Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Cheap Thrills and Inconveniences

Airport security now offers either a cheap thrill or a major inconvenience, pick your poison.  You can now either get some security person off by being scanned (no nook or cranny unrevealed) or you can get mutual gratification by getting felt up by some security person.

Well, okay, that's what you would call hyperbole, but if the cheap thrill fits.............. well, you know the rest.

In all seriousness, my tendency towards intellectual honesty makes me see these things in two different lights. First, I am unwilling to give up my individual liberty for the sake of feeling 'safe'.  I do not want some government worker to have their hands on my body, nor do I care to have them laugh (or enjoy, either or) at my nooks and crannies (or as Brigette Jones would say, "My wobbly-bits")  in the screening room.  I believe that I should be able to get on a plane and travel with minimal inconvenience to me that can reasonably be expected.  What gives the government the right to perform what equates to a strip search without probable cause?  The answer to that is, we did.  Remember the Patriot Act?

Then there is the other side of this and that is simply that if I want to fly on an airplane, then I must comply with the security screening rules, or I am free to drive, take a train or a bus.  Flying on an airplane, really isn't a right and no one must fly, we do have other options.  Those who are on business?  Well, maybe they can come up with a an alternative for them, such as fingerprinting (something else that I'm not a fan of) or some kind of pre-screening.

Here's another thought......  we could always profile like any other sane country would do and check the most likely suspects, rather than strip searching little old ladies with blue hair!

Of course asking our government to do anything that makes sense is a very tall order.  Another election in two years, sad thing is that the Republicans are the ones that gave us the Patriot Act...  joy joy!  Not much hope on the horizon, it's unfortunate.

Until next time....

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