Imagine my horror when I read that two male Transportation Security Administration agents had singled out Orlando passenger Eliana Sutherland for further airport screening because of the size of her breasts.
As a woman, I was offended, outraged, disgusted — not to mention jealous. What does Eliana have that I don’t have? No TSA agent has ever singled me out because of the size and shape of my breasts or any other body part.
All the outrage about full body scans and pat-downs seems off the point. What’s the alternative? Yes, we could do it smarter (TSA, please contact Israel’s Shin Bet immediately). Absent that, the latest techniques beat getting blown up in an airplane at 30,000 feet.
The objection to a full body scan from a vocal 15 percent of the populace, according to a CBS Poll, seems lame. It’s hard to imagine the grainy images — about as racy as an X-ray — arousing anyone when far more graphic material is available at a newsstand in most airports.
The TSA employs 56,000 people and has a budget of $8.2 billion, with $5.5 billion going toward airport security and screening. Airlines take security precautions as well. How many potential terrorists have been snagged by asking travelers, “Did you pack your own bags?” If you answered zero, you would be correct. What about, “Has anyone asked you to carry anything aboard this aircraft?” (Yes, and that ticking sound is driving me nuts!) One wonders what these employees would do if the passenger answered “no” in the first instance and “yes” in the second. Probably ask a supervisor.
Another thing: Israeli security agents are highly trained military veterans. They aren’t looking for box cutters, toe nail scissors or liquid explosives. Israel’s strategy is to “find the bomber, not the bomb,” as the saying goes. Practical necessity trumps political correctness. El Al has at least one plainclothes armed marshal on all its flights. In 30 years it can boast a perfect record of no hijackings or hijacking attempts.
Israel has clearly figured out what works in a small nation surrounded by enemies. With two airports and 50 flights a day, it’s easier to manage than our 450 airports and thousands of daily flights. Still I’m sure we would benefit from our Middle East ally’s experience under fire.
Caroline Baum is author of “Just What I Said.”