Humiliation

"I have humiliated myself regularly over the years, but Wednesday the 18th of May was I believe the worse. Perhaps though, it was just that I was bested as well. I explain.

My wife and I and her brother stopped off in Washington DC on our way home from Vacation.

My wife wanted her brother to see the Smithsonian and let him photo some of the other landmarks.

Well, since the assassination of whoever was living in that house in Pakistan they raised security in the Capitol area. To enter a building, to include every car parking area, you have to show photo ID and allow a search of your bags.

We went through this with me bitching and her telling me to not ruin her brother's vacation.
Along with us were hundreds of school trips arriving by buses they paid for.

The humiliation came at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. We had just picked up my belt and her bags from the scanner when a young girl, about 12 to 14 years old wearing an "I love NY" T-shirt and shorts carrying a hand sized clasp purse was ordered to place it on the table and let the Capitol Police Officer look inside. She made me proud and wasted my personal pride in one outburst.

" Why do you want to look in my private things?"

"I am an American not some illegal Alien"

"I won't allow it in my nation's Capitol or anywhere else!"

They told her that to see in the museum she had to allow it.

She replied:
"Then I will go sit in the rain till everyone else gets out."

Her school guide offered to keep the purse and stay outside, but the girl would have nothing to do with that idea.

When she walked out the door with about 8 of her fellow students that had probably each paid over $100.00 for the trip plus lodging and food I wanted to climb under the bench I was sitting on, and hide. I had allowed my rights to be trampled for a smile from my wives brother.

Then I watched as the Capitol Police went outside in a pair, and made her go sit in her bus till her chaperon got there.

This little Girl had made the stand that I, a professed "Patriot," had bypassed for the convenience of not being hassled, and irritating my wife.

Then I realized that the American dream was not yet dead. The young are behind us in the same ratio as we are.

When should we start standing up for our personal rights and stop accepting their tokens of privilege in return for our obedience?"

Via safetalker, L&P