent. No problem; this happens sometimes when your real early or late for a flight (I was early). The agent looks at my ID and remarks that:
I'm on the FBI "do not fly" list.
Very matter-of-fact and polite. She then takes my ID to someone else behind the counter and they spend some time puncing numbers into a computer. She then comes back and tells me I'm "cleared" and that I should not have problems on the return portion of the flight. However, i was cautioned that on subsequent trips, i should expect this "special treatment" until I'm off the list. How does one get off the list? No one seems to be able to answer that question. I told that there have been people on it for years, and not all of the were treated as courteously as I was. Sometimes the police are called in. Many times your stuff is ransacked. Sometimes people are detained. I was relatively lucky.
Had it been a busy day/time at the airport, things could have been a LOT worse. I suspect that this will hamstring me at some point when i'm ina hurry to get on a flight (happens a lot with business travel). So, in the course of thinking about how the hell to get OFF the list, my thoughts natually turned to how I got ON the list. What changed between now and the last time I flew (6 weeks ago - more than normal)???
The ONLY thing thats changed in my life durring that window is... wait for it... I bought a firearm (an AR15, actually). I'm a pretty practical guy, and I vote to the right. I support the war on terror and this administration, so its not like I have some political "beef" with the feds. Hell, I held a top secret clearance with the DOE at one time; I've never failed any kind of drug/background check. I'm your average, suburban, patriotic white guy.
Perhaps its coincidence. Maybe some bad guy somewhere used my name as an alias at some point (???). I don't know. but it sure seems odd to me that one day I'm welcome in the "friendly" skies, and then I go do something "evil" like buying a gun, and suddenly I'm suspect. It just seems... strange.
Has ANYONE here heard of this, or anything like it? Personal experience or "just a guy you knew". Like i said, this may just be me and my conspiracy theory out for a stroll on the internet, but I'd really like to get of that list. Of course, if it has anything to do with excercising my right to legally purchase a firearm.. well thats just an abomination.
Any help ???
Thanks !
(PS: sorry if its the wrong forum: feel free to move it)