You will be aware of my constant trials and tribulations with the Airport Security apparatus.
I had to fly to Wellington last week and the full scale arm waving naked scan booths are in now and I got to see first hand the pointlessness of the creeping militarisation of our Airport Security.
The needlessness of it all, why we just accept the State causing choke points at our domestic travel hubs.
I’m moving between cities, I’m not crossing International Time Zones or legislative sovereignty.
I wore sneakers because I had heard tell of a crazy new rule that demands anyone wearing shoes above the ankle have to take their shoes off.
It seemed madness, but it’s Wellington Airport Security, and anything is possible.
It turned out to be true.
The Auckland Branch have been given the word to be more rude and I was asked to remove my Jacket. I said condescendingly that Jackets are super dangerous and she stared daggers at me and hissed back, ‘Some are Sir’, which let me know the wave of contempt at the State hassling us as we pass their checkpoints has been noted by staff.
I arrived an hour early at the Wellington terminal because if you are the first 10 they just wave you through. I watched as they pointlessly pushed people through the process with no real threat.
We are told this naked scanning and pat down is to make us safer, but I suspect it isn’t.
My suspicion is that the new over the top screening process had to be paid for to meet new insurance minimums to keep insurance costs down.
I doubt this is anything more than an insurance decision, but we all have to pretend this is for security.
It is my passionate belief that as New Zealander’s we have a cultural, ethical and philosophical obligation to challenge authority, so when you are next in the naked scan machine, remember to throw up your finger as you raise your arms above your head as an act of defiance to the State to let them know you don’t acquiesce to their creeping militarisation of our internal domestic travel checkpoints.
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I always put my sidearm in my checked baggage, less hassle & excitement that way. Unlikely to need it on the plane anyway.
Less likely to leave it in the toilet too.
The Aviation Security Service is folded under the wings of the same ministry charged with fixing the pot holes on our roads.
Any self serving zealotry by the Service would be held in check by the competent bureaucrats in this ministry wouldn’t it?
Out of idle curiosity, do they still have the st*pid policy where they only do security for jet flights?
Just avoid Wellington altogether I would say, I mean what is the point in visiting a place named after rubber shoes?
Well you can always be personally defiant, as I am, and as our esteemed Editor is, but lets face it, the vast majority of New Zealanders lick arse when it comes to such matters. Exhibit A being Photo Driver licenses, the malls were choked with people queuing up for their mugshots rather than exercising civil disobedience. All down hill from there.
John Key showered the NZSIS and GCSB with taxpayer dollars and new intrusive powers even extending to Govt. Ministries, barely a whisper from our freedom loving citizens.
Airports have always been a playground for the snoops, a mate of mine who used to visit the Soviet Union in the 80s, and returned from China four years back (his landlord sponsored him) was held for questioning at Auckland airport. No charges or problems they just wanted a chat. My friend said he could see about 10 people sitting behind tinted glass in the interview room! Another friend experienced the same after not having visited China, just Australia, but he is a socialist with an NZSIS file.
We’re just keeping the world safe for democracy and the rules based order.
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