As my laptop gently weeps
So I bought some Beatles music from iTunes last night. Steve got me again. I blame The Beatles Rock Band.
I find myself staring down the barrel of holiday travel, and though I know it's a blessing to be able to jet back home to see Mom and maybe even some old friends, I can't help but find that I feel a little apprehensive about the prospect of chasing the Sun back to my hometown.
The topic at hand is the new procedures at the TSA checkpoints in your friendly neighborhood commercial airports. I know you're upset too, but being the oddball that I am, I'm fairly certain that I'm disturbed for completely different reasons than you are. I'm sure you're used to this by now.
I hear a lot of health concerns about the radiation emitted by the scanning devices, and outrage over the invasiveness of the new pat down alternative to being scanned. I get it, and I sympathize. If you'll allow me, I'd like to paint these entirely valid concerns with my usual cold, heartless, and entirely cynical brush.
The scanning machines are new, and while the people whose pockets were lined heavily by our nations government to place these contraptions between us and our destinations claim that they are perfectly safe, I think it's hard to say for sure that they'll have no ill effects on us long term.
On a similar note, I'm fairly certain that the cell phone on my hip and the particulate matter in the air I breathe is going to kill me much faster than the TSA scanners. The again, I'm a fully formed adult and I only engage in air travel a couple of times a year.
But it's not just health concerns that have arisen due to these new mechanical marvels. Many are concerned about the images produced by these scanners. Again, those appointed by our elected officials to keep us safe as we travel this way and that have made much ado about hiding these images from the eyes of all but eyes on a select few agents secluded from the public. It is said that these images are effective in their purpose of detecting possible weapons hidden under the clothes of passengers. That effectiveness, of course, is a testament to how revealing these outlines are.
I know that many people have issues with body image and self esteem and don't necessarily want to be ogled by a stranger in a dark room. Honestly, I don't find the idea too terribly enticing myself. However, I bet the people that are looking through the scans aren't too thrilled about it either. Maybe it's my low self-esteem talking, but the whole prospect reminds me of the time I had to title a bunch of art house images of old, dumpy naked dudes for some professor's presentation of naked dudes in the media (art house books) versus naked women (porn mags).
I won't take time right now to debate the merits of that comparison, and I don't want to hate on these art house dudes (they are, after all, as God made them, and beautiful in their own way, I'm sure). I will say, however, that I was completely uninterested in looking at those pictures and I only did so long enough for me to perform my assigned task. I have every confidence that the TSA agent who looks over my scan has a similar attitude towards his or her job, and I sympathize.
Of course, we don't have to subject ourselves to (as much of) the radiation or embarrassment of the scanning devices. We can opt to go through a pat down. Now I know a lot of people who are livid about how thorough the pat downs are now. While I've never been through one, I assume it's less demeaning than being placed on an auction block; and you don't even have to be subjected to unpaid labor afterward! If you feel some level of discomfort at the parallel I just drew, I've got a great one about the green line and the Amistad that you must not have heard yet.
My experience as a Black male in America has left me without that personality bit that I see in many of my friends that makes me feel safe in challenging authority outright, but I fully support them in responsibly and productively voicing dissatisfaction and dissent. My faith in humanity (or lack thereof, more accurately) leads me to believe that the multitude of people I don't know isn't really aware of exactly how to address these concerns effectively. I'm reminded of PETA activists chaining themselves to the queue lines of a burger king and harassing the teenagers that work there, rather than addressing their concerns with the corporate offices of burger king where decisions are made.
Sad though it is, this is where my actual concern over the new TSA policies comes in. Indignant people hassling the TSA agents at the checkpoint and achieving nothing more than getting themselves arrested and making me miss my flight. I know I don't have to tell you this, because you're not a jerk. however, there are people out there who don't realize that no one at the security checkpoint has any decision making power in regards to policy making.
These people not only think that the agents at the checkpoint actually want to feel them up, rather than being forced to as a condition of the way that they pay rent and put food on the table in this less-than-ideal economy; they also think that treating these agents with less than basic human decency is an appropriate way to respond to the agents attempt to deal with the less than savory situation they find themselves in. I also imagine that these people have had the privilege of never having to work in a position in which they had to serve the public.
Let me be clear: I'm not saying any of this to condone the policies put into action in our airports as of late. I really just want to say two things here (so if you've stuck with me this long, I'm about to get to the point):
One, there are ways to enact change in your situation. None of them involve pitching a fit at the TSA checkpoint. Again, I know you haven't done this, but I'm sick and tired about reading and hearing about other people doing it lately. This battle is fought in the halls of congress, and the committees that create policy, so voice your concern to your representatives and vote accordingly. It is also fought in the wallets of the upper echelon of the organizational structure of the commercial airlines. So if you find the terms of air travel untenable, consider not flying, and consequently (and more importantly) not paying air fare. I know it's not realistic for everyone to boycott air travel, but the most important votes you have are in your bank account.
Two, the agents at the checkpoints are people trying to make a living, just like you and me. They are likely just as embarrassed and uncomfortable with the new policies as you are. I know I feel uncomfortable dealing with the contents of my clients computers. I can only imagine how much more uncomfortable I would be if I had to press against them with the back of my hands until I met "resistance".
In short, I respect your right to disagree with the policy and encourage you to work to bring about change. A friend of mine said that the best advice he heard was to file a police report if you are made to feel uncomfortable during a TSA search. While I wouldn't discourage that if you truly feel that your the victim of a sexual assault (and would highly discourage trivializing those sorts of claims), the best advice I can give you this holiday travel season is to get the hell out of my way so I can make my flight and get home to my mother. She worries.
