Airport Security Conundrum

Like many of you might be doing this week, I’ll be heading to the airport to fly to my parents' home for Thanksgiving.  And as the day gets closer, I’m starting to wonder what I’ll do when I’m faced with the new, enhanced security.  If the news stories are right, and that’s a big if, I’ll have the choice of either going through a radiation spewing machine that will take semi-naked pictures of me or I’ll get an up close and personal pat-down from the friendly folks at TSA.  As a flight-attendant friend of mine said, neither one of those options are really in line with my religious beliefs.

Here are some of the things I’m wrestling with.  I believe in security.  I believe that, biblically, we’re supposed to submit to authority (unless it becomes immoral).  And I believe in a level of modesty where strangers can’t touch or take near nude pictures of me.  There is not a religious exemption, or any other opt-out for that matter, so what am I left with?

I could choose not to fly.  While that isn’t all that realistic in today’s world, that’s the ultimate way to not participate in this screening process.

I could choose to submit to the screenings but vocally oppose them to my elected officials, etc.  But really, how far will that get me?

The truth is I’ve been through an aggressive pat-down before.  I was flying through Dubai and it’s part of the multi-level security there.  Honestly, it wasn’t terrible.  It was done fairly discreetly with men being taken to one area and women another.  I can say nothing went unchecked.  I felt secure being on that plane.

Yet for some reason, I was able to accept it as a part of foreign travel, but it irks me here in the states for domestic flights.  That may be a bit of a side note, but it’s all part of the thoughts going on in my head.

So what do you think?  What’s your response when faced with the new airport security options?