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Why "I am NOT a VOLCANO!"

Why "I am NOT a VOLCANO!"
click the volcano for the due explanation
"In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." — Gordon B. Hinckley
Exaggeration is the spice of life

Book I am Currently Reading: Peter and The Shadow Thief

Monday, November 7, 2011

Touchy Topic Tuesday- Airport Security Checks, Thankfulness Project, Day 8,


Thankfulness Project, Day 8
November 8, 2011, Tuesday

Today I am very thankful for my extended family.

1. My Dad, who somehow just seems to "get it" whenever I have an issue I have to discuss- never mind that, generally speaking, I just sit and talk, per my big fat motor mouth, and he nods and listens and smiles at opportune times when something I say rings in all too true. He's always there.

2. My mom, who knows when to let me have my space and do the "grown up" thing on my own, and when I need to be mothered, even though I'm almost 30. In so many ways, I want to be like her, and I'm not sure I can live up to it. But she's an excellent, compassionate, driven, and energetic example to me.

3 My brother, Biege, who is very easily my best friend. I wish I got to hang out with him more often. My blog would not work if it weren't for him, and he is my dictionary for random video game information- specifically so that I can understand the geek jokes he wears on his t-shirts.

4. My sister in law, Shalynn, who is amazing, supportive, gorgeous, and has a gift wrapping talent that kind of makes me jealous. I've called her, before, "the girl of my dreams" - she's as geeky as my brother, but you can't tell by looking at her. She fits into our family like she was born there, so much that I look back and can't really remember what it was like without her.

5. My sister, Bergan, because she always makes me feel wanted and appreciated. When I babysat her as a kid, I never really imagined we'd be close. But now we are, and it makes me so happy! I miss her sometimes. And I am always excited to see her.

6. My new brother in law, Spencer, who is as crazy as my brother, Biege, judging from all his firework stories, and is quietly funny. He loves my kids, tolerates them, even though they can be intense, and loves my sister even more. Like Shalynn, he just fits right in, like a piece of the puzzle.

7. My youngest brother, Bozton, who is another person I never thought I'd be close to, because he's so much younger than I am. But the gap has closed. He's talented in so many areas- he writes incredible poetry, and builds really weird, but strangely fascinating contraptions, and just has the creative heart of an inventor. He is going to be an engineer someday, and I'm glad. He'll do well at it.

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Touchy Topic Tuesday- Airport Security Checks

(And if you're irritated by my Christmas music before thanksgiving, please visit THIS TOUCHY TOPIC TUESDAY to give me a piece of your mind.)

As a kid, I flew on planes often. Back and forth to Arizona from Utah to visit my grandparents, to Disneyland, I was pretty used to planes and the procedures you followed to get through. And I was never afraid.

In my older years, I flew on multiple planes to get to Jamaica for my honeymoon, and from New Jersey several times back to Utah for weddings and visits to my family- several of those times with children.

Now a days, though, you'd be hard pressed to get me on a plane. Too much likelihood of dying.

So, every which way you look, every news channel, all over youtube and so on, people are talking about all the stuff going on over at the airport.

You know what I mean: Airport Security Checks. Are they ethical? Are they too invasive? Should they be done on children?

Well, here's my piece, and then you can feel free to flog me if you want.

Maybe it's because I'm not a terribly private person- I'm modest, but I'm not terribly private. I'm also a big believer in "necessity." Like, when I gave birth and there were half a dozen med school students looking wide eyed at the giant bloody mess that was my nether region and I just didn't care a lick. Or my inability to even feel a slight sense of bashfulness when I have to get my yearly exam from my doctor, or ask him "embarrassing" questions, the details of which I won't go into- for YOUR sake, not mine. BUT, I am 100% honest when I say, if I were to be randomly selected for a thorough search, I would have very VERY little problem standing there while the worker squeezed my boobs, my butt and everywhere else too. I have nothing to hide. I'm not going to act like I do. Furthermore, I understand that women check women now, and men check men. So, there wouldn't even be the uncomfortable question "is he poking that because he's a perv or because he thinks I have a machete hidden in my 34-B?"

