Contrary to my subject line, I love to fly – anywhere, anytime. I love the process of checking in at the airport, waiting for the flight, taking off, landing, arriving. Doesn't matter if it's for work, the annual requisite visit to my mother, vacation; I love to fly.
Until now.
Recently I have developed a profound fear of the Transportation Security Agency (TSA).
And it is time for the annual migration north to share holiday joy with my mother.
My choices are simple: I can drive Wednesday and Thursday, spend an exhausted Christmas Eve with Mum, and drive Saturday and Sunday to return exhausted to work on Monday; or I can fly Wednesday, have a lovely 3 day visit, and fly home on Sunday; returning to work Monday tired but not exhausted and ½ crippled from driving 40 hours in 5 days.
I have never had an unpleasant experience with airport security. Even when, coming out of Vegas, I realized just as my purse was going through x-ray that I had left a 12 ounce bottle of water in it – TSA was courteous and understanding. They let me pull the bottle, get a drink, and throw it away. No issues.
Now though, with the advent of full-body scanners, reported incidents of deeply humiliating groping of people who opt out of the scan, and increasing stories of serious abuse of travelers by TSA, I am actually afraid.
Whenever anything from the media evokes this fear response in me, I try to ask the questions: what are they really trying to accomplish? Do they want us to cower at home, afraid to go out? Do they want to completely desensitize us to deeply personal trespass? Are they weeding out those who will publicly protest (in order to prove the consequences of standing up are worse than the consequences of compliancy)? All of the above? (Probably all of the above.)
So what to do?
To back track a bit: I am, in many ways, not easily cowed. I'm a risk evaluator. I evaluate the risk, mitigate to the extent reasonable, do a cost/benefit analysis, and go forth. For example: I hike and camp in mountains that are populated with mountain lions, bears, and illegal border crossers that may or may not be carrying contraband. I know the risks, I protect against them to a reasonable extent, and I go and enjoy the mountains. My option is to not go to the mountans? Not happening.
I think what disturbs me so much with the TSA is, apparently there is nothing we, the traveler, can do to mitigate the risk of harassment. It seems that the only option is to be completely compliant. Even then, they may ‘randomly’ choose to focus in on you (or your child). Again, there is nothing you can do in the moment but comply. Any sort of resistance leads to escalation and, best case scenario, missing your flight.
Then again, I have to wonder how real the threat is. In all articles I’ve read over the past few days, references are made to “a large African American female TSA agent”. I find this suspicious. Are these stories real? Are they plants to invoke this very fear I am experiencing?
Why the imagery of the large African American female? What subconscious fear is this expected to trigger as opposed to “a big Asian looking man”? Is our fear of the Arabic male between the ages of 17 and 40 wearing off?
To fly or not to fly?
Addendum:
I wrote this 2 days ago and had not yet posted. This morning I discussed my concerns with my 13 year old. Her response? Clearly they just want us to be afraid and angry; whether we travel or not.
Gotta love 13 year olds.
The advantage to having us travel afraid, frustrated, and angry is that all that negative emotion is gathered at convenient collection points (airports).
Until now.
Recently I have developed a profound fear of the Transportation Security Agency (TSA).
And it is time for the annual migration north to share holiday joy with my mother.
My choices are simple: I can drive Wednesday and Thursday, spend an exhausted Christmas Eve with Mum, and drive Saturday and Sunday to return exhausted to work on Monday; or I can fly Wednesday, have a lovely 3 day visit, and fly home on Sunday; returning to work Monday tired but not exhausted and ½ crippled from driving 40 hours in 5 days.
I have never had an unpleasant experience with airport security. Even when, coming out of Vegas, I realized just as my purse was going through x-ray that I had left a 12 ounce bottle of water in it – TSA was courteous and understanding. They let me pull the bottle, get a drink, and throw it away. No issues.
Now though, with the advent of full-body scanners, reported incidents of deeply humiliating groping of people who opt out of the scan, and increasing stories of serious abuse of travelers by TSA, I am actually afraid.
Whenever anything from the media evokes this fear response in me, I try to ask the questions: what are they really trying to accomplish? Do they want us to cower at home, afraid to go out? Do they want to completely desensitize us to deeply personal trespass? Are they weeding out those who will publicly protest (in order to prove the consequences of standing up are worse than the consequences of compliancy)? All of the above? (Probably all of the above.)
So what to do?
To back track a bit: I am, in many ways, not easily cowed. I'm a risk evaluator. I evaluate the risk, mitigate to the extent reasonable, do a cost/benefit analysis, and go forth. For example: I hike and camp in mountains that are populated with mountain lions, bears, and illegal border crossers that may or may not be carrying contraband. I know the risks, I protect against them to a reasonable extent, and I go and enjoy the mountains. My option is to not go to the mountans? Not happening.
I think what disturbs me so much with the TSA is, apparently there is nothing we, the traveler, can do to mitigate the risk of harassment. It seems that the only option is to be completely compliant. Even then, they may ‘randomly’ choose to focus in on you (or your child). Again, there is nothing you can do in the moment but comply. Any sort of resistance leads to escalation and, best case scenario, missing your flight.
Then again, I have to wonder how real the threat is. In all articles I’ve read over the past few days, references are made to “a large African American female TSA agent”. I find this suspicious. Are these stories real? Are they plants to invoke this very fear I am experiencing?
Why the imagery of the large African American female? What subconscious fear is this expected to trigger as opposed to “a big Asian looking man”? Is our fear of the Arabic male between the ages of 17 and 40 wearing off?
To fly or not to fly?
Addendum:
I wrote this 2 days ago and had not yet posted. This morning I discussed my concerns with my 13 year old. Her response? Clearly they just want us to be afraid and angry; whether we travel or not.
Gotta love 13 year olds.
The advantage to having us travel afraid, frustrated, and angry is that all that negative emotion is gathered at convenient collection points (airports).
