So. Apparently, I'm on the No-Fly list. (And other airport adventures!)

[nickgutierrez]

The story of today, brought to you by "What the hell is taking so long?"

My parents take me to the airport, and I get there about an hour before my flight is set to leave. Plenty of time, I thought. All I have to do is check in, and get my baggage searched, and I'll be set in plenty of time for boarding.

Ha. Ha ha. Hahahahahahaha.

I'm on the No-Fly list. The guy that told me of my on-the-list status was nice about it, though, telling me things about the list like "Oh, they just put you on there if your name is similar to somebody who did something." Great -- ChoicePoint Technologies, apparently, is running the No-Fly list in the saem efficient manner in which they engineered the 2000 election fiasco. (Disclaimer: that last line was a joke. I have no evidence to suggest that CPT has anything to do with the No-Fly list).

So, as a result, I wait for about 45 minutes or so, and finally the nice guy at the counter gives me my boarding pass. I now have ten minutes to get through the X-ray counter, and find my gate. This, surprisingly, goes pretty much according to plan, and I board mere minutes before the flight leaves.

But wait! It doesn't end there. The flight lands, and everything appears to be going smoothly until we're told that it'll take "a couple of minutes" to find an available gate. A couple of minutes pass. Five more. Then the captain told us that there is soon to be an available gate. After that, the captain tells us that he's found an available gate "for real this time". A few minutes later, we finally pull into the gate, and eventually funnel out of the plane.

Let's see... boarding went wrong, landing went wrong... and then baggage claim went wrong. Two different, large flights ended up at the same carousel, despite the fact that the carosel on either side of the one we're using were both available. As a result, another half-hour down the drain.

Oh boy... what a day.

[JohnKleeb]

1. You join a group that includes Cat Stevens and Ted Kennedy

by being on the no fly list.

[DemBones DemBones]

3. Dennis Kucinich is always pulled out of line and searched.

Flying has become ridiculous.

[JohnKleeb]

4. I havent heard about that happening

Somehow I doubt its gonna happen to someone like Delay.

[nickgutierrez]

7. Woot.

:)

[JohnKleeb]

15. yep, and Bernadette Devlin was forced to leave the country

[Baja Margie]

2. Wow.

[Blue-Jay]

5. What? No cavity search?

I'd ask for my money back.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

9. He probably didn't pack the K-Y

[nickgutierrez]

10. DAMMIT! I knew I forgot something.

x(

[nickgutierrez]

18. A cavity search would have been a nice change of pace.

Instead, it was an hour of fully-clothed (except for that one time when they made me take off my shoes) tedium.

[NYC]

6. But they did let you on.

Are you now off the no fly list?

[nickgutierrez]

8. I believe so.

But we'll find out for sure next time I try to board a plane. :)

[WMliberal]

11. I thought William Pitt or David Allen would be the 1st DUer on it

:toast:

Congrats!!!!!!!!!

[nickgutierrez]

13. I'd be shocked if I was the first.

But then again, that hispanic last name will get you every time!

:toast:

[chookie]

12. Also Helen Chenoweth (of all people)

Former wacko Republican representative of Idaho ALSO got given the Big Brother treatment.

When she enquired as to how the HELL she got on the No Fly list, she was told, "It's secret."

[Gloria]

14. Hey, at least the plane didn't crash and you got your luggage..

Who the hell cares if you were on the No-Fly list???? (LOL) (I think I would have been scared stiff....)

[nickgutierrez]

17. Always look on the bright side of life.

I can't whistle. :)

[SheilaT]

16. The last time I flew somewhere

I was given extra searches before each of the four flights. No obvious indication I'm on the no-fly list, but I'm an innocuous middle-aged woman, so you really have to wonder why they're giving me intensive searches.

I really hate having to take off my shoes and walk barefoot on flooring that contains who-knows-what horrible germs. Shudder.

[allalone]

19. my sister

5 ft 2in, plump, 63 years old, glasses, cancer survivor ALWAYS gets pulled out. I can't figure out why.

[steely]

20. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

That'd be kind of cool if it kept you from having to fly biz trips.

[shance]

21. I think whats important is the growing however subtle intimidation

of folks(atleast for now its subtle*)the name of Terrorism, that appears to looks like our Administration either has a psychic gift for picking activist passengers or they are enacting "random" searches on those who just "happen" to oppose the Administration policies through airplane lists, etc.

This Administration has done its share of course to grab hold of most of the the power as well as good ole airplane lists, and at this point they can claim, "coinky dink" when they get their hand caught in the cookie jar.

The problem I think is, if these violations and/or invasions continue to be allowed, and make no mistake, if they have soloed those of us out because of our political affiliations that is indeed a violation of our Civil Liberties and our very basic rights as an American citizen.

History has shown that these kind of incremental invasions on citizens, pretty soon they, who are enacting the invasions in your life can begin to feel entitled enough to enact greater violations where they wont care what you think.

Thats why its important for us to maintain our power and our rights. The more we give up our rights and our dignity, the more they will continue to take and not return. Its easy to lose our rights, its near impossible to get them back.

Ive heard quite a few stories of activists being searched at "random".

That is apparently a growing issue, not to mention it is violation that could very well be stoked in the name of Terrorism. Whats so interesting is this Administration and the Republican Congress have done nothing to secure the areas truly vulnerable to true acts of terrorism. Why is it?

I think Americans would best serve themselves to read and fully understand the Bill of Rights and the Constitution as well as the direct violations being enacted by Patriot I, because I think people don't actually "get" the violations being slowing but incrementally inacted. If we continue to shake it off and even laugh at it, we could perhaps wind up reaching a point where it wont be funny anymore.

I think you got a dose of it today and I appreciate you posting.

I am glad everything worked out for you, and yet there is still the fact remaining of why you were picked and how many others who happen to oppose Bush policies are picked at "random"?

For a government that hates "government" so bad, they sure have abused the heck out of the regulations when it comes to violating people's rights.