Jack kept his shoes on. It was the 12th of September, one day after the anniversary of 9/11. All he did was walk through a metal detector. It was painless going through security, but as a frequent traveler, He had modified his travel behavior over time after the bombing.
He never wore laced shoes to the airport, and carried nothing in his pockets. He dropped his bag in a bin, with laptop out. Even this was no longer a requirement.
Sunglasses and phone went into his hat, along with his wallet. He could be through the scanner in a moment. He always made sure to not have any holes in his socks. He never wore a belt.
An elderly man ahead of him raised his hands above his head as he walked through the metal detector, as if surrendering to the TSA officer. To a certain degree he was.
In 2001, Americans accepted being searched at the airport, and countless other surveillance measures, an effort to protect themselves from individuals deemed threats. The threat of a terrorist attack on an aircraft seemed reduced by these measures. The lounge, and the aircraft was no longer a kill zone. America as a whole was much less safe, and it was no longer outside elements that were the only concern.
American ideals of “freedom” have always been somewhat at odds with security, and privacy.
Jack thought It’s a bit ironic that people decried the necessity of masks during the pandemic, but didn’t seem to mind the requirement to partially undress before they boarded aero planes. Surely both measures were meant to care for the well being of all, yes?
As he picked up his bag from the X-ray machine, he wondered why individuals that shake their fists because they cannot purchase large capacity gun magazines have not filed suit or brought an argument before the Supreme Court arguing the right to carry a large tube of toothpaste in their carry on bag. Travelers like Jack had grudgingly given in to being searched before boarding a plane, unlike other forms of transportation. His surrender to this search meant safety for all in the lounge. Was it too much to ask?
Right now, in America, the safest place to be might be the airport lounge, past security. He looked around. Most travelers seemed to feel quite safe from harm once past the checkpoint. In the lounge he thought, we are all disarmed and free from being shot dead. Without the threat, there was no need for a “good guy with a gun.” If fact, you never see an armed officer in the lounge.
Here, the worst that could happen was a drunk or passenger with anger issues would have a meltdown and cause his flight to be rerouted.
An announcement was made, and the flight began to board. Jack scanned his passport at the reader and found his seat. Settling back, He pulled his hat down over his eyes and screwed in a pair of earplugs. The engines surged, and he felt the gently pull of the acceleration as the jet lifted off.
The plane became a small toy in the blue sky as Jack left America behind.
An Unmapped Route: A Hiker's Blog 