Too many Sheep for the Sheepdogs?

[MamaSheepdog]

The other evening we visited some neighbors that recently bought a property nearby as a vacation home. In the course of the evening, the topic of airline travel came up, and the husband related a story that sent chills up my spine.

They were flying to Las Vegas, and in his carry on bag, he had a metal cigar tube filled with quarters to use in the slot machines. The "clerk" at the gate asked "Is this a pipe bomb?" and he laughingly said it was. Suddenly, two burly men had hold of each of his arms, and started dragging him off. He asked "Where are we going?" and was told "The VIP room." He looked over at his wife in another line and called out "Honey! I'm going to the VIP room! " They wasted no time hustling him along to their destination (but they were "polite", he said! :x ), but once into the room, their demeanor changed, and they told him to drop his pants. "Huh?" says he... which did not go over well and they became more threatening. So he dropped his pants. They interrogated him about his "bomb" and he said "I didn't say it was a bomb!" "Yes you did." "Well, she said it first." <SIGH> Eventually, they determined he wasn't a threat, told him not to be such an idiot in the future (my words, not his... or theirs, I assume.), and escorted him back to his line, where he told his fellow travelers jocularly "You don't want to go to the VIP room!" Hahahaha... NOT.

A couple days prior to this, we were visiting some friends we met a year or so ago, and they told of their experience when flying to visit a new grandchild. "J" always wears skirts, and is the cutest little portly Grandma you could ever hope to meet. She was made to stand on a platform and spread her legs. They kept telling her to spread them further, and further, and yet further again so they could get a good image. As she was relating this humiliating experience, I could see the impotent rage and pain in her husband's eyes.

The head of International Security in Israel thinks that the US approach to airport safety is a pitiful joke. They have specially trained personnel who are trained to watch for behavioral cues and suspicious activity. These teams speak to the passengers as they arrive, and any that display odd behavior or cannot give a reasonable answer for their visit are questioned further.

So... I'm just wondering... people are accepting this assault to their freedoms in order to feel "safe" on an airplane... kids are going through metal detectors in order to attend school... when some wacko decides to massacre a bunch of people in a mall or grocery store, are we all going to accept being strip searched to buy a new handbag or bunch of bananas? Where exactly is this going to end?

I certainly don't have the answers, and have no idea how to reverse these laws... but I am watchful of new legislation that will further strip our freedoms.

What bothers me the most is this neighbor's blase attitude about what happened. Since when is being manhandled by two men considered "polite" behavior? Where is the outrage?

So, tell me... can one still be a good SheepDog while having contempt for the Sheep?

WOOF!

MamaSheepDog

 

[MaggieJ]

I agree with much of what you say, MamaSheepdog, but I also think your friend really asked for it with his stupid, stupid answer. Having said, even as a joke, that he had a pipe bomb, he really could not expect any other response than the one he got.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I agree with much of what you say, MamaSheepdog, but I also think your friend really asked for it with his stupid, stupid answer. Having said, even as a joke, that he had a pipe bomb, he really could not expect any other response than the one he got.

Gonna have to agree, he brought it on himself. You CANNOT joke about things like that at an airport nowadays...you just can't. What if they did not take someone seriously and it ended up actually BEING what they "joked" about? Yeah, I think he invited himself to the VIP room, unintentionally of course...Bet he never does THAT again! :x

 

[Random Rabbit]

I tend to think that the Israelis are so far ahead of us in the security dept. Our Govt is so afraid of being politically Incorrect that *Profiling* cannot be done. Well the Israelis seem to have a pretty good handle on How to do it Correctly...and i think we should take lessons from them !

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Let me clarify- this is only the 2nd time we have met these neighbors.

As we drove home I made it very clear to Hubs that I considered the evening a waste of time. I find that I have very little patience for people I consider to be fools these days. I just want to shake them while shouting "Wake Up!"... and since that would be frowned upon, the best approach is to avoid them and spend time with folks that "get it".

<Sigh>... I used to be sweet and easygoing.

 

[fuzzy9]

This guy sounds like a jerk! Anyone that thinks scaring people about something like that these days, deserves what he got IMO!

Dave and I were just talking about something similar today at the hardware store. People today are just so rude. Few people know what it's like to be polite anymore, and respectful. I think they feel as though they are owed something, and should just get respect, without having to give it in return. I have no patience for people like that these days, and find them annoying. I mean really, is it that hard to say hello, or goodbye, or heaven forbid........smile a little bit. Geez. :?

