MAR 2012: Something is going terribly wrong in the North America.
Citizens travelling in the land of the free and the home of the brave -
and certainly a growing number in Canada - are becoming almost
ridiculously afraid of their own shadows.
Stir in some overzealous airport security officers and you come up with a seriously unpleasant travelling experience. And, rather than easing, the problem is, for no intelligible reason, being exacerbated. Several recent examples exemplify this.
Spiritual message
Disneyland shut down for three hours last week when a park security officer discovered a "suspicious object" in a tree near the ticket booths to California Adventure and Disneyland. The bomb squad was called in and during a three hour security lockdown apparently tens of thousands of park guests were stuck in parking garages.
The maybe-bomb turned out to be a 'spiritual message of goodwill' scroll placed in the tree by an anonymous well-wisher.
Box cutter
A Southwest Airlines flight from Houston to Dallas was cancelled yesterday after a passenger spotted a box cutter in the plane's overhead bin. The plane's captain alerted airport security. All 97 passengers were taken off the plane and re-screened. Nothing was found on plane or passengers.
Yes, the terrorists on those September 11 planes used boxcutters, but that cannot make "boxcutter" a buzzword for terror. Or have one in a bin cancel a flight.
Happy Birthday
When a pilot wished a "mom on board" a happy birthday - some passengers panicked because they thought he had said 'bomb on board." A humourless few registered complaints on landing even after the mistake was explained.
Breast pumps
A woman travelling from Hawaii with her nine month old and a breast pump, was required to prove that the pump was what she said it was by pumping breast milk into a bottle and showing the agent the full bottle of milk before she could board her plane with the device. She said she was "humiliated." No kidding.
Embarrassing travellers appears to be on the rise. Breast pumps, adult diapers, prosthesises, sex toys, pat downs that are more "feel-ups" - nothing appears to be too personal to be questioned, touched or examined in the most humiliating, aggressive manner by airport security.
Too accepting
And passengers and the government tolerate it in the name of security.
Think about it. When a nation grows paranoid about its safety and wellbeing - the enemy wins.
The terrorists do not have to do one more thing. We are all - because it is not just Americans who are reacting so strongly - we are all already the losers.
Yes, of course governments must exercise care. Citizens must be protected. But common sense must play a role and we must ensure that a uniform and badge does not engender bullying and aggression.
In my own experience the vast majority of security agents while thorough, are pleasant, and efficient, and this should not be viewed as an attack on them. It's always the few that cause the headlines. But the incidents are becoming more frequent and few days go by without some airport issue.
As for travellers - let's try and have confidence, courage and a sense of security. And let's not magnify every tiny incident (or non-incident) into a headline.
Stir in some overzealous airport security officers and you come up with a seriously unpleasant travelling experience. And, rather than easing, the problem is, for no intelligible reason, being exacerbated. Several recent examples exemplify this.
Spiritual message
Disneyland shut down for three hours last week when a park security officer discovered a "suspicious object" in a tree near the ticket booths to California Adventure and Disneyland. The bomb squad was called in and during a three hour security lockdown apparently tens of thousands of park guests were stuck in parking garages.
The maybe-bomb turned out to be a 'spiritual message of goodwill' scroll placed in the tree by an anonymous well-wisher.
Box cutter
A Southwest Airlines flight from Houston to Dallas was cancelled yesterday after a passenger spotted a box cutter in the plane's overhead bin. The plane's captain alerted airport security. All 97 passengers were taken off the plane and re-screened. Nothing was found on plane or passengers.
Yes, the terrorists on those September 11 planes used boxcutters, but that cannot make "boxcutter" a buzzword for terror. Or have one in a bin cancel a flight.
Happy Birthday
When a pilot wished a "mom on board" a happy birthday - some passengers panicked because they thought he had said 'bomb on board." A humourless few registered complaints on landing even after the mistake was explained.
Breast pumps
A woman travelling from Hawaii with her nine month old and a breast pump, was required to prove that the pump was what she said it was by pumping breast milk into a bottle and showing the agent the full bottle of milk before she could board her plane with the device. She said she was "humiliated." No kidding.
Embarrassing travellers appears to be on the rise. Breast pumps, adult diapers, prosthesises, sex toys, pat downs that are more "feel-ups" - nothing appears to be too personal to be questioned, touched or examined in the most humiliating, aggressive manner by airport security.
Too accepting
And passengers and the government tolerate it in the name of security.
Think about it. When a nation grows paranoid about its safety and wellbeing - the enemy wins.
The terrorists do not have to do one more thing. We are all - because it is not just Americans who are reacting so strongly - we are all already the losers.
Yes, of course governments must exercise care. Citizens must be protected. But common sense must play a role and we must ensure that a uniform and badge does not engender bullying and aggression.
In my own experience the vast majority of security agents while thorough, are pleasant, and efficient, and this should not be viewed as an attack on them. It's always the few that cause the headlines. But the incidents are becoming more frequent and few days go by without some airport issue.
As for travellers - let's try and have confidence, courage and a sense of security. And let's not magnify every tiny incident (or non-incident) into a headline.
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