Replies

Yesterday I was honored with "special" attention as I was about to board a flight to New York. In addition to myself (middle-aged, red-headed ultra-Orthodox Jew) a young female African-American, a middle-aged white male, and two white female flight attendants were also requested to step out of line, remove our coats, remove our jackets, remove our shoes, empty our pockets, turn over our wallets, purses, briefcases, laptop bags and backpacks, and allow the federal airline security person to place their hands on our person.

During this ordeal, the federal airline security person kept asking, "Is it OK if I touch your waist? Is it OK if I touch your back? Is it OK if I look under your shirt? Are you offended by any of this? Do you feel uncomfortable about this procedure?"

I said, "if you really want to know how I feel, yes, I am uncomfortable and very offended, but what choice do I have?"

At that point, while I was receiving all this particular attention, two Moose Limb gentlemen, one of them in full regalia and carrying a cane, the other sporting a large backpack, presented their boarding passes and WENT STRAIGHT ON THROUGH TO BOARD THE PLANE.

I almost lost it right then and there. Meanwhile they weren't even half finished with me. "Aren't you going to search those two men?" I asked. "The one with the cane and the other one with the backpack?"

"Do you think we should?" the federal airline security person asked me.

"Damn right I think you should!" But they ignored me.

On the return flight this morning I was not singled out for special attention. However I did see an elderly Chinese gentleman taken out of line. Because he was using a cane.