Thoughts on Flying in the Post 9:11 World:

We returned late last night from Texas where Lydia and I had been to look at a church pastoral position. We flew from Mobile to San Antonio by way of Dallas. We've been on plane flights several times since the terrorist attacks of 9:11; but it has been a few years since we've traveled anywhere by air. This plane trip brought several thoughts to mind. First, I can remember when it was fun to fly. There were certain amenities that came with flying, even for those of us who were sitting in the "economy" class. And on the big jets that made the longer runs, it could seem almost luxurious, even for the "common man." But those days are long gone. Maybe that's a good thing; but every time I fly in the cramped quarters of today's carriers, it makes me a little wistful for the past. (Of course, if I lost a little weight, the quarters wouldn't be quite so cramped; but let's not go there.) Second, we didn't even get any food at the airport or on the plane Friday. I'm not sure whether the advertised snack boxes were for sale on our flight from Mobile, or whether the weather may have precluded making those available. We had plenty of time to make our connection in Dallas, but not plenty of time to get anything to eat. Any way you cut it, air travel can be something of a physical endurance test if you have to make a connection en route. And third, I'm not mad at the government for all the airport security measures; but I'm mad because all of us have to be so careful on the off chance that there will be a nut case who might want to blow up a plane! So our luggage is examined--and in some cases ruined--our pockets and purses are checked, and we have to take our shoes off because of that microscopic probability that a terrorist walks among us. I also have the lingering suspicion that we could handle our airport security better; but not being an expert in the field, I don't know how it would be done. (I also know that some of my ideas would probably meet with howls of protest from civil libertarians and the "politically correct" crowd.) I realize that certain measures must be taken to protect us from threats to our safety. But how far do you go to protect the populace from these threats? Apparently, the Israeli system is even more intrusive, but also more efficient and effective. (I'd be interested to know more about that.) In short, how far can an open society go in policing its citizens before it is no longer a truly open society? I don't know the answer to that; but it's a question we're going to have to answer in the years to come.