TSA, Bullies or Heros When it Comes to Searching Kids?

The headlines scream of so-called injustices against children: "8 year old pepper sprayed!", "6 year old patted down by TSA at the airport!". I believe that these incidents are not crimes against kids, but are security measures meant to protect our children. Here in my hometown of Kansas City, earlier this month, an 8-month old was searched at the airport, when his stroller sounded the security alarm. "Pic of TSA Agents Searching Baby Sparks Outrage". The mother held the baby while he and his diaper was searched. She did not have an issue with the search and was not upset.


In April, at a Colorado school, when an 8-year-old acted out in a dangerous manner, law enforcement officers were charged with protecting everyone else and themselves. They can use reasonable force in order to keep the peace and safeguard the public. They chose to pepper spray him. If a child is brandishing a weapon and can hurt themselves or others, as he threatend to do, I prefer officials do whatever is necessary to stop them and still keep that child safe, too, if possible. This was a good choice that did not cause lasting damage.

Pepper spray is a natural product made from cayenne pepper, the same pepper in your kitchen. It does not cause lasting damage. It makes the eyes burn, water and involuntarily close. It swells the mucous membranes and causes coughing. The effects last about 30-40 minutes. It is the non-lethal, non-contact option for subduing a dangerous person. I prefer pepper spray over them striking a child with a billy club, physically subduing them or worse, having to shoot them to keep everyone safe.  If there is a misunderstanding, I would much rather myself or a loved one be sprayed by pepper spray, because cold water and fresh air won't fix a gun shot wound if the officer feels threatened.


The TSA officials are responsible for ensuring that no one gets on board with a dangerous weapon that could cause harm to the other passengers. That means, like it or not, we are all subject to extra scrutiny and security measures that seem to violate our privacy and feelings of freedom. That is the price we pay to stay safe. Criminals are not above using their kids  or anyone else's to cause harm.

Some people/parents get indignant when officials want to perform a security check and pat down of innocent kids. If they chose not to check kids for weapons, that means the kids are perfect targets for terrorists. If they know kids are not checked, what better place to put their weapons! How can they get to the kids you ask? How many times have you seen rambunctious kids running around the airport as soon as their parents look away? How many parents have you seen a few seconds behind them trying to catch up with one, two or three kids? How hard would it be for a "bad guy" to quickly stick an explosive inside of a kid's jacket, diaper, purse, diaper bag or backpack and watch them walk through security? The fact that the TSA security checkpoints search kids, takes the target off of their backs.

Freedom is not free! There is a cost to be paid. We give up some privacy, maybe a little dignity, subject ourselves and our families to extra scrutiny. But we have choices. There are other travel methods outside of flying. I am flying a couple of times this summer. I don't look forward to the security check point, but understand why it is there. If a child getting on my flight sounds the security alarm, I will be angry if the TSA officials do not search them! Not knowing whether the parents may be terrorists, (homegrown terrorists look just like you and me), or otherwise unstable, I would rather they err on the side of precaution.

Wouldn't you?