Lanaya Salim(FGCU): Airport Security

After September 11 happened, airport security is a lot stricter, which I am thankful for. What I am not a big fan of is the “racial profiling” the airport does.

For instance, I was going to New York last August by myself to yes I will admit see the Jonas Brothers, okay, so I am in line at security my turn finally comes up and they see my last name, I am 75 percent Lebanese. I am also 5′1 was carrying a hot pink carry on bag, with a Jonas Brothers pin on it, and carrying a book in my hand. The airport security, then takes my liscene, scans it with 4 different lights, pulls me over to the side, searches everything I have twice and then finally lets me through, all the while everyone walking by looks at me with questioning eyes. Okay so I am fine with that, whatever, I am used to it by now.

My flight back, I get stuck in JFK for 30 hours, all flights were cancelled, just my luck. I am panicing because, I am alone, have 30 dollars on me, and my cell is dying. So I finally get some help, the flight rep takes me to the front to get a standby pass for the first flight out in the morning, thats awesome. Well as they pull up my name, the computer spits out my ticket with three red X’s along the bottom that say something like double security check. All because of my last name. I go back through security again with everyone looking at me, as I am now in tears, because I am so overly tired, hungry and freaked out. Long story short, I am in line the next day for my flight and THANKFULLY I get through, and as I am going the man behind me in line, who is of Asian race and his family of FIVE, threatens me and the security lady, saying if I get that ONE seat, he is going to stab us. SO security gets called, I get on the plane, thinking to myself. WOW a threat like that and they are putting me through security 5 times.

I just think they should take the same precautions with everyone, rather than just focusing on one race. I mean yes of course it was Middle Eastern people that caused this all to happen at airports, but they need to focus more on everything rather than just one person.

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