Dear TSA,

I fly back and forth on a pretty regular basis from Charlotte to San Antonio. I know that Charlotte is a hotbed of terrorist of activity and all, but I have a few real problems with how you treat passengers. I don't mind that you make me take off my shoes, though I think that the days of shoe bombs are over. I have quit carrying my laptop, because it's a pain in the ass to take it out, and put it back into the case, not to mention trying to put it into the overhead on the plane. But what I really want to thank you for is probably the most humiliating moment of my life.

Last Saturday, as I was passing through security in Charlotte airport, I went through your full body scanner, (really? full body scanner in CHARLOTTE??) and I stopped, to wait for the "all clear" and the TSA agent came up to me and asked me if I had anything in my pockets. No... nothing in my pockets. Do I have a necklace on? Yes, you can see the chain clearly. (I wear a religious symbol on a long chain, so that it stays tucked into my shirt when I work). Am I wear an under-wire bra? Umm... yes. Am I wearing a barrette? Yes, it's just like yours... large, gold, metal.

Ma'am, we are going to have to pat down just your front. Right here, in front of the Gods and everybody. And so she did.

Now... I am a short (5'2"), rather round, red headed, green eyed, white woman. There is no way, no how, that I look like a terrorist. And you just treated me like I was a criminal. In public. And patted down my chest.

I only wish that I had had the means to video tape this episode. Because frankly, I think that this would have been a huge hit on YouTube.

So, thank you. You so make me want to fly more. You remind me of how, in someways, the terrorists won. They have made us afraid of our own shadows.

Love... NOT

Me