as I am a 60 year old white male software architect...
BUT, I get profiled every F'ing time I fly... just yesterday I was on a flight from Seattle back to San jose... as I went through the TSA-prechk line I was "randomly selected" for more intense scrutiny... as I went into the body scanner with absolutely NOTHING ON ME but underwear, jeans, socks and a T-shirt... the machine "alerted" on me (bullshit) and indicated that I had metal in my back pocket... so a body search ensued with the hand swabs, etc And my backpack was searched, etc.
Now if this was the first time this happened I would say... oh well, random... but it happens almost every time I fly.
Mostly I ascribe the actions of the TSA due to the fact that my company typically prepurchases tickets for me that are ONE WAY because they have access to a pool of prepaid tickets credits from various airlines... I flew up on Delta, returned the next day via Alaska. This saves them some money... but at a cost to me of TSA busy bodies.
I also used to fly to Vegas and other places using cash to purchase my tickets... which I believe put me on a list someplace... not a "no-fly" list, but a different category of "suspect traveler" list. I have no proof of this other than I am selected for extra inspection almost every trip...
In addition, I believe in packing very light for short duration trips... so I've perfected the art of pack everything I need into my backpack (standard laptop bag) including a change of clothes, needed items of toiletries, my laptop and cell, etc. So I never check a bag or even have a roller bag. This may be some sort of signal to TSA as well.
Point is, it isn't the color of my skin or my name that sets this off in my case... but I don't dispute that it happens to others.
Last, the entire TSA experience is the "appearance of security" instead of actual security.
In itself, it is yet another preparatory step to fascism in America... authoritarianism run amok.
And we are seeing this start earlier and earlier in our public schools... queue up for the metal detectors and bag search... "warrants, we don't need no stinkin warrants!"
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