6 Year Old Girl Pat Down By TSA

OK, So this video has gone viral with nearly a half million hits. Some are outraged that TSA would pat down a 6-year old girl. I have a 7 year old and a 3 year old. If we were travelling and TSA chose one of my daughters to pat down I can't say I wouldn't be perturbed. However, I would be grateful that they were taking their job seriously enough to move beyond stereotypes of who looks like a terrorist. Truth be told, terrorists come in all races, genders, religions, nationalities, and mental states. We live in a world where it is not outside the realm of possibility for a terrorist to use a child in order to do what they think they 'need' to do. That's reality. It is the reality we live in and the reality that our children live in. As parents it is our responsibility not only to teach them of the great possibility that life brings, but also the grim realities that lurk in the shadows. Our children are never going to live in a time where airport security, or security of any kind is more lax.

For those who continue to take issue, how about you have lax security on the flight that YOU are about to board and leave your safety to chance. 9/11 may have been ten years ago but the truth remains that we haven't done anything as a nation to build our public relations on the international front since that point in time, we have only further fractured them. Until we are viewed as 'nice guys,' say like Sweden, which in all likelihood will never happen we are going to have enemies and those enemies will try to attack. We need to take precautions. If those precautions are patting down six year olds and taking only 3 oz of hairspray on a flight, it in a small price to pay for peace of mind in life and death situations.