I don’t really fly that much.
Maybe 4 times a year to go to various conferences. I don’t qualify for frequent flier miles. But I know about the security thing. Plus, I travel with a laptop and a CPAP machine (for my sleep apnea) so I know it takes a little extra for me to get through security.
On my most recent trip to Atlanta on Air Tran, though, the Transportation Safety Administration really outdid themselves.
I’m not sure whether they just wanted to play with their new toy or if there was some kind of terrorist alert for people flying from Baltimore to Atlanta but they really went the whole distance with me.
As If The Lines Aren’t Long Enough
I’m one of those people that thinks that most of the airport security is just for show. After all, there is always some nut case that makes it through with explosives in his shoes or his underwear. I guess that’s why they’re spending the big bucks on these new fangled full body scanners.
I had my first experience with one Thursday.
I was all prepared to put my various machines in separate bins, my shoes and other thing in separate bins and even have my CPAP machine individually scanned. What I came across was not only the regular X-ray belt but the full body scanner. They were just taking random people and putting them through it, as far as I could tell.
I won!
I had to take virtually everything…and I mean everything, off. They let me keep my shirt and pants on but my belt had to come off and everything had to come out of my pockets. Then I stood in this space age full body scanner that looked like the TSA was about to beam me up somewhere. Stand this way, stand that way. Put your arms like this, put your arms like that. I’m just glad my pants didn’t fall off (remember, no belt!).
That wasn’t the end. I was instructed to step out of the new gizmo and got patted down by another TSA guy.
After I passed all the screenings, I still had to wait for the CPAP examine and then put all my stuff back in their various bags. All in all, it was a very disconcerting experience and it took up a lot of time. What a pain.
The Little Joke
At some point in this blog post I was going to make a little joke about coming out of the full body scanner and the TSA employee. You know, “Did she just wink at me or did she have something in her eye?”
But, she’s probably seen better…or more.
Civil rights and liberties aren’t typically lost overnight. They’re degraded incrementally over time, often with support of the people whose very rights are being trampled (in order to keep them safe and free, of course). Just ask a WWII era German or Pole. Do you really think it is okay for the government to review your library or internet records without probable cause? Is it okay for FBI agents to fish for criminal activity by spying on an Islamic worship service? Is it okay for government agents to demand papers for proof of citizenship when all you did wrong was fail to signal while making a turn? Is it really okay for agents to video strip search citizens at the airport when other, less intrusive measures work just as well or better? And is it really okay for government agents to demand citizens doing nothing but vacationing to inform them why they’re travelling…it’s none of their freaking business! Sorry, but I prefer checks and balances to faith and trust that our officials won’t abuse their powers. As for terrorists just simply wanting to kill people, that demonstrates a real bit of ignorance with respect to understanding their motivations. Terrorists have political agendas, and that’s why they do what they do. No terrorist wants to kill you simply because they hate you, hate your freedom, hate your way of life, or hate your religion. That’s a fact. It might serve us well to try and understand what motivates our “enemies”. Our government has a right, duty, and obligation to maintain safe air travel, but they don’t have the right to trample due process, 4th Amendment, or any of the other rights we enjoy as citizens.
By the way, here’s your image:
http://rupture.co.uk/Terminal%204.html
Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
I agree that the Government is becoming more and more intrusive in the guise of “protecting us”. The Government further exacerbates the problem by continually instill fear in the general population through these intrusive searches.
It seems to me to be more show than substance.
Thanks for the image.