Comments on: Guest Post: No Apologies

By: wjpeace

wjpeace — Sat, 14 Sep 2013 13:33:58 +0000

Airport security is nothing more than an elaborate humiliation ritual and a very public way to assert social control. This is needed but for people with a disability security in the form of a pat down you experienced is a strange ritual. I have been flying for 35+ years and every time I fly I get patted down. There is no predicting the nature of the pat down. Sometimes the TSA is aggressive and others times I get a wink and a nod. What is too often assumed however is that as a person that uses a wheelchair I am deemed incompetent. More than once TSA people appear shocked I travel alone. More than a few have made nasty comments. Flying is miserable for all but particularly for people with a disability. I do not envy your coast to coast commute

By: bob rottenberg

bob rottenberg — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 20:22:58 +0000

I’ve made my peace with the whole airport security thing. Yes, it’s a terrible inconvenience that can be offensive…and, yes, it’s another example of how terrified we’ve become of the possibility of terrorism. But I’d just as soon get to my destination in one piece. I’d rather submit to the screening than be constantly worrying about the plane blowing up!

By: Tam

Tam — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 20:34:24 +0000

I don’t think I can ever come to terms with the idea that consenting to a full body pat-down should ever be an acceptable necessity just to purchase private transportation.

By: julesinrose

julesinrose — Tue, 10 Sep 2013 15:35:26 +0000

Thanks. It’s good to hear from you. You are lucky that asking for a slower process worked out well. Everyone is in such a hurry (or so it seems) that sometimes it feels as if we are all living in a war zone. I read a horrific story yesterday about an elderly man who died needlessly, and from even the most cursory reading, it was apparent that simply some patience would have defused a terrible situation and spared a life.

Courtesy on everyones’ part goes a long way. Don’t want to lose sight of that!