I'm even going to go as far as to say that I would be happy to let them search my child. For one, kids aren't as dumb as most adults seem to think they are. And if I were to explain to my child, before hand, that when we go on a plane, it is important for the workers to make sure no one, even kids, have anything dangerous hidden in their clothes so that everyone on the plane can be kept safe, and that, while it is NOT okay for people to touch them inappropriately, this particular procedure is not meant to take advantage of them, but to keep them safe, I am one THOUSAND percent sure that my kids would say "okay." and know what to expect and never think of it again. I've had to have the EXACT same conversation with them when they go in for their yearly well child checks and the doctor has to check their private parts for proper development. I see no difference.

WHY would I be okay with that, you ask? I'll tell you: Because people who are willing to smuggle explosives, weapons, drugs, or any other dangerous thing, are usually not the kind of people who look at a little kid and say "Oh, poor innocent child, I think I'll give them a safe distance from me. Maybe I WON'T blow up this plane." - no, people who are going to do those things are not in high standing and are never above such things as using children for their immoral endeavors. You think I'm delusional? Watch the news for 5 minutes.

That being said, since these guidelines of x-ray vision that shows passengers, essentially naked (which I think, having seen the machines before, is quite the stretch of imagination. It's not like it shows you as a hot Victoria Secret model running around with explosives strapped to her thighs. It's black and white and pretty fuzzy unless there is something detected, which it shows in a brighter shade of gray or white.) so as to find dangerous items, and invasive pat downs, NOT ONE terrorist has been found by these people. Drugs? Yes, occasionally. But terrorists have never been found, and attempts on planes have still been discovered and, luckily thwarted. But the fact that they happened on the planes is testament that the process is not working. Terrorists made it past the gates.

The problem? Pat downs are "random". Workers are not allowed to profile. So, they see someone suspicious, they very well may pass them up if they match a profile they're not allowed to "attack", and go instead for the young mom with two kids hanging on her shirt.

At least in most videos I've watched, the workers have the grace to look sufficiently forlorn about their responsibility and embarrassed to boot.

My opinion here: Invasively search EVERYONE, or don't search ANYONE.

When it comes down to this, I just feel that, while we live in America, Land of the Free (or, more accurately, Land of "leave me alone. I'll do what I want, when I want, where I want, and you can't stop me because I could sue you.") we also live in a world where personal safety is something that other people (terrorists, rapists, murderers, drug dealers, and so on) don't take very seriously or care about. I would rather be patted down and have SOME semblance of security when I get on a plane than to just watch everyone board the plane on the honor system.

Now, we have two options here.

1. If you don't want to be patted down, don't ride a plane. (I won't in any near future. But not because of the pat downs. Because I hear more and more about plane crashes that have nothing to do with terrorists, and I'm not willing to die that way.) - which is pretty much how I see it.

or

2. No one gets checked, and if you don't want to risk the possibility of terrorists on your flight, don't fly.

I agree with either one. Specifically because either way- over security or no security, I won't be flying.

Now, of course, we see awful stories like THIS ONE that don't help TSA's cause in the slightest. But the risk is there: We know exactly what goes on when we want to board a plane. If you're not willing to risk it happening to you, don't get on a plane. Otherwise, realize that it's a possibility.


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Kay, discuss!!! Remember, though- behave yourself. Discussion and disagreements are fine, but foul language, mean or belittling comments, or name calling is not allowed, and comments with such will be deleted immediately.

Thanks!



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7 comments:

Mrs. No-No said...

Nice post - I like your explanation of your non-modesty! :) I also totally agree with you that the TSA needs a new method to "screen" people! My DH (who is blond with blue eyes and served in the army for EIGHT years!) gets pulled out of line every.single.time that we fly, my little one has to go through the scanner by herself now (she's only 4!), and we still hear about planes being grounded or airport terminals closed down because something "suspicious" was found. :(
The whole system needs a serious re-vamp....
ANYWAYS...lol. That's my two cents! Thanks for stopping by my blog. Following you now, so I will be able to read more of your fun stories!
Carla
Mrs. No-No Knows

Elizabeth @ E Motion Studio said...

This year I have been on an airplane more than anytime in my life traveling for my job. I have no problem with the way they screen people.

