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USA Airport Security, Elders and the Disabled
Terri H. from Minnesota
(a friend sent me this email from her friend so I haven't received permission to post but can't wait so decided not to include her full name)
I am a wife of almost 50 years, a mom, grandmother and great-grandmother. I still teach part time for my state university; I am a respected community volunteer. Unfortunately, I am also a bionic woman (right knee 2000, left knee 2009) and a frequent flyer. Until late October 2010 this meant that since 9/11/01 I set off the metal scanners and always received an automatic (not random) pat down in the United States when I fly - although not when I flew through Montreal Canada, London England (2005) or Paris France (2007), where the metal detectors have been set lower.
If you watched the scanning process, you would see mostly grandmas and grandpas sheepishly and shakily standing, legs spread apart, arms out, being frisked, sometimes with spouses watching helplessly nearby. Talkative Transportation Security Agency employees (TSA) have told me that 80- 90% of their pat downs are on seniors with metal body parts or other folks with disabilities, although the TSA says they don’t keep these statistics. Try an informal survey yourself.
It is an uncomfortable, frustrating, time consuming and slightly humbling experience, especially when agents are rude or treat us like criminals. “Don’t touch your belongings.” “You can’t talk to your spouse or anyone else.” It is worth noting when agents are respectful or kind. And while the TSA says procedures are standardized, that is not my experience. For a while they even took away our Identification and boarding passes.
Sometimes, on the far side of security there is a cheering squad of elders standing quietly and commiserating. ”What did they get you for – a knee or a hip?”
All this changed in late October 2010 when Full Body Photo Scanners began to appear in some United States airports.
On Thursday November 11 I was glad to be departing St Paul, MN from the Humphrey or smaller terminal. Security was usually less stressful here; the agents less harried. Security measures had already impacted my life. For the first time in almost 20 years I had decided not to give a presentation at the conference I was attending. My past experiences traveling alone had made me wary of getting my laptop computer, an LCD projector and presentation materials through security when I was not able to stay within sight of them while I was being screened.
As a frequent flyer I was very familiar with the security check. This time it was different. A gruff older security woman barked, “Get your legs farther apart.” Then she dramatically pulled on long plastic surgical gloves, one by one. This was new. She was cranky, abrupt, and very slow. As I tottered, legs, spread, arms out, without explanation, she began cupping my breasts with her hands and squeezing them several times, first from the bottom and then from the top. My mouth dropped open. This had never happened before. She raised my shirt and slid her hands inside my panties and ran her hands along the inside of my waistband across my bare stomach and back/buttocks. Back and forth – several times. I said, “What are you doing?” She said, “New procedures.” On the outside of my clothes, she ran her fingers down the crack of my butt. As she ran her hands along my legs, she said, “I’m going to touch you high on your thighs.” This was a euphemism for squeezing my crotch with her hand.
“We’re not wanding you anymore”, she said, as if I should be grateful for the new sexually invasive procedure. “”It’s not fair. I’m going to have to do this all the time. The airport can’t afford to put the new photo scanners into this terminal”, she said with anger. “Oh”, I said, “You like the new scanners better? What do they feel like?” “How would I know”, she snapped, “I wouldn’t have one.”
As I sat to put my shoes, jacket and coat back on I watched the next three grandmothers react with horror at what was happening to us.
So – Who decides? Who decided that grandmas and grandpas, disabled vets and others with metal body parts – the deviants who set off the metal detectors - or those randomly selected, or those who refuse the new nude photo body scanners were going to receive sexually invasive pat downs? The timing on these new punitive procedures would indicate they were set to discourage people who object to the photo screening and instead are catching the hapless grandparents who have no recourse.
Who decided it was okay to take nude photographs of law abiding citizens in order for them to fly safely? If these computer images are so mundane, why are there such elaborate procedures in place to protect citizens regarding them? Can we really trust that these procedures will be followed? Don’t these photographs constitute a violation of the 4th amendment Rights of Privacy? Who decided these extraordinary measures are the only way we can be safe? How much did former Home Land Security Director Michael Chertoff gain by his testimony to Congress and his involvement with Rapsican, the California company that produces these machines? Some experts say the radiation effects have yet to be adequately tested.
Does everyone get screened? Is there equal treatment? Will President and Mrs. Obama and their daughters get screened? Members of Congress? Airline Presidents? Pilots have objected and gained exemption. Due to protests, children under 12 will not receive “enhanced” pat downs; what kind of pat-downs will they receive? What kind of pat-downs will our 13 year old daughters and sons receive? Is there a class system operating here?
Who trains the TSA employees? Who supervises them? Who holds them accountable for professional behavior? What redress do law abiding citizens have to this outrageous behavior by our government? $10,000 fines, inability to fly, jail time?
These procedures would constitute sexual harassment and or abuse in any other setting. Parents would be arrested for sexual abuse for touching their children in such a fashion. I have worked with youngsters teaching appropriate touch – good touch and bad touch. Are we to tell them? “Oh, except for when you go to the airport – then you must let government employees touch you inappropriately.”
I am embarrassed and ashamed of my government for its lack of judgment and respect for its citizens. I do not want my grand and great grandchildren growing up in a world where these behaviors are sanctioned. Surely we can find a balance to protect our children, elders and other citizens without terrorizing them ourselves.
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