Post #4138458

2026-07-27 11:59 UTC

Today, things seemed to be going well. The initial interrogation was light. I spoke enough Hebrew to, I guess, show that I'm an adopted member of the 'in-group'. The secondary screening started well also. The security agent was treating me like a human, was not asking me weird and personal questions, and it seemed like I was going to get through unscathed. The metal detector didn't go off. The body scan thing didn't seem to react any differently from any other time. The "shoe scan" machine clearly said "OK" in bright green letters. Suddenly I was told to follow someone. First we went to another room, where I had to take my shoes off (the shoes that had just been given the 'Ok'). Alright, whatever - you have to do that in the US as standard practice anyway. Then I was told to follow two men behind a curtain. The man began to firmly rub down my chest and stomach, piece by piece. Then my back. Then I was told to spread my legs so that he could do the same to my legs. 4/n

Replies (1)

@pjw@social.coop 2026-07-27 12:04

Then I was asked to pull my shirt up. Then he said that I have to take my pants off - not all the way off (so its fine!?), just to drop them below my knees. He rubbed my legs. He waved something around my genitals. He - more gently, in fairness - patted around my genitals. At no point did anyone tell me why I was selected for this treatment. Perhaps there was some indication that I had a weapon. I wish I could believe that I thought that was the most likely explanation. But the truth is that, while I don't think this is explicitly recognized in the individual minds of the security workers, this - the vast majority of these procedures - is about sending a message: You are a guest here. You are here because we *let* you be here. Don't get comfortable. Don't start fooling yourself into thinking you are one of *us*. You are suspicious because of your identity alone, and short of marrying an Israeli or becoming Jewish, you can't change that. 5/n

Open ##4138457