DIMINISHED LIBERTIES

Well for the first time in years I travelled to the U.S.. By airplane. Oh Lord. I can't tell which bothered me more. The disrespectful, crowded, noisy and slow airports or the security measures now apparently routine. Even the embarking and disembarking from the planes I found distasteful and tedious. What other business treats its' customers so shabbily? Sure I've got an artificial hip but being treated like a probable criminal or terrorist is really too much. Metal detectors, wands, frisks and even gel applied to your hands looking for traces of explosive devices is ridiculous. Remind me again why I spent my hard earned money a year ago for a passport. Wasn't my identity and background checked before they gave me a passport? Doesn't my passport have a picture of me on it?

The worst of all this delay and unnecessary disrespect is that it's unlikely to actually stop any terrorist willing to blow himself or others to smithereens. What I see this eventually doing is discouraging tourist dollars from entering the U.S.. I see it reducing demand on flights other than for business or government purposes. Why would I spend a cent in a country that clearly doesn't want me there?