And what's wrong with taking the object in question and mailing it
from the airport? TSA doesn't like it? Fine. Take your bags and the
object over to another counter or perhaps the gift shop, get a
mailing box and send it home. I was under the impression that
the objects were confiscated only if you agreed to allow it in order
to continue to the aircraft.

As far as I'm concerned, it's theft by the US Government if there
is no way to return the object to the owner at a later time.