You're in one of those endless security lines at the airport with your kids. Will the TSA "randomly" select you for a search? Maybe. But what if it's not you who gets selected -- what if it's one of your kids? That happened to Alec Baldwin. Don't laugh! Apparently this actually happened. The TSA selected Alec Baldwin's 5-month-old baby Carmen for inspection. It will probably not surprise you that he was outraged, and that he tweeted about the incident. But geez, can you blame the guy? That's bonkers!
Flying from Nassau, Bahamas 2 NY. TSA "random selects" my 5 month old daughter 4 a pat down. I am not kidding. #travelinginUSisadisgrace
— ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) January 27, 2014Let's talk about the absurdity of patting down a baby, for starters. Can't there be a filter for tiny people way too young to harbor thoughts of terrorism? I mean, I guess the implication is that terrorist parents could plant something on their kids -- but that's a horrible thought!
That aside, though -- what a traumatic experience for your child. I think for babies, aside from the inconvenience, it's probably not so bad. But if your child is older, getting a pat-down from TSA could be truly scary, not to mention confusing. Just putting the idea in a child's head that they could be dangerous is potentially overwhelming.
And then there's the general hassle for the whole family. What if you've got other antsy kids waiting? Maybe you feel like getting through security itself with the kids and all your gear is a marathon that requires great stamina. So adding a pat-down or any other delay is going to be painful.
Well, at least we now know the world is safe from Alec Baldwin's baby. And of all the celeb dads to pick on. Oh TSA, let's never do this to another baby ever again, please?
Do you think it's at all helpful for the TSA to pat down babies and children?
Image via Alec Baldwin/Instagram