I find myself staring down the barrel of holiday travel, and though I know it's a blessing to be able to jet back home to see Mom and maybe even some old friends, I can't help but find that I feel a little apprehensive about the prospect of chasing the Sun back to my hometown.
The topic at hand is the new procedures at the TSA checkpoints in your friendly neighborhood commercial airports. I know you're upset too, but being the oddball that I am, I'm fairly certain that I'm disturbed for completely different reasons than you are. I'm sure you're used to this by now.
I hear a lot of health concerns about the radiation emitted by the scanning devices, and outrage over the invasiveness of the new pat down alternative to being scanned. I get it, and I sympathize. If you'll allow me, I'd like to paint these entirely valid concerns with my usual cold, heartless, and entirely cynical brush.
The scanning machines are new, and while the people whose pockets were lined heavily by our nations government to place these contraptions between us and our destinations claim that they are perfectly safe, I think it's hard to say for sure that they'll have no ill effects on us long term.
On a similar note, I'm fairly certain that the cell phone on my hip and the particulate matter in the air I breathe is going to kill me much faster than the TSA scanners. The again, I'm a fully formed adult and I only engage in air travel a couple of times a year.
But it's not just health concerns that have arisen due to these new mechanical marvels. Many are concerned about the images produced by these scanners. Again, those appointed by our elected officials to keep us safe as we travel this way and that have made much ado about hiding these images from the eyes of all but eyes on a select few agents secluded from the public. It is said that these images are effective in their purpose of detecting possible weapons hidden under the clothes of passengers. That effectiveness, of course, is a testament to how revealing these outlines are.
I know that many people have issues with body image and self esteem and don't necessarily want to be ogled by a stranger in a dark room. Honestly, I don't find the idea too terribly enticing myself. However, I bet the people that are looking through the scans aren't too thrilled about it either. Maybe it's my low self-esteem talking, but the whole prospect reminds me of the time I had to title a bunch of art house images of old, dumpy naked dudes for some professor's presentation of naked dudes in the media (art house books) versus naked women (porn mags).
I won't take time right now to debate the merits of that comparison, and I don't want to hate on these art house dudes (they are, after all, as God made them, and beautiful in their own way, I'm sure). I will say, however, that I was completely uninterested in looking at those pictures and I only did so long enough for me to perform my assigned task. I have every confidence that the TSA agent who looks over my scan has a similar attitude towards his or her job, and I sympathize.
Of course, we don't have to subject ourselves to (as much of) the radiation or embarrassment of the scanning devices. We can opt to go through a pat down. Now I know a lot of people who are livid about how thorough the pat downs are now. While I've never been through one, I assume it's less demeaning than being placed on an auction block; and you don't even have to be subjected to unpaid labor afterward! If you feel some level of discomfort at the parallel I just drew, I've got a great one about the green line and the Amistad that you must not have heard yet.
My experience as a Black male in America has left me without that personality bit that I see in many of my friends that makes me feel safe in challenging authority outright, but I fully support them in responsibly and productively voicing dissatisfaction and dissent. My faith in humanity (or lack thereof, more accurately) leads me to believe that the multitude of people I don't know isn't really aware of exactly how to address these concerns effectively. I'm reminded of PETA activists chaining themselves to the queue lines of a burger king and harassing the teenagers that work there, rather than addressing their concerns with the corporate offices of burger king where decisions are made.
Sad though it is, this is where my actual concern over the new TSA policies comes in. Indignant people hassling the TSA agents at the checkpoint and achieving nothing more than getting themselves arrested and making me miss my flight. I know I don't have to tell you this, because you're not a jerk. however, there are people out there who don't realize that no one at the security checkpoint has any decision making power in regards to policy making.
These people not only think that the agents at the checkpoint actually want to feel them up, rather than being forced to as a condition of the way that they pay rent and put food on the table in this less-than-ideal economy; they also think that treating these agents with less than basic human decency is an appropriate way to respond to the agents attempt to deal with the less than savory situation they find themselves in. I also imagine that these people have had the privilege of never having to work in a position in which they had to serve the public.
Let me be clear: I'm not saying any of this to condone the policies put into action in our airports as of late. I really just want to say two things here (so if you've stuck with me this long, I'm about to get to the point):
One, there are ways to enact change in your situation. None of them involve pitching a fit at the TSA checkpoint. Again, I know you haven't done this, but I'm sick and tired about reading and hearing about other people doing it lately. This battle is fought in the halls of congress, and the committees that create policy, so voice your concern to your representatives and vote accordingly. It is also fought in the wallets of the upper echelon of the organizational structure of the commercial airlines. So if you find the terms of air travel untenable, consider not flying, and consequently (and more importantly) not paying air fare. I know it's not realistic for everyone to boycott air travel, but the most important votes you have are in your bank account.
Two, the agents at the checkpoints are people trying to make a living, just like you and me. They are likely just as embarrassed and uncomfortable with the new policies as you are. I know I feel uncomfortable dealing with the contents of my clients computers. I can only imagine how much more uncomfortable I would be if I had to press against them with the back of my hands until I met "resistance".
In short, I respect your right to disagree with the policy and encourage you to work to bring about change. A friend of mine said that the best advice he heard was to file a police report if you are made to feel uncomfortable during a TSA search. While I wouldn't discourage that if you truly feel that your the victim of a sexual assault (and would highly discourage trivializing those sorts of claims), the best advice I can give you this holiday travel season is to get the hell out of my way so I can make my flight and get home to my mother. She worries.