Writer's Block: What's under Snape's cape?

[deathpixie]

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Actually, I find this question really creepy, but moreso the answers from various folks who are saying they'd pat down X character "to cop a feel". Considering the stories coming out of the whole TSA security upgrade in terms of scanners/pat downs, where people are feeling they're being sexually assaulted (and, in legal terms, it is assault in many cases where there has been inadequate warning, check out this link, this link and this link), it's really an inappropriate question, and pretty much trivialises and ignores the legitimate concerns people have with the TSA's new regime. Once again, Writer's Block fails and fails hard. As do those giggling fangirls who think assault = SEXYTIMEZOMG!

For those wondering about what can be done, try Opt Out.




EDIT: So you don't think I'm crazy, the original Writer's Block question asked, if I was the TSA person at Hogwarts, which Harry Potter character I'd pat down. Livejournal apparently realised how moronic and insulting this was and changed the question. If you're curious about the original wording, you can find it here, where a coding glitch has preserved it. ;)


EDIT II: Another link re the TSA: a rape survivor's experience of 'enhanced security'. The article has some other very good links in the body and in the comments. Could be triggering.


EDIT III - The metafandom version: Since this has been metafandomed, a couple more links! [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com] picked up on the post as well. And here we have a word from the original question poser.

Comments

[krazykat88.livejournal.com]

random commenter here! - your post, so much this. I mean really. who approved this question. assault. not funny.

[deathpixie]

Thanks. Yeah, the question was bad enough, but reading the answers... ew. Especially if you've read people's actual experiences with the TSA. Sorry, HP folks, being groped by a stranger in the name of security is not in any way sexy or romantic.

[ilaydanur.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with you!

[deathpixie]

Thank you.

[technophobia.livejournal.com]

Aaaaaand a poor attempt at ninja-editing the question, probably because a bunch of people were like "WTF not cool".

[deathpixie]

Yeah, just noticed that and edited my post accordingly. Sorry, LJ, you don't get off that easily!

[technophobia.livejournal.com]

Weirdly, my signal boost of your post still quotes the original one.

[deathpixie]

Double coding - hitting the repost button creates a copy of the post you're reposting, not just a link, so you managed to save it for us. I've edited my edit with a link to your repost, if that's okay?

[technophobia.livejournal.com]

Perfectly fine by me. I prefer to have a record there to hold someone responsible.

[yshyn.livejournal.com]

Oh good, I wasn't the only one intensely weirded out by that particular writer's block. >.>

[katydidnt98.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad I got out of that organization six years ago. Left for health reasons, now controlled, and was bummed about losing a decent job, but right now I'm so pissed off at the TSA (the people in charge, not the 99% of screeners that are decent people) that I wouldn't WANT to work for them. And the primary reason I signed up in the first place was that I'm medically unfit for the military, though not disabled, and thought it was the next best thing I could do. Bleh.

The one thing I do want to say is that anger should be directed towards the people who actually make decisions about what gets done and how. Though there are a few perverts in the screener group, I'm sure, most of them probably think the new procedures are tedious, awkward, and overly intrusive, and only do it because the alternative is resigning, in an economic environment that makes it particularly difficult to find a new job.

[deathpixie]

I was discussing this with my roomie last night, actually, the difficult situation the TSA agents are in. What seems to be one of the prevailing problems is the lack of training for what is a really delicate situation; this type of search has all sorts of legal implications if not done properly and as you say, the TSA people on the ground aren't properly supported by the higher-ups.

Which is to say, yeah, I agree with you. It's not the agents I'm angry at, it's those who decided to implement the procedures. Especially when there are alternatives, like the devices they're using in Canada now. Safe, non-invasive (they go for outlines, not details) and effective.