Parents outraged by Airport Frisking
Good Morning America interviewed the parents of a 6 year old girl who was given a pat-down by a TSA Agent earlier this month in the New Orleans Airport. This is the standard procedure at all Airports and for all age groups, genders and nationalities. The parents of this child were upset that their child was confused and upset by this process and wants changes made to the screening of children.
I'm not shocked that a child was randomly selected for the screening - I guess my only shock is that people are upset by this. I watched the video. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PnqwtGM7t0) and I see absolutely nothing inappropriate in the TSA Agent's actions. She selected a child from a family of five traveling home from vacation. She had the child's mother stand in attendance the entire time she was performing the search. She instructed verbally what she was doing and why. She even had the mother move to the front of the child when she, herself, had to move to continue the pat down on the front. It is obvious she did not touch the child inappropriately. I'm sure the Agent was aware she was being videoed and showed no apprehension nor embarrassment. She was a person doing her job.
Parents should prepare their children for these searches before they travel. I understand why the little girl was unhappy about it...she was unprepared. I'm not faulting the Parents for this - I surely would not have known that they select children for the full screening, but I would have explained to my child that this was ok, that the Agent was trying to make sure everyone was safe, that bad, bad people use children to harm others and that I would be right there to protect her. I would then explain afterwards why it was done and what a brave little girl she was...and probably buy her an ice cream. And then I would let all of my friends know about it in case they ever traveled with children so they could prepare their kids.
And I would be happy that when I fly, with my family, that we are as safe as we possibly can be...because I STILL REMEMBER the nightmare of 9/11/2001 and I will put up with some inconveniences and uncomfortable situations to keep my family protected.
To read the full story you can visit here: http://www.wftv.com/irresistible/27528744/detail.html or here: http://www.therecord.com/news/world/article/516433--u-s-parents-say-airport-security-agent-frisked-their-6-year-old-daughter
No comments:
Post a Comment