But I’m not. I’m on vacation. I’m in a beautiful country. I’m surrounded by family. I’m not happy. I love traveling, I just hate the actual traveling part. I’ve passed through 7 airports in the last few days. I’ve spent hours on airplanes and hours in airports, and I’m not happy. I’m angry. I’m pissed off that those of us who choose to support airline companies and airport economies by flying the so-called friendly skies must endure ridiculous security measures made to make the human race “feel” more secure, when they do nothing but cause grief, anger and delays. And oh yea, by the way, they don’t actually do anything to make us more secure.
I’ve been going over and over in my head exactly how to write these feelings and thoughts. Imagine my surprise when I open the New York Times website today and find an editorial that exactly expresses my frustration. Patrick Smith writes an aviation column for Salon.com and it is always right on. His NYT editorial should be required reading. We’ve got to do something about this airport situation, it is beyond reasonable! If I hear one more person say something along the lines of, “We have to endure it, because it is for our security!” I’m gonna scream! Wrong!!
An excerpt:
Six years after the terrorist attacks of 2001, airport security remains a theater of the absurd. The changes put in place following the September 11th catastrophe have been drastic, and largely of two kinds: those practical and effective, and those irrational, wasteful and pointless.
Indeed, the security measures I have endured over the last few days, (remove your coat! remove your belt! remove your shoes! remove your laptop! keep moving! bla bla bla), were definitely of the irrational, wasteful and pointless variety. I would, as one airport security agent suggested, avoid flying, but it is kind of impossible in my situation. Is there any sanity left in the world?
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