We might be hopping on a plane this week to visit family for the holiday. I say that we "might be" hopping on a plane because, for those who do not know this, we are an airline family and we fly space available. Hence, we never really know for sure if we are getting on a plane or not. I check the loads and the weather, and then we go to the airport and keep our fingers crossed. It usually works.
That's not my dilemma though.
(By the way, I always thought dilemma was spelled dilemna but the spellcheck thing informed me it wasn't. And now every time I look at dilemma it bugs me because it doesn't look right to me. Just in case you were wondering.)
But back to my dilemma. I'm sure you've all been following the news about the new full body scanners in use in airports. There has been a lot of controversy about these scanners because of the radiation that you are exposed to when going through them. Mr. Wonderful is, supposedly, exempt from them because as a pilot he is already exposed to so much radiation while flying.
But the kids and I are not exempt. Personally, I'm not that concerned about the radiation aspect. I am troubled by the images. Oh, not for myself! Frankly, if some dude sitting in a booth somewhere wants to look at images of my saggy, flabby 47 year old self - more power to him. But you see, I have a 14 year old daughter.
I absolutely, unequivocally do not like the idea of some anonymous person somewhere looking at images of my 14 year old daughter's body.
And while they say that the images are discarded...well, I'm not convinced. Particularly after images from the Orlando Federal Courthouse's scanner, which were also supposed to have been discarded, began popping up this week. I really, really do not like the idea of images of my daughter's body floating around somewhere.
But what is my alternative?
If we refuse the body scan, she will be subjected to a pat down. An "enhanced" pat down.
I'm not really enamored of the thought of someone touching my 14 year old daughter's body either.
And so, my dear bloggy friends, I'm asking you...what should we do? The body scan, which produces graphic images? Or the pat down, which involves a TSA agent touching my daughter's body in ways she will definitely NOT be comfortable with?
A graphic, virtually naked image of my little girl or a stranger touching my little girl's body?
Have you experienced either the body scan or the pat down? What should I do?
What would YOU do?
