Friday, September 5, 2008

Boo!


I am so tired of fear- of scare tactics used constantly - of so many "security measures" being used to distract us from what we should really fear.

Sylvia, in a wonderful blog post at The View from Over the Hill, has told us about her experience trying to get through security in an airport. My own experiences have not been so extensive, but just as annoying I'm sure. After all, I have had a knee replacement, partly metal. I have a doctor's note about it, but that is always ignored. They continually check me out for hidden weapons. One security officer actually told me that, "It's probably nothing more than a foil wrapper on chewing gum, but we have to check." Well, it wasn't a foil wrapper. It wasn't loose change in my pocket. It wasn't jewelry or buttons. It was my knee!!! They always eventually and reluctantly concede that it must be my knee. But that's very strange, because things like that "...never set off the alarm". No. Of course not.
Meantime, while they are concentrating on the little old gray haired lady who walks with a cane, six real terrorists are probably scooting right past.

The cane stops them too. It's a solid wood cane, but it has a silver band near the top. They try and try to pry it apart at that band. I think it's pretty obvious that it doesn't come apart, but one of these days, one of them is going to break the top off trying.

But what should we be afraid of, as Americans? Gee. I wonder. Could it be that we should worry about illegal wire tapping and about our so-called leaders ignoring the Constitution, and arbitrary arrests and confiscation of private property? Should it be the national debt and the nightmare of our present economy? Should it be the disrespect and scorn with which we are now viewed by other countries of the world who formerly held us in high regard?

Yes. We should be afraid. but not of the other guy.

11 comments:

Sylvia K said...

Amen to that! Always look forward to your posts, Bobbi, and thank you for visiting mine. I do hate to see what has happened to our country these past 8 years and it's not just because of 9/11, it has to do with how the Bush/Cheney bunch has used it to demoralize us and demonize in the eyes of the rest of the world!

Judy said...

You go, Bobbie! I have been through those airport things, too, and I have metal in my foot and like you they always tell me that would not have set it off! Hope you have a great weekend.

Gill - That British Woman said...

I just wanted to say thank you for popping by my blog today and leaving a comment.

My mother had both a hip and a knee replacement last year, so of course beeps when she goes through security. However I must say she has actually dealt with guards that seem to have an ounce of common sense, as when she tells them she has had a knee and hip operation and to scan there, they quickly scan and let her go through with no problem. Now this is in Britain, not the States....

great post.

Gill in Canada

Bear Naked said...

Thanks for the link to Sylvia's blog.
It really is such a shame what has happened in your country.
So much fear!!

Hopefully Canada will never go that route.

Bear((( )))

Clara....in TN said...

You really said it well, Bobbie. I wish I were that good with words. It scares me to think what kind of shape our country is in. The Health Care Program has gone to the dogs. My husband and I both are in the catastropheic stage of the Medicare Part D Plan. That's where we have to pay 100% for all our medicine. My husband is on 23 pills a day and I am on 9. Yesterday I bought 14 pills that cost me 85 dollars. I don't expect to have anything given to me, but gracious....that is ridiculous. Thanks to Bush for coming up with that awful plan.

Anonymous said...

Way to go, Bobbie! Let's hope that common sense will prevail.
We truly need it. We have a steep mountain to climb, to get rid of the republican gang in Washington. But there's a good chance that we will succeed and that eventually America will find sure footing again!
So keep rocking!
Cheers, Klaus

KG said...

You know, I have similar issues with Sumo's stroller going through security. It won't fit through the X-ray machine, and yet EVERY TIME they make me try to collapse it and try to cram it through the X-ray machine. Where it gets stuck. And then they look stupid and waste everybody's time prying it out.

*sigh*

Amila Salgado said...

I too think they take airport security to the extreme. This post reminded me of the very funny stand up by good old George Carlin on the same issue.

See:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBxzvSbGJ2w

Crayons said...

Here! Here! I am so sorry to hear about your unfortunate experiences at airports. I don't have metal anywhere in my body, but I am a sensitive persion. I just feel so frightened and annoyed when I go through airports -- which I hardly ever do now.

I am old enough to remember "the old time."

The Cunning Runt said...

As a poor man with a tiny horizon, I don't get to fly. But I do get to pay for the absurdities which pass for "security" at my country's airports, and resent it on behalf of those who have to deal with it.

Thanks for having the consciousness to object to these absurd distractions.

Unknown said...

Excellent, Bobbie! You tell it like it is.