Next weekend will be the weekend before Thanksgiving (can you believe it?) and many of us are planning our family gatherings. Some will be here in town and others will pack up their car and head over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house. Many will also pack their bags and fly to family reunions or winter getaways. This is a busy time of year at the airports and TV crews show up to see if the lines are long or if the weather has caused setbacks. It is a very exciting time and the thrill of getting away with family and friends is now being “manhandled” by the Federal government.

Our mission in the tea party is: Support the principles of our founding fathers which are limited government, personal responsibility and accountability and moral leadership. We believe TSA has gone over and above their call of duty and big government instead of limited government is reigning in America -- especially at the airports.

There are so many stories about TSA’s manhandling that I’m not sure how to even describe them all. Here are a few links for you to check out. Beware…some of them are X-rated and young children should not be nearby when you read them. You might just have a few cuss words that you can’t help but say!

· Here’s the first encounter by a mother traveling alone with an infant. This is X-rated and happened in the last few days. http://www.ourlittlechatterboxes.com/2010/11/tsa-sexual-assault.html

· The second encounter is with a man who is going pheasant hunting and does a little homework before he leaves for the airport. http://johnnyedge.blogspot.com/2010/11/these-events-took-place-roughly-between.html

· The third encounter is with a 3 year old being checked by TSA agents as her mother tries to calm her and her father takes the video. See video below.

To say that this is okay and we need to do it for everyone’s personal safety is nothing less than a joke or a lie. I am reminded of Ben Franklin who once said, “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

We are patting down 3 year olds, breast feeding mothers, 80 year olds in wheel chairs and we allow those wearing burqas to pass through without a pat down or a body scan. Loose fitting clothing with plastic explosives attached inside could easily slip by and end up on a plane.

Our world has gone mad and now Mothers are mad too! How dare TSA touch a woman in the manner they did! How dare TSA grope a 3 year old child! How dare TSA threaten a man with a civil suit if he doesn’t allow the pat down!

The next time you fly – be prepared to either be groped or your nude pictures could end up on the internet. Also be prepared to stand up for your rights. It's called Civil Disobedience and yes, these are the times that challenge our souls.

We are taking suggestions on how best to deal with this so here are a couple to start with and we would love to hear from you:

1. Call your airline carrier and ask them what they plan to do about this situation. Will they fully refund your money if you refuse to be radiated or groped?

2. Contact TSA and ask them what background checks they perform on their “handlers.” How do they know the people they are hiring do not have deviant attitudes about sexual encounters? Are they mentally and emotionally prepared to grope you and do they do it with sensitivity and respect? What is the process by which they were trained to grope you?

3. Purchase a burqa and wear it when you travel. You can slide right through without a problem. Consider setting up a kiosk at the airport “Rent-a-Burqua” and then turn it in when you land. (Might as well be a Capitalist and make some dollars off this insanity!)

4. Remember the movie “When Harry Met Sally” – the scene in the restaurant? You can refuse to be body scanned but ask for the groping. When they grope you, you can be “Sally” and you can embarrass the one who is groping you OR you can simply scream Rape as we taught our children to do if someone touched them in their private parts. It would be great if you can have a friend video it so you can post it on Youtube and make a lot of money as it goes viral! (Again, thinking of that Capitalism thing!)

5. Refuse to fly. Drive or take the train. It certainly is not as quick a trip but you will see the beauty of America and can chat with your family in the car, listen to your favorite music and play Car Bingo with your kids. Let the windows down and enjoy the breeze.

I’m sorry this posting was not motivational today. This is a serious situation and you should be warned and prepared as you fly to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving. In closing, here are the new lyrics to this great old song we sang back when days were easier and life in America was not so scary.

Have a great week and make those calls. We need to do something about this and if not us – then who?

Over the river and thru the wood,
To grandmother's house we go;
TSA knows the way
To make you pay,
As an American boarding a plane, oh!
Over the river and thru the wood,
Oh, how the glove does flow!
It touches the toes,
And other oh no’s,
As over the body they go.

Over the river and thru the wood,
To grandmother's house we go;
3 year olds groped by TSA
As Terrorists hide bombs in robes
As they touch our toes,
And other oh no’s,
As over the body they go.