Common sense continues to be disturbingly lacking, I write with a sigh. While I’ve never been a particular fan or follower of U.S. Senator Rand Paul, in this case I do strongly agree with him, I write with a smile.
The Kentucky Republican senator’s interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer following yesterday’s so-called debacle sums it up very clearly, and I’m right with him. Senator Paul should have been able to immediately pass through the scanner a second time, which would have most quickly resolved the situation– and ironically WAS the ultimate outcome– but unfortunately the needed common sense was not already in place for this to happen.
It’s not just about one little isolated incident, and this is not a case of a public figure seeking special privileges. The fact of the matter is: The TSA continues to prove itself an inefficient, unpredictable, anger-inducing and often non-sensical bureaucracy that’s very much in need of policy rethinking and revision. Senator Paul’s “debacle” this week simply shines yet another light on this delicately tolerated reality, not to mention my own recent eye-rolling experiences and observations.
While change is typically inevitable, it often needs a little push, if not several big pushes. May Senator Paul’s now-highly publicized incident serve as a good push, in addition to the hundreds of complaints per week the TSA reportedly receives. The senator’s father, Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, is already “pushing” himself, but this is another story in itself. In any case, nothing will change overnight, but something will certainly change over time.
And that’s my opinion.
Ryan R. Sanderson 