Saturday, November 20, 2010

Don't touch my junk



A new insidious danger has entered my world. While traveling as often as I do has always had its annoyances, large and small (thankfully mostly small), it is about to get much, much worse.

Because now I'm going to be sexually assaulted at the airport twice a week, on average.

We are being given a choice: Have naked photos taken or be felt up. I am sorry, but I am a model and even I haven't done full nude shots - which are worth a pretty penny, FYI - so what makes these crazy people think I'd do it for free? For some false sense of national security which is actually a joke and nothing more than a means to put some money in the pockets of the GE board of directors?

And the alternative, of being felt up? There is a very short list of people allowed to touch the flower of my womanhood:
1. My doctor
2. Special Man Friend
3. Mike Rowe

(Not necessarily in that order.)

If any of this actually did anything to make airline travel safer perhaps I might have a slightly different opinion (although I doubt it). But the fact is, it doesn't. Israeli security officials alternately think we're pathetic or just plain stupid. Do you know what the starting salary for a TSA agent is? $17,083. Do you know what kind of person accepts a job that pays so little? Someone who is desperate, with a lack of education, experience and/or hope. Is that the kind of person you want feeling up your daughter, or trust looking at nude photos of her?

See, there's this thing called a cell phone camera. And despite the TSA's assurance that the nudie pics will be immediately destroyed (which I also do not believe because that would be destroying evidence in case of an actual attempted attack) it is beyond simple for some pervy agent to snap cell phone pics of the video screen. I really don't care if he doesn't know my identity - that is still MY body. I have enough trouble trying to stop pervs from taking photos of my lady parts at auto shows, and now I have to deal with it at the airport too?

I started writing this really long diatribe about this issue, but it would probably just attract trolls screaming about 9/11 and false patriotism. Instead, I invite those people to take ten minutes and think critically about the issue, do a little independent research and remove the emotion.

By the way, when I flew earlier this week I nearly had a panic attack when I saw one of the machines set up at security. Nearly everyone was trying to avoid that line, but some people were going through voluntarily. I would've loved to have done mini interviews with them afterwards to ask why, but since airports are now practically Gestapo states that probably wouldn't have gone over well. Anyway, because hardly anyone wanted to go through it they started pulling people out of my line to go through, supposedly in an attempt to speed up the line. I started to freak out, because I knew I would refuse and I knew it would get messy and really, I don't want that. I'm not a criminal, I'm not a terrorist, I truly, deeply love my country and I truly, deeply love my privacy and dignity.

Luckily the woman ahead of me had pins in her knees and they sent her through it, so I got to go through the metal detector while she was in there. I may have to switch up my double vodka tonic airport ritual to before going through security rather than after.

So the moral of this story is that until Mike Rowe takes a dirty job at the TSA, you're not touching my junk.

10 comments:

  1. You should start another blog about the bull that goes on in airports, you're in them enough...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Americans need to take a stand against this atrocity starting NOW. Actually, starting 9 years ago...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hmmm, you just gave me a great idea, maybe I should get a job with the TSA so I can see girls naked and feel them up.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I've got my own plan for TSA. I only travel about once every 6 months. I'm getting a speedo 3 sizes too small and I'm leaving the rest of my clothing in the X-ray line. I plan on making the TSA gropers feel as uncomfortable as they make other people feel. Unlike you, I'm not model material if you know what I mean.

    "Oh no, I want the pat down. From that one. You haveare FABULOUS HANDS! Have you considered becoming a masseuse?"

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've been reading about this issue quite a bit lately. I don't travel much, and I dread it already when I'm do. I have a mild agoraphobia, and airplanes are a giant fear for me as it is. This simply makes it worse.

    The most infuriating thing about these stories is that people have lodged complaints about how they have been treated, and have been told that they "had the choice not to fly".

    What kind of logic is that? Even traveling within the US and not going abroad, it's almost impossible to travel without flying these days. Especially if you're on business and have to get somewhere in a set period of time.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bravo and well said. In spite of the assurances that these devices are safe (and why would the company that profits by their sale lie) there is no way I will enter one. That leaves us with the option of getting felt up -- I've been there and I had to resist the urge to offer a tip.

    So yes, everyone should opt out of the backscatter machines and force TSA to deal with us as humans.

    ReplyDelete
  7. http://www.dailysquib.co.uk/?c=124&a=2389

    "Airport officials at Denver International airport were on high alert yesterday when a full body scanner operator was caught masturbating in his booth as a team of High School netball players went through the scanner."

    ReplyDelete
  8. "one man's junk is another man's treasure" ;)
    Check out this randomness
    http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&source=imghp&biw=1680&bih=925&q=one+man's+junk+is+another+man's+treasure&gbv=2&aq=0&aqi=g1g-m1&aql=&oq=one+man's+ju&gs_rfai=

    ReplyDelete
  9. I agree--you should not have to have naked pictures taken, nor should you have to get felt up. There has to be an in between. Totally not okay.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I guess Houston Businessman Farid Seif, doesnt have your looks/body, since he didnt get frisked. If you know what i mean ;-)
    http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=7848683

    ReplyDelete

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