 

[skysthelimit]

Try working in an urban classroom. A particular student, after returning from the day in In House suspension, proceeded to throw a paper ball around his table, hitting other students. After his table mate took the paper, he reached in his desk and got another sheet. I asked him to stop several times, and then asked him to leave, instead, he just smiled at me and reached for another piece of paper. Well this was about to start a riot, so I removed him from my classroom, and his response was to yell back into the classroom, with security present, that he was going to punch me in the face. Where will he be Monday? Back in my classroom. His mother? Either cursing at me, or totally unremorseful. Not his first infraction.

See why I don't want to spend my summer gardening with school kids? These kids have no restrain, parents have no control, and get offended when rules are enforced. Lawless.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Well, Sky, that is yet another reason my kids don't go to school.

You know what really fries me? People always ask "But what about socialization?" My kids can do without that kind of influence.

They are polite, respectful, kind, intelligent, humorous, and interact well with all age groups including adults, as well as those that are different in some way- they don't have an aversion to people based on appearance or mental differences.

Here is an amusing anecdote to end on... our kids were role players in the "scenario training" we did, and they were enacting an ATM robbery. The kids were to provide a distraction by fighting (and getting yelled at by their dad), so the perp could rush up to his victim while they were distracted.

As the role players were preparing, Firstpup and Queenpup were told that they had to fight "like they usually did". They just looked at each other, and looked back blankly. "You know, hit and shove each other, pull her hair, call each other names..."

Yup. My kids had to be coached on how to behave like brats. :lol:

:hobbyhors I will stop now before I go on a full fledged tangent.

 

[digitaloutlaw]

Yea does not make much since what your friend did. I get so mad because I was raised to have respect for people and to help people out anytime I can. It is sad when you walk in a gas station and hold a door for someone they do not even look at you or say thanks nothing. Then the other half of people will walk out the door and let it slam in your face. Then you got all of these people trying to get rid of guns which makes no since even if the people that are doing all of these crimes and killings did not have a gun they would make a bomb. I mean anyone with half a brain can make something blow up look at the car you drive with a tank full of gas. I dunno I guess things changed alot since I grew up I am only 26 but grew up in a rural area that still lived the old way but even thats changed now the road I grew up on is about to be a 4 lane highway.

If anyone makes a time machine I wanna go back

 

[Miss M]

Some 30-40 years ago, my MIL and her sister were in line to board a flight. They were being held up for a very long time, and finally my MIL commented to her sister, "What, is there a bomb on the plane or something?" Even then, just a quiet exasperated comment like that brought security upon her. I don't remember the whole story, but it was an unpleasant experience for her.

The last time we flew, I set off the metal detector (this was before they had you remove your shoes, belts, and half your clothes). I was quickly escorted to a TRANSPARENT room in the MIDDLE of the security area, surrounded by the airport security and all the people going through security. I was made to wait until somebody else came in, and then I had to stand a nice, wide spread eagle so I could be wanded and such. All the while, Shay is standing on the other side of security, some 30 feet away, watching in quiet rage with our two small children, while I was humiliated in front of EVERYBODY.

We have never flown since that trip, and will not fly ever again, unless sanity comes to this nation again.

And yes, they are working on installing the same security at train and bus stations, and eventually malls.

The man did something that required something of a vacancy upstairs. It shouldn't take very many neurons to tell you that you don't tell airport security something like that, even as a joke. On the other hand, our airport security is a joke itself, just a very, very bad one that is apparently easily defeated (shown recently by an enterprising fellow).

If we get security like Israel's, we'll consider flying again. But it would be just as crazy to joke like that to them.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

my father-in-law was named "Jack"-- Literally, I would not greet him by name at the airport-- it was "dad". So many people calling out "dad!!" when 'Hey, Jack!" would have got his attention a lot easier--but then, it would have gotten attention from security, as well!

 

[Rae]

I think it's all sad. To me it's just another example of a government that's gotten too big and too powerful, and it's our own fault. As citizens we have the power to change things we don't like, but we'd rather just go with the flow while things get worse and worse. I admit to being guilty of this, while I've never missed an opportunity to vote no matter how small the election. I often feel like my vote doesn't matter in the long run because the voter turnouts are so horrible. Take Ron Paul as an example. He has easily double the combined Facebook 'likes' as all the other candidates, has rallies with attendance of 60,000+ on a regular basis, yet somehow only gets 200 votes in an entire state??
That and our tendency as a society to PC ourselves into trouble.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

Rae-- there was an interesting article published recently about Algorithms put in place thathelp 'swing' the votes to the people that the big guys want in office--- hopefully, I can find the link and send it to you---Even non -higher math, struggled with Stats class' got the picture!!!

