This morning, I read the following from Cory Doctorow:
"Little did I suspect, when I slipped my pal Nelson a sheet-metal Bill of Rights, that it would be the source of a flash of horrible realization that we're in deep crap..."
Nelson is wondering how he's going to bring this little trinket home on his flight. After quoting the Fourth Amendment, he is stunned--stunned!--to realize that he is
"...stressing about what people would think about me having a copy of the Bill of Rights! It's a terrible thing we've done to ourselves."
To which, I reply: we live in a time when jetliners are hijacked with box cutters and bombs can fit into shoes. If you've got a 2.5" by 3.5" piece of metal on your person or in your luggage that's deliberately designed to attract the attention of security screeners, the issue is no longer "unreasonable search and seizure." The issue is, "What is that piece of metal that my wand scanner just detected?"
If you had a copy of the Bill of rights on a 2.5" by 3.5" piece of of card stock, would there be a problem? No. If you had it printed on a T-shirt, would there be a problem? No. If you shaved your head and tattooed it on your skull, would it be a problem? No. Or, at least, not much of a problem beyond simple aesthetics.
Via e-mail, Nelson told me that his concern was not so much being "found with a piece of metal," but being "found with a piece of metal designed to remind people about the Bill of Rights."
Really. Imagine this, for a moment:
You've got the thankless task of screening thousands of passengers a day. People get pissed off at you routinely for doing your job; the media is constantly telling you and everyone else that you're not doing your job, and your job, basically, sucks. It's boring and people are constantly annoyed by your presence.
Now, imagine you've just had to yank a passenger out of the line because your wand went off, or opened up a bag and search all through it it because something odd showed up on the X-ray.
And that "something" turns out to be some clever political statement on a piece of sheet metal.
How would you feel? Would you feel "reminded" about the Bill of Rights? I doubt it. Unless, of course, you're a bright progressive who just happens to work as a security screener. Then you'd get it. Because you're smart. You will so appreciate the irony that you won't at all mind wasting your time.
There's not much metal in a 79-cent plastic box cutter. Much less metal, in fact, than what's in a 2.5" by 3.5" piece of sheet metal that is unidentifiable until inspected.
This isn't about "unreasonable search and seizure." It's about the consequences of adolescent provocation and not, as Doctorow would have it, evidence of the "deep crap" we're in.
I am continually shocked by people equating security regulations (i.e., established for everyone's safety, a fact that's been all-too-crystal-clear by the WTC attacks), with erosion of personal freedoms.
Frankly, there's a limit to the "personal freedoms" I want granted to people who want to kill others for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. And if that means I (and everyone else who wishes to get on an airplane in the U.S.) have to take extra care to avoid packing items that set off metal detectors and/or could be used as weapons, that's fine by me.
Liberty is only as good as the life that allows it, and there's a reason they put "life" before "liberty" in that list of inalienable rights. If the first is endangered, the second ain't worth squat.
Posted by: Valencia | October 10, 2003 02:53 PM
I've been traveling a lot lately for work, and have been pleased to see how cooperative people on both sides of the airport security process actually are (generally). Nobody likes to wait in those lines, but I've found that most passengers seem to treat the screeners respectfully since they know it's for their own safety. I've witnessed no drama whatsoever.
Many aspects of our "national security" processes, such as elements of the Patriot Act, are distressing to me, especially since it appears that they are being used for purposes other than terrorism prevention. But I think most people would be hard pressed to come up with convincing reasons why the current airport security measures would be considered a violation of one's personal rights.
I've got an idea for the guy who wants to travel with his sheet metal: dump it in the trash and focus your energy into an activity that could actually improve the situation instead of just distracting people who are trying to keep you safe.
Posted by: Kate | October 10, 2003 03:04 PM
This is what I love about the web: perspectives.
To hear Doctorow and others tell it, airports are now the first bastions of the Jackbooted Fascist League. Abuse and stupidity are rampant.
And yet, here is a frequent traveller who says: nope, haven't seen any of that, sorry.
Part of the problem is this adolescent idea of "freedom." Not getting to do whatever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want, is cause to cry Oppression! Meanwhile, the more worrisome abuses--the ones that require real focus and attention--are lost in the din made by the inconvenienced.
I dunno, maybe it's a California thing.
Posted by: Ian Wood | October 10, 2003 03:16 PM
Yup, I travel a lot too ('bout twice a month) and have yet to be treated with anything but politeness and respect by screeners. Of course, I'm a white guy, so I get a free pass from the DHS, right? Riiiight.
Actually, this stunt might just violate the rights of the other people waiting patiently in line to get to their flight.
Posted by: Ron C | October 11, 2003 08:02 AM
You know, as I read yet another Unannoyed Traveller's comments, it occurs to me...I wrote of the security screener's job:
"It's boring and people are constantly annoyed by your presence."
I think, though, that the sort of people who are "constantly annoyed" are probably the same sort of people who think it's a Bold Statement to travel through security checkpoints with a copy of the Bill of Rights made out of sheet-metal.
Sort of a self-fulfilling annoyance, don't you think? Get annoyed, carry something with you that will result in creating still more annoyance, for you and other people...
Eh.
These people annoy me.
Or something.
Posted by: --iaw | October 11, 2003 12:08 PM
Oh my goodness! Imagine the government having regulations to ensure that "The right of the people to be secure in their persons" not be infringed!
Posted by: Emily | October 13, 2003 03:13 PM
Eh? Not sure about which side of the sarcasm fence you meant to end up on, there.
Posted by: --iaw | October 13, 2003 04:14 PM
Yours, iaw.
Posted by: Emily | October 13, 2003 04:27 PM
Ah! In that case, you are a most perceptive individual. ;-)
Posted by: --iaw | October 13, 2003 05:27 PM
It seems to me that the security screener could have some moments of disgust with the passengers!
Imagine you find the sheet metal Bill of Rights...Full cavity search for this one, yesssirree, Right this way, our searcher today is Beula formerly a female shot putter from Bulgaria
Posted by: Scott | October 14, 2003 10:38 AM
Hey, I think anyone tyring to be ironic with a little metal copy of the Bill of Rights could probably appreciate the irony of that resulting in a few consecutive full body cavity searches. And maybe someday, long after their rectal cavity has recovered from having Beula's large hands probing it, they might even look back and laugh...
Posted by: Ellen | October 30, 2003 10:55 AM
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