Hey I think this is me!
Going into and coming back from Israel a week or so ago I was give a pretty thorough going over by the security people – and it included full body scans pat-downs all over my aged and wrinkly body - to ensure that I was not carrying anything that I should not. I expected this – it is now part of air travel life.
It is the price we pay so that every couple of years the USA can bomb the shit out of other countries and then invade them.
A ‘mommy blogger’ was subjected last week to that same sort of process and has thrown a World Class Hissy fit. Her story – and the many nauseous blog comments – is here.
One of my very favorite comments is
‘Oh my goodness, I am sorry that you had to go through this experience. I am praying for you as you go through this time. I am very proud of to take the stand and share your story with us, it is not right. Blessings to you and yours.'
Yeh – prayer should help. Spare me! Oh Hugs to you!
I imagine that what really happened is that she gave the poor wretch doing this thankless task an earful because she had a child with her, had written a book about $5 meals and is just such a fecking important blogger that she should have been borne through security in a Sedan chair being carried by four Nubian slaves. I imagine that in retribution the patter-downer did some extra patting.
Is this right? No – but I think her response was so over the top as to be laughable. It has brought anti-security people out of the woodwork and they are now marching in the streets saying they will not allow themselves to go through body scanners and certainly no one is going to touch their precious little bodies.
Americans almost single-handedly created the current terrorist threats and now don’t want to pay the price of securing passenger aircraft.
But – you know – they are right. No sane terrorist is going to try to get weapons on a plane. They will simply refine the processes of sending packages in airfreight – and it will very long time before we can scan all that stuff. I remember that before we left Sydney there was a report that the airports in Australia had the capacity to scan only about 10% of cargo. Of course they will have made a major effort over the last couple of years and it would not surprise me if that figure is now something like 12%.
We can’t stop terrorism, we can’t inspect all air cargo and and we can’t stop invading other countries so we will just have to get used to body scan and pat downs. Get over it.
PS: Sarah Palin say we need to support our ally North Korea as they bomb the shit out of South Korea. You Betcha!
