After 9/11, I had heard rumors that our government had invaded our airports. Against our constitutional rights, as well as our human rights, the United States government increased the number of illegal search and seizures in the name of security. This plan is/was self-defeating. That is to say, it makes no sense to terrorize your citizens in the name of anti-terrorism.
As the weeks and months passed, the rumors became substantiated. Not only did I hear media reports from a wide variety of sources, I also heard firsthand, "eye witness" accounts from scores of innocent civilians violated by our government's plan. So, I vowed never to fly again.
However, after having boycotted flying for years, it so happened that an 11-year-old girl needed an escort to go to Disney World. I agreed to make the trip.
Once we arrived at the airport, we experienced a nasty and rude ticketing service from the airline. We then were told we had to walk approximately 1 mile to another terminal for our gate. Upon arriving at the terminal, we proceeded to security. Though we made it through the initial screening without incident (including the removal of shoes and other clothing) we were pulled aside and told the airline had selected us for additional security screening. First, they called for both a male and female security guard. As the male guard pulled on plastic gloves in preparation of touching me, the other security agents talked among themselves about feeling-up the 11-year-old girl. They decided just to make her watch as the guards terrorized us. While one of the guards forced me to stand in a certain position and frisk me, another guard was searching the little girls purse with a bomb sniffing device. When she saw the contents of the purse, she asked the girl, "Oh, are you going to Disney World?"
It made me want to cry in pity over what has happened to our once great nation.
But, wait! It gets even worse. At the gates of Disney World, the 11-year-old was forced to put 2 of her fingers into some sort-of device. Are they really taking fingerprint scans of minors?
Oh, well. We made the best of our time there as we could. But, on the return trip, we were again pulled to the side for additional security screening. What were they thinking? Did they suspect the 11-year-old had flown to Disney World to construct a dirty-bomb? Why did they feel the need to terrorize a child... riffling through her personal possessions... pulling her stuffed animals out for all to see... making sure her Mickey Mouse ears were round enough so that there was nothing sharp enough for her to garner as a weapon?
I have come to the conclusion that as of this date:
1) no terrorists have been stopped by airport security
2) hundreds, thousands, perhaps even millions of
innocent people, including children, have been victimized
and terrorized by the United States of America --
NO LONGER THE HOME OF THE FREE AND BRAVE!
Comments and questions are welcomed.