For those of us who lived through the events on that fateful day in September, we remember. We remember what it was like at airports, amusement parks, and sporting events. Security check points were minimal or simply didn’t exist. We could go to Disneyland without passing through a metal detector. We could go to a football game with any kind of bag. We could say goodbye to our friends and family at the boarding gate.
Whether you were alive on 9-11-2001 or born after, your life has been affected. Your perception of the world and your feelings of security have been influenced by the actions of a handful of hateful men.
Just last week I traveled to Boston for a funeral. The security checkpoint at Logan Airport was atrocious. I removed all of my electronics, all of my liquids, my shoes, my hat. When it was finally my turn to raise my arms in the machine that would scan every part of me, nearly an hour had passed since I’d gotten in line. My watch triggered the machine along with the metal snaps on the pants I was wearing. I was fortunate the TSA agent who patted me down was friendly. She told me where she would touch me and asked if I had any sensitivity in those areas. I have heard many horror stories of rigorous pat-downs and violations by aggressive agents. Thankfully my experience has been acceptable.
Last fall I went to Disneyland. I stood in a long line to pass through security. I had only my phone and a small wallet in my possession. Yet I had to wait as parents with children (it is Disneyland after all) had their diaper bags and stroller scrutinized. Then it was another wait to get through the ticket gate. It took perhaps a half an hour to get into the happiest place on Earth. This was all on a weekday in October. I can’t imagine what it must be like on the weekends!
As for me, I was aboard the USS Enterprise when those men took something from all of us. The ship was headed to South Africa for a historic port of call when everything changed. My Captain didn’t wait for orders. He heard the news and ordered the ship back to the Middle East, the most likely source of the attack. Eventually we got some payback but the scars remain.
I don’t feel any more or any less safe with the increased security measures but I understand why they are in place. I wonder if we will ever get back that sense of security. Will there be a day when metal detectors, full body scans, and bag checks go away? Can we build a world where a large crowd of people can gather without fear of bullets raining down or bombs going off? I want to believe we can. I want my nieces and nephews born post 9-11-2001 to feel safe in amusement parks without the hassle of long security lines. How can we make that happen?
End Transmission.