Yes, they deserve our respect and more.

My mother is routed through Pre-Check all the time because
she is elderly.

In fact, she even gets away with telling the TSA agents "Well,
its not like I am a terrorist or anything Sonny!"

I'm sure one day she will use "carrying a bomb" instead of "a terrorist" and they will all just grin themselves silly realizing she is
no threat to anyone.

Impatient? Did you show up late for the flight again?