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TSA

NFL Player Slams TSA 'Assholes' for Spilling Dead Mother's Ashes

Giants lineman A.J. Francis was enraged after the TSA treated his mother's remains carelessly. An apology from the agency did little to help.

Joe Setyon | 7.10.2018 10:45 AM

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New York Giants defensive tackle A.J. Francis took to Twitter furiously after the "pieces of garbage" at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) caused his dead mother's ashes to spill all over his clothes.

Francis, whose mother died unexpectedly late last month, posted a photo showing several articles of clothing covered in what appear to be ashes. A TSA "Notice of Baggage Inspection" lies on top of his clothes. He wasn't happy:

Hey you pieces of shit at @TSA next time you assholes feel the need to go thru my mother's ashes for no reason, make sure you close it back so her remains aren't spilled on all my clothes… the least you pieces of garbage can do is your fucking job pic.twitter.com/GcJDMXvWfO

— FRAN¢ (@AJFrancis410) July 9, 2018

The TSA apologized in a pair of tweets, but it wasn't enough for Francis:

Under all circumstances fuck yourself https://t.co/afrC9YuNWQ

— FRAN¢ (@AJFrancis410) July 9, 2018

RICK WILKING/REUTERS/Newscom

Francis later noted that he has no issue with the TSA inspecting his luggage. It was the agency's inability to ensure the ashes wouldn't spill everywhere that he called "the most asinine & irresponsible shit I have ever seen."

The TSA's website suggests that passengers transporting cremated remains use containers "made of a lighter weight material" in order to "facilitate screening." But regardless of the container type, the agency says that "Out of respect for the deceased, TSA officers will not open a container." The agency also claims to "treat crematory remains with respect."

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Joe Setyon is currently an associate story editor for The Western Journal, a publication based in Arizona. He is a former assistant editor at Reason.

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