I'd like to post about something that I feel very strongly about. Not everyone agrees with me. In fact, a lot of people don't. That's ok. This is my side.
We are preparing to take a trip in late September. We will be flying. So this has gotten us to thinking about all the new TSA security screenings that are in place since the last time we flew, almost exactly a year ago. As parents, we have to decide what we are willing to let our little girls go through.
Now, before you give me the whole " you don't agree with it, don't fly" bit...I'll stop you before you wast your breath. We live on a rock in the middle of the ocean. To go to any land farther than 40 miles away, we HAVE to fly. Period. So flying is the only way that we will get to Texas. And besides, if we "boycott" flying because of the security invasions I don't think it will do any good. The airlines will think that people are not flying because of the economy or high fuel costs.
So, now that we have established that we have no choice other than to fly we have to decide. Will we let our children be exposed to excess, unnecessary radiation? Get touched
inappropriately?
They have recently come out with research that is saying that the radiation levels are up to 10x higher than they originally though! (and reported, of course!) Now, will a person be harmed through one trip through the machine? Probably not. Multiple trips...possibly. Would you go get an x-ray frequently without a thought to the side effects? Most people would probably say no. Radiation aside, would you let someone, a stranger, see a picture of you or your child without any clothes on?? For me, that answer is HECK no!
So that brings us to "opt out". So our other option is to get the "rub down" Ok, is this done by women TSA workers to women passengers? No. I have heard stories of women passengers having to request that the person that gropes them be a female.
What about our children? As parents, we stress to them that no one is allowed to touch them in certain places. How do we explain standing there holding them down while we the parents allow a stranger touch them where they shouldn't be touched? They don't even get touched like that at a checkup at the Doctor! What about children, or even adults that have been abused in the past? Should they have to go through this? You can look on YouTube and see videos of children screaming "don't touch me" as the TSA agent rubs them down. It's heartbreaking.
A TSA agent was recently arrested for rape and sexual assault. Of a minor. Did this happen at the airport? Of course not. Did parents going through the screening line know that a pedophile was touching their children?! NO! Now we don't know whether this guy has liked touching children all along and was able to do it with the government's approval in the name of safety, or perhaps he decided he liked it after he got to do it all day long? Who knows. But for me it doesn't make any difference.
My husband is just one of the thousands that is making sacrifices to keep our country free. Many have sacrificed to their death! I feel that the people that are fine with sacrificing their privacy for the sake of "safety" are just spitting in the faces of all that have made, and are making these sacrifices. They are saying, "no thanks". We don't really want to be free, we would rather have the government run every aspect of our lives. We would rather be sacred of the terrorists. Well, you know what?? The terrorists have already won!! If we are too scared to fly without putting ourselves and our children through this, then we may as will just give them the victory right now. Their goal is to terrorize. Make us scared. They have succeeded. We would rather be treated like we are criminals and put ourselves and our children through something that if it were done outside of an airport would be ILLEGAL! Just so we can feel safe. We aren't really any safer. We have just made the terrorists very happy.
How far are the American people willing to go? What are we willing to give up for the name of safety? The right to go where we want, when we want? What we let the government do to our bodies, or the bodies of our children? All the while saying" It's ok, I like to know that I'm safe." This is just the first step I believe. For now the government is "keeping you safe" from terrorists...what will keep us safe from the government when they decide that they must do even more to take over our lives??
What are your thoughts on this?
4 comments:
I completely agree with you, Tricia. I wish more people would fight this!
My thoughts exactly!
Tricia, you are absolutely correct to be concerned about this, and I wish more people would voice objections.
While brave men like your husband have been fighting to keep us free, I'm afraid the civilian population of the U.S. has been duped into sacrificing our Constitutional liberties. We're losing this fight from within.
The "greatest generation" who survived the Depression and fought fascism in a two front war knew about freedom and dignity. I can guarantee you that no one of that generation would have stood by like a bleating sheep while watching some minimum wage pedophile grope their kids in the name of "safety."
I truly feel for you, being in a situation where you have no choice but to fly. You, your husband, and your kids deserve better, and it's a real shame that our politicians (many of whom are exempt from these very measures) are forcing these violations upon us rather than upholding the Constitution and the personal liberties guaranteed within.
Awesome post! All I would add is to point out the fact that the government has admitted these scanners wouldn't have stopped the underwear bomber and the government has also admitted that they were told by the underwear bomber's father "my son in a terrorist" before they let him on the plane. These measures neither protect us for terrorists nor are necessary for protecting us from terrorists.
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