In an epistle to All dated 14 Apr 97 21:49, Pete Donahue writes:
 PD> Last night I met Mary's flight from
 PD> Arrizona and received a much better
 PD> time of it with the air port securrity
 PD> service when I checked in.  There
Glad it worked out better, Pete. With the increased security 
requirements recently ordered by FAA, I think everyone is feeling 
his/her way. That's no excuse for the abysmal treatment Harvey 
received or that you received when you saw Mary off. But we may 
have to change our standards slightly from that with which we have 
long become familiar.
For example, as a cane user, I am familiar with the problems which 
often arise when one tries to keep one's cane while passing thru 
security. In the past, I insisted on keeping my fiberglass or 
carbon fiber NFB cane with me even when going thru the metal 
detector. Most of the time, it did not set the detector off. 
Lately, however, security personnel have those detectors set so 
sensitive that my cane *always* makes the thing ring. I therefore 
now routinely and without protest give my cane to one of the 
security personnel while traversing the metal detector. Although I 
am as militant a Federationist as any, I recognize that times 
change. We must recognize the new reality and go with the flow. My 
advice now is therefore to let someone hold your cane; it isn't 
worth having the detector set off and having to go back thru 
without your cane when one could do that in the first place.
Incidentally, for my money, I prefer to be hand-scanned or, if you 
will, frisked, rather than going thru the detector. Hand-scanning 
is quicker and, in my estimation, more thorough. I had a lot of 
trouble, however, last November when I took a flight to Spokane, 
WA, and was wearing a suit which uses suspenders on the pants. 
That detector just wouldn't shut up! (grin)
Mike Freeman; Internet: mikef@pacifier.com; Amateur Radio Callsign: K7UIJ
President, National Federation of the Blind of Washington
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