If you fly you've been annoyed, at least once, by a TSA worker at the airport.I had a woman in Boston take my goddam toothpaste and roll her eyes while she did it. A TSA guy in Raleigh pulled my 80-year-old mother, in her wheelchair, out of line for a more intensive search.
No, Grandma couldn't get through our vigilant Homeland Security, but a Nigerian on the watch list named Umar Farouk Fucking Abdulmutallab could sail through with a bomb strapped to his junk.
Which leads me to the reason we should now feel some sympathy for the poor bastards who screen passengers. I just saw a report on CNN that said the full body imaging machines will be fine tuned in order to pick up "more detail in the groin area."
Jesus, I don't care how much your job sucks. Try spending all day, every day, looking at finely detailed images of Umar Farouk's pecker.
My hat (and my shoes) are off to you, TSA workers. I'll never try to smuggle a large tube of toothpaste past you again.
7 comments:
Jesus, Dave, just looking at that picture for a second made me grimace. I can't imagine sitting hour after hour browsing groins and asses. Like being a proctologist on an ass assembly line...
By the way, my verification word is "humpo". Hmmm...
I know how reasonable you are, Mr. terrinore. I can't imagine you pissed off at anyone let alone a low paid governement flunky. But you're right, they don't need the attitude when they pick through your shit. But I'd probably have one too if that's the job I had.
I, unfortunately believe that in some cases profiling would help save resources. The TSA doesn't believe a 80 year old woman is a danger but political correctness demands that they waste the time.
Have a wonderful new year.
Jim Born
Jim,
Actually, I deserved having my toothpaste taken. I knew better and the woman in Boston was just doing her job.
And no, I didn't get pissed. Just a little annoyed, which is my normal state.
To your point, the Israelis profile, but they also thoroughly train their screeners to ask pointed questions about your destination, your reason for traveling, your contacts, your registration if attending a conference, etc.
I think that would do more than taking apart my mom's wheelchair.
Which is where I'll hide the toothpaste the next time I travel.
I can hardly contain my excitement about this full-body imaging. Pretty soon we'll be back to only the beautiful people flying, which was the way God intended it.
And, according to this article the "profilers" talk to almost everyone:
At Ben Gurion, security officials make a point of engaging in dialogue with almost everyone who's catching a plane.
So it's possible that questions of being singled out because of race are less likely to come up. It's an interesting piece. I recommend it.
Ask a Palestinian what they think of the Israeli dialogues.
Why profile? Terrorists have rights too.
Like being a gynocologist, once you've seen one they all look alike.
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