 

[SMR]

Sarcastic/funny comment that was taken the wrong way, should've known better yes but didn't deserve such rash treatment. I guess a harsh live and learn situation.

I don't like how things are looking and I'm a believer that if things don't change we're going to be tattooed or ID other wise with bar codes to be scanned as we enter and exit buildings, pay bills, access 'money', and more so there is no possibility of mistakes and some one always knows who it is and where they are and want they are up to. Might seem far fetched, but its not that it really that far off it seems like its getting pretty close around here at least...its a pain to get a drivers license renewed now here in WV and what they require to get it down isn't too far from being stamped to me and that's just for a DL. No renewal unless you have your certified birth certificate or correct pass port, 2 proofs of residency, and some other identification and issue info.

 

[Miss M]

Sarcastic/funny comment that was taken the wrong way, should've known better yes but didn't deserve such rash treatment. I guess a harsh live and learn situation.

I don't like how things are looking and I'm a believer that if things don't change we're going to be tattooed or ID other wise with bar codes to be scanned as we enter and exit buildings, pay bills, access 'money', and more so there is no possibility of mistakes and some one always knows who it is and where they are and want they are up to. Might seem far fetched, but its not that it really that far off it seems like its getting pretty close around here at least...its a pain to get a drivers license renewed now here in WV and what they require to get it down isn't too far from being stamped to me and that's just for a DL. No renewal unless you have your certified birth certificate or correct pass port, 2 proofs of residency, and some other identification and issue info.

No, he didn't deserve the treatment he got, but he should have expected it. I could have told you it was going to happen, and I'm no prophet. Actually, I would have predicted worse. He got off lucky. People have been getting that treatment just for being in a wheelchair, or bringing a breast pump, even for refusing the assault patdown.

The ID stuff... they've been working on the technology for it for some time now. It's not far fetched; it's being developed and having the bugs worked out as we speak.

 

[Random Rabbit]

The ID stuff... they've been working on the technology for it for some time now. It's not far fetched; it's being developed and having the bugs worked out as we speak.

Ome of our DS needed hearing aids ... These new ones have a chip in them that tracks him when in the VA hospital...
( maybe our tin foil hats will Not protect us much longer....) ( arggghhhhhh)

 

[lostcreekrabbits]

It all started to go downhill when spankings were outlawed at school, if the kids weren't getting any discipline at home then, by god, they could get some at school. Now kids are allowed to run wild like feral dogs, doing whatever they please knowing fully well that there will be zero to very mild consequences for their actions

 

[digitaloutlaw]

It all started to go downhill when spankings were outlawed at school, if the kids weren't getting any discipline at home then, by god, they could get some at school. Now kids are allowed to run wild like feral dogs, doing whatever they please knowing fully well that there will be zero to very mild consequences for their actions

This is very true in my neighborhood the kids just run around doing as they please. Last week a 15 year old kid who hasnt been to school in a year and a half painted a guys car. Now when I heard this I thought he took some spray paint or a bucket of paint and just tossed it on there nope. The kid was out late and had enough time to actually steal some paint and a roller from one house go to the guys car down the road(I was told the guy had said something to him about walking in his yard late at night) and painted every inch of the guys car. Then has the nerve to admit to it. Cops came and talked to this kid (probably 10th time I know of usually serious stuff) and that was it. Now this is just one kid. There are 10-11 more running around here just like him. However, if I spit on the sidewalk someone wants to throw the book at me.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

[qu

The ID stuff... they've been working on the technology for it for some time now. It's not far fetched; it's being developed and having the bugs worked out as we speak.

RFID chips-they are in our credit and debit cards, passports, and NAIS requires them to be in our livestock-- those can be read from hundreds of feet away.
Many state now have the chips in any state issued ID card. Some are passive untill scanned, others can remain actively transmitting (as in GPS type chips)to be 'picked up' by anyone.
Remember when just having a piece of plastic with the magnetic strip was considered too Orwellian for comfort?

 

[AnnClaire]

Yeah, get one of those metal wallets to protect your mag strips from being read. DD got all of us one for chirstmas this year!