You are not better than other people if you're efficient in a TSA line
Summary
A straphanger has a bold take: people who act superior in TSA lines are "actually upholding the legacy of Osama bin Laden." Her argument? 9/11 created airport security, and now impatient travelers yelling at slower people in line are exactly the kind of division the attacks were meant to cause. Kareem pushes back immediately, insisting that TSA efficiency absolutely makes you a better person. The debate spirals into the contradictions of modern air travel: she admits she accidentally got pressured into signing up for Clear and now uses it despite hating the principle, sometimes the laptop comes out and sometimes it doesn't, and LaGuardia TSA agents yell at confused passengers like it's their fault the rules keep changing. Her plea for compassion in security lines is hard to argue with. Water costs $12.
Full Transcript
So, what's your take? If you are somebody who thinks you're better than other people because you're more efficient than them in TSA, you're actually not better than them. And you are actually upholding the legacy of Osama bin Laden.
100% disagree. If you are better at TSA, you're a better person for sure. Exactly as he wanted American citizens arguing enemies. This is what he wanted. He wanted a country divided. Right now, what has he done? He's made the airport awful.
Osama, you're still talking about Osama bin Laden. I just think what made the airport awful? 9/11, right? And now what's making the airport more awful? People behind me yelling at me when I'm trying my best. We're all—
Well, maybe you should hurry up. I'm walking over here. Like the laws frequently. We're not getting them when we're good. You're only going to some weird waiting room where water is $12. You've never been to a waiting room at the airport. What are you talking about?
Look at you. First of all, I'm flying basic economy. So, you have TSA pre-trip? Do you have Sky Priority? Do you have Clear? I did accidentally get indoctrinated to Clear, but it was against my will. They like pressured me into it and I don't know how to get out.
So you use that now? Well, now that I have it, but I don't like it. It's more efficient.
Not really because everyone in New York has it. So you're sometimes in the line and it's just as long as the regular line and you feel like an— —cuz you're cutting. But like what? I paid by accident, so I'm not going to cut. I paid.
So you're saying you want people to just take their leisurely. Listen, I'm not saying take your time, but I'm just saying if someone's struggling in front of you, I'm sure they're working very hard to get their shoes off. And you don't have to harump. You don't have to roll your eyes. You don't have to be passive aggressive. I feel like part of being an adult is you read the TSA guidelines, you know, laptops out, you know, shoes off, you know, not to wear a belt. Laptops out, sometimes they're in. And it turns out you don't know that either. Who here has been to some of the Lagorias? They will yell at you as if you're not following the lines of all time. And people are turning on each other. And I just think we should all maybe just show a little bit of compassion and a little bit of grace and a little bit of patience and just be kinder. Understand we're all on the same team. We're all going to the same place and we're trying our best. Thank you.
Can't disagree with that.