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TSA: Gate Rape?
This year I had the amazing opportunity to go to the dreamy Dominican Republic; specifically an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana. Now of course I live in Ohio; where you can find a farm in about five minutes going in any direction. Inevitably that means trying to get somewhere that has nothing but palm trees and sand is going to be a long trip. My family has never been all together on a plane before and none of us had to yet to deal with the lovely institution of TSA.
Now TSA is obviously very prevalent in political/security chatter these days, many saying it's necessary while others call it "gate rape". I've heard the horror stories of women being violently groped, a baby's diaper being thoroughly searched, small children being manhandled etc. Frankly hearing all this worried me, I was scared that was what everyone put up with; that I'd be groped by some creep with my luck.
The day of departure arrived and because my dad gets worked up about the time we were there about three hours early. So obviously we were through the baggage check quickly. We finally approached the supposedly dreadful TSA checkpoint. Now I like to be comfortable on the plane so I was wearing Soffe shorts and an itty bitty tank so all I did was take off my flip flops and carry on. I got through the x-ray machine, was lightly patted down by a nice woman and sent on my way...
I'm confused.
All I hear is media hype about how everyone is groped at the gate. That it's against our rights. That we should be looking for "suspicious characters". Yes maybe the "suspicious characters" part is true but I didn't feel violated or that my rights were undermined in any way. It seemed like a necessary check that might have saved people if someone was stupid enough to think they could bring a bomb onboard going through that security.
Now it was slightly ridiculous that I got patted down considering there was no physical way to hide anything on my body, and maybe it was strange to have to be x-rayed since I wasn't exactly suspicious but it wasn't as big of a deal as people have made it out to be. I don't feel as though this is giving any of my freedom up either, that I'm any less "American" because I refuse to "fight for my rights", I just feel like it's one of those things that can't be avoided by a normal person; kind of like taxes, or a draft, or going to school.
This doesn't mean that because I'm willing to go through security that I wouldn't say something if I did feel violated. Or that I'd let a policeman in without a warrant or my parent's permission. Or be stopped without probably cause or anything. Just that I'm willing to do something painfully simple so my safety is in check.
I think it's good to have both sides in mind, simply because I like my freedoms, but I know when they need to be second to my safety and the safety of others.
Thanks for reading and feel free to respond! Happy Monday :)
I'm confused.
All I hear is media hype about how everyone is groped at the gate. That it's against our rights. That we should be looking for "suspicious characters". Yes maybe the "suspicious characters" part is true but I didn't feel violated or that my rights were undermined in any way. It seemed like a necessary check that might have saved people if someone was stupid enough to think they could bring a bomb onboard going through that security.
Now it was slightly ridiculous that I got patted down considering there was no physical way to hide anything on my body, and maybe it was strange to have to be x-rayed since I wasn't exactly suspicious but it wasn't as big of a deal as people have made it out to be. I don't feel as though this is giving any of my freedom up either, that I'm any less "American" because I refuse to "fight for my rights", I just feel like it's one of those things that can't be avoided by a normal person; kind of like taxes, or a draft, or going to school.
This doesn't mean that because I'm willing to go through security that I wouldn't say something if I did feel violated. Or that I'd let a policeman in without a warrant or my parent's permission. Or be stopped without probably cause or anything. Just that I'm willing to do something painfully simple so my safety is in check.
I think it's good to have both sides in mind, simply because I like my freedoms, but I know when they need to be second to my safety and the safety of others.
Thanks for reading and feel free to respond! Happy Monday :)
***Please no rude, offensive, or obscene comments/responses.
***I respect your opinions and I expect the same respect in return.
