Erosion of Civil Liberties ~ How TSA Treated Me Like a
Potential Terrorist
In
1755 (Pennsylvania Assembly: Reply to the Governor, Tue, Nov 11, 1755),
Franklin wrote: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a
little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Like
sheep to slaughter Americans are surrendering their civil liberties for the
illusion of safety. Every citizen who
seeks to travel by air is forced to abrogate essential rights and submit to invasion
of privacy and illegal search as over zealous TSA agents X-ray, pat down bodies,
swab iPads and the insoles of shoes and rummage through the personal linens of
honest, law abiding citizens who happen to use hand lotion before being forced
to strip off shoes, belts, jewelry and underwire bras to enter the sacrosanct
halls of our nations airports.
Despite
what the ACLU and thought police advocate, when it comes to terror suspects,
profiling should be okay. Really, when is the last time anybody has read a news
report of a natural born American woman of a certain age wearing Chico’s and
Talbot’s clothes, tiger striped loafers, a patent leather carry-on with 360
degree wheels filled with matching lavender leather covers on Kindle, iPad, and
portfolio with a Brahmin bag on her shoulder been involved in a terrorist plot?
How about NEVER! But yet, at Dulles Airport outside Washington, DC on Monday
afternoon, I found myself the subject of an uncomfortable, humiliating, invasive
investigation and search AFTER the full body scan because I used hand lotion
with glycerin that I purchased at Bath & Body Works. Certain lawn
fertilizers used at golf courses and heart medication can provide evidence of
nitrates which causes TSA to haul one off bare-footed and embarrassed with all
one one’s belongs to a little room for a private invasion of privacy. My only
relief came from knowing I had packed nice undies. These TSA agents did not
care if I missed my flight. They did not care that I had already been
pre-checked by TSA to limit my screening but had been directed to the wrong
line. How is it that if I had been directed to the correct line, I would not
have been required to remove my shoes, belt of baggy of liquids but by was
somehow suspect by proceeding through regular security? How is it that the full
body scan did not suffice to show I had nothing dangerous concealed on my
person that would be better discovered by a pat down of my breasts and thigh?
I am
outraged! But speaking up in the moment would likely have resulted in my being
detained longer or even arrested. So I repacked my bag, headed to my gate, and
vowed to speak out about the injustice. I
am a descendent of several patriots who fought to liberate this land from
tyranny. Individual liberty is one of the foundations of our Constitution. There is not a scintilla of evidence to even
suggest that these abusive actions by TSA and Homeland Security have prevented
even one terrorist attempt.
Are you really willing to tolerate this? I am not.
Please
read this report and be enlightened.
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