This is the second diary in a 3 part series about the new TSA practices. Part II focuses on the effects of this policy in terms of desensitization and sexual harassment as they affect passengers, TSA employees and the general public.
Part I examined the fundamental nature of consent.
In Part III, I would like to have a call to action. A place to discuss what things we can do to make the necessary changes to TSA.
Get used to it
Instead of reiterating the arguments of TSA apologists, suffice it to say that they belittle the concerns of others as a selfish act to avoid embarrassment or inconvenience. These remarks serve to convince the public to "get used to it". The degrading searches in public view also serve to acclimate the flying public to such treatment.
If we will tolerate our children being groped, we will tolerate anything.
-Cartoon Peril
We know that the key to boiling the frog is advancing by degrees. The latest step was such a large leap that they now back off the pilots and crew. This latest overstep however is not their end goal. They have already started to implement airport style security at bus stations. If TSA can claim this form of travel restriction is legit, they will have opened the door for imposing security restrictions at bus terminals, train stations, and even subway stations.
Harming TSA workers
The abuses TSA workes are required to perform are abusive to them as well. The escalating nature of their will either slowly dull their sensibilities, grooming them for further abuse- or push them to the breaking point.
First the snapping point response. Try to imagine this happening at your place of employment. A man was required to allow his co-workers to see sexually revealing images of him. After this initial violation, he was repeatedly harassed by his coworkers. After days of working in such a hostile environment, he responded in a violent way and was subsequently fired. What about the perpetrators? Those are the employees fit for this line of work. They are the people who will be screening you and setting policy for what you (and your wife and your children and your grandma) will have to endure.
Next consider the grooming response of Randall King. Some people are predisposed to sadistic actions. Authority to abuse power gives a thrill, but that thrill becomes satiated. More and more severe abuse is required to achieve the thrill. I can't believe that the the story of this TSA agent has not been all over the news.
King had pleaded guilty to nine offenses of harassment and stalking BEFORE being hired as a TSA screener. The night before the opt out protest, he had allegedly kidnapped another TSA worker, sexually assaulted her, and then attempted suicide.
Get past your embarassment
We are being asked to learn to put up with a little embarrassment, and indignity to ensure the safety of our fellow passengers. I'm not so embarrassed to be seen naked. It is the fact our nation has sunk to this level of cowardice that truly shames me.
Eventually, we reach a point where a ward of the state instructs us to stand with our feet apart and our arms out while they produce nude images of our bodies or put their hands on our genitals, and we simply comply.
- Michael S. Roberts