Every time I wear my scrubs they make me go through the x-ray. Once they had to pat down my head when I had my big poofy curls up in a pony tail. If they feel suspicious of anything I think they should have the right to check it. I would rather be safe.

I feel its impossible to search everyone- we would never get anywhere fast, and searching no one would cause fear and the down spiral of air travel. I think its fine how it is. Maybe just needs to be more organized on how and when they choose to search someone.

I honestly feel safer in an airplane than a car. Cars get in far more accidents.

Katrina said...

While cars get in more accidents, you are much more likely to survive a car crash than a plane crash, LOL. You can walk away from the car crash - most do. But how many people have walked away from a plane crash? Then the plane crashes to the ground, it catches fire, hundreds die. Ugh. I hate flying because I feel so out of control. I have no control in a plane. But in a car....if the weather is bad, I can pull over to the side of the road to wait it out. I can drive in the slow lane. I can move my car around an erratic driver. True, some other car can crash into me at anytime. I have no control there. Also, a plane can fall out of the sky and land on my car. Things happen. I know this. But... I still feel I have more control in my own car.

Okay, I could never give birth in a room full of med students. LOL No way, never ever ever. GET OUT!! is what I'd scream to them. I would just feel way to exposed. I could, however, give birth in front of all my children. And I have. Because I'm sharing a magical moment with the people I know, love and trust. But strangers? No way.

Although I hate to fly, I do plan on going to Hawaii with our family in the spring of 2013. We cannot row a boat there, so flying is our only choice. Damn. I feel pretty much the same way as you do about the security. I want to be as safe as I can be on that plane, so YES please screen everyone! Like you say, I have nothing to hide. I don't mind being patted down or my child getting patted down, so long as it's a woman doing it. My kids need to be patted down by a woman. I insist on that. Men do not have any kind of right to be touching my private areas, or my kids' private areas. But I don't mind if a woman does it. I don't feel embarrassed or invaded in any way by a woman. I would rather get patted down than go through those special x-ray machines but not because I'm modest, but because I'm just not too sure about those things only for the health risk. Are they safe for our bodies? I just don't know all the facts yet on that.

I just wanted to comment on your sibling's names - very cool names, so unique. A few of my daughters have names that aren't so common. I love unique names :)

I'm a new follower of your blog :)

Katrina
They All Call Me Mom

Windthicket Fables said...

Like Katrina said, I feel I have so much more control over me and my situation in a car. I could go on and on for paragraphs as to why, but for times sake, I won't. Katrina covered a lot of it anyway.

As far as the med students go, I mean, the doctor that delivered your baby was once a med student. They're not looking at you as though you're a naked porn star baring it all to see. They're watching so that they can continue their medical career, learn about the procedures they will have to follow, and how best to help women who are giving birth. It's not sexual, and if no one ever allowed them to watch and, later, participate, then they would never make good obgyns.

See, I could NEVER have my children in the room with me. I couldn't ever stand for my inlaws or even my parents to be there. My mom was there with my oldest, but that was because my husband was away with the military, and I needed someone with me. Not that I consider sex and birth the same thing- because it most certainly isn't, but the intimacy, to me, IS the same thing. The doctors, nurses, and all the other numerous people who come and be involved whether you like it or not (so, what's a couple more students who want to become doctors?) are merely the necessary vessels that help my baby get here safely. When I leave, I rarely remember names or faces or anything, but I remember my husbands and my intimate relationship- again, not sexual, but intensely private. I have intensely intimate relationships with each of my children too- but not the same as with my husband. the way I see it, THAT experience is for me and him only. And the baby that will be born. They will experience it on their own when they have their own families. They don't need to see their mother in that kind of situation.

Anonymous said...

I agree 100% with everything you said. Nice huh? :-)

Michael Ann said...

Oops, that's me Michael Ann! Hit the send button too soon.

Ann Jones said...

I haven't flown in forever! I think the last time I was on a plane was in 2005 :) I haven't really had to deal with any of the new security measures so I'm not 100 percent sure how I would feel one way or the other. Great post! New follower from MBC, have a great evening! You can find me at
http://wvfrugal-wvsaver.blogspot.com/
Stop by my blog when you get the chance :)

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