more on DO READ THIS DJF -- Aggressive Searches Pat-down Searches/Sexual Harassment at the Airport

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: 
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2005 09:33:58 -0500
To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Subject: Re: [IP] more on DO READ THIS DJF -- Aggressive Searches Pat-down
Searches/Sexual Harassment at the Airport

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| Please withhold my information if you reproduce this. |
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The last time I flew was a few years ago.  My mother died suddenly, so I
threw some clothes in a couple of carry-on bags, drove to the airport,
and bought a ticket on the first available flight so that I could be
with my family.

I'm hearing-impaired, but I don't wear a hearing aid because it wouldn't
help: my problem is cognitive, not physiological.  I rely heavily
on my lip-reading skills, especially in noisy environments such as
public spaces.  However, my ability to do this varies with my ability to
concentrate: if I'm tired, upset or distracted, it's difficult for me,
and if I'm not looking at someone, I may not even realize that they're
speaking to me.

As I went through security screening, I left one of my carry-on bags
sitting on the conveyor belt.  I simply forgot about it and walked away.

What happened next (from my vantage point) was that a very kind and
perceptive woman who was walking the same direction as me, smiled and
gently tapped me on the shoulder to direct my attention back the way
I'd come.  (Perhaps she had heard me asking the security screeners
to repeat instructions and figured out that I have trouble hearing.)
I stopped and turned around just in time to notice the two soldiers
with their weapons raised to their shoulders and pointed at me, but I
didn't get much of a look at them as the three (four?) security personnel
running toward me soon blocked my view.

I wonder if I would have been shot in the back or just tackled if I
hadn't stopped.  Probably just the latter, but having weapons pointed
at me was still rather alarming.

As it was, I had difficulty convincing them that I'd simply overlooked the
bag -- doubly so because one of the people asking questions was standing
behind me, and every time I tried to turn around to read his lips, they
screamed at me to look forward.  (Yes, I did tell them what I was trying
to do.  They demanded that I "prove" my claim by producing a hearing aid,
which I didn't and don't have.  And of course there were many pointed
questions about the late ticket purchase, the open return date, the
lack of checked baggage, "why didn't you stop when when ordered?", etc.
They also seemed quite unhappy when I pointed out that the bag I had left
behind had just been thoroughly inspected, moments earlier, by one of them
and therefore could hardly pose a threat to anyone -- unless they could
figure out how to hijack a plane with socks, underwear, and t-shirts.
I doubt even McGyver is that adept.)

The rest of the story is quite familiar to everyone reading these
messages: I was eventually allowed on another flight and arrived many
hours late (causing additional stress to my waiting family, who of course
met the flight I was supposed to be on and subsequently became very
worried when they were unable to contact me or discover my whereabouts).

I was very careful, on the return trip, not to overlook anything and
to keep turning around to see if anyone was yelling at me (no doubt
exhibiting exactly the kind of suspicious-looking behavior which might
well trigger further scrutiny).

I haven't flown since.  I don't plan to.

I'm not afraid of the terrorists -- never was, really.  After all,
they can only kill me, they can only do it once, and the chances of
that happening are so small as to be negligible.   No, I'm afraid of
"our" people, who are busy building a prison for all of us at our
request, using our money and (to some extent) doing it at our urging.

Which is no doubt exactly what the terrorists had hoped for in their
wildest dreams.


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