Monday, April 20, 2009

Returns

We got back to the airport last night about 10:30, came home, fell into bed and got up this morning to the work week.

Some thoughts on air travel. I haven't flown commercially since the early 1990s, so I remember walking into an airport, checking luggage, then hanging out in the terminal until the plane got to the gate. This trip was my first with the TSA. There is a world of difference in what was then and what is now.

I know that we're in a war that America realized we were in when Islamic terrorists used our own commercial airliners as bombs. I know that we've got to protect the flying public. Still, it rankles me to be searched in a public place, to submit to examination of my baggage, and to walk through a metal detector. I'm an American citizen, by God, and being searched is demeaning.

Another thing that rankles me is that the American public generally seems to not mind that they're searched every time that the embark on a commercial aircraft. When I was in the livestock business, I herded cattle through chutes for branding, steering, and worming. Standing in line at the TSA counters felt to me like we were being herded.

There were signs telling us that the TSA employees were trying to do a job and make sure that we were safe. The signs said that we shouldn't submit them to verbal abuse, battery, or spitting, and if we did so, we'd be prosecuted. To be frankly honest, up until that time I had never considered spitting on a TSA employee, but by the time I had gone through the drill, I was amazed that the screeners hadn't drowned in saliva.

Watching them in the airport made me think of the old movies of the Nazis in the train stations, asking people for their papers. I'm sure that was for the safety of the people too.

The people just took it, like sheep. I took it, although it rankled me. I didn't want to cause a scene in the airport. It would embarrass my wife and probably cause a delay in my travel, but I stayed pissed off the whole time I was in the airport. I walked around watching TSA employees, thinking that they were one step from the Gestapo, searching people without cause, being willing minions to an immoral agency.

I may fly again, but there are lots of things that I'll do differently. I know now what to pack, what not to pack, and how to minimize my exposure to the TSA. Those bastards get nothing from me but barely concealed hostility.

5 comments:

Josiah said...

Have you heard of the new scanner? I'd add a link to examples of the scans, but they can be quite graphic. I'll let you search for them if you want.

I loathe what has happened to the airports and desire to avoid them if at all possible. It's disturbing that if I want to fly commercial, I have to submit my body to any search they desire and the airlines have no say in it.

Old NFO said...

Now you see what I put up with 50-100 times a year... sigh... I have had a few confrontations with TSA, but so far I haven't been arrested...

Rich Jordan said...

I have to fly a couple times a year for work, and I despise it. I've also written at least one letter per year (and several back in 2001-2002) to my alleged 'representatives' and crook senators pointing out how offensive, and basically UN_American the whole procedure has become. Of course I get a pablum form response back.

Given a choice I would not fly commercially again. Unfortunately I don't have a choice right now.

Anonymous said...

I have a titanium knee joint. An idiot Taking Scissors Away agent wanted me to take it out and run it through the x-ray. I just stood there and asked if his parents had any kids that lived. He didn't get it. He finally called a supervisor to tell him I was being uncooperative. The supervisor didn't know if the agent's parents had any living children either. He at least knew I couldn't take my knee apart.

The stupid leading the imbecilic.

It's no fun when they're all too stupid to insult.

Gerry N.

Peripatetic Engineer said...

Just wait until they insist on doing a full pat down of your 11 year old greandson!