You opened this thread wondering which airport I would cast a critical eye upon. Sadly, my unpleasant experience happened in a place where our freedoms and liberty are being abused literally in the shadow of one of the greatest symbols of freedom; The Statue of Liberty.

I took my 9-year old son to NYC as he has never been. As is the case at many museums, court houses and other public venues, Liberty Island requires passage through security. Unlike the cursory pass though some museum metal detectors or the bored security guard poking inside your backpack with a drumstick, the security on Liberty Island is more thorough and abusive than any airport I have visited.

As with airports, all outer garments must be removed and cellphones, cameras, etc to be placed in a bin. Unlike airports, it was required to empty your pockets of all contents and remove all belts! NO exceptions. PERIOD. Signs posted everywhere forbid photography within the security area. All visitors must pass through puffer AND metal detectors.

When I did not remove my wallet, a security guard barked an order at me to do so I refused and said that I do not allow my wallet to leave my possession. She said "fine, lets do it the hard way" and summoned a police officer. He yelled at me "Do it or you're on the next boat back to the city" MY son is giving me the "Daddy, please dont make a scene, I want to visit the Statue of Liberty" face so I tell the cop that this is a disgusting violation of civil liberties and he should be ashamed of participating in this activity. He gives me the "like I give a crap what some dumbass tourist had to say" look. A pull out my wallet but not before removing the $130 in cash and hold on to it. He gives me a look but decides to not say anything. Next, he says to remove my belt. I show him my belt and mention that that I travel through airports every week of my life and never have been required to remove my belt. Once again, I get the warning to cooperate or leave. I pull off the belt and proceed to pass through.

On the other side, another security guard asked what was in my pocket. I was bewildered as I had already passed through both machines. I told her it was a "Wet Nap" like the kind you get in a restaurant when you order something messy. She requested to see it. Holy crap! What is next? Proctology exams? After getting redressed, I tell the cop that our forefathers that built Liberty Island and those who deeply value the symbolism of the Statue of Liberty would be deeply disturbed by the activities taking place here today. He just gives me a typical apathetic look and I move out of the security area with my son.

The best thing to happen from this experience was the explanation to my son that if we don't fight for our freedom and stand up for what is right, our freedoms will erode and diminish over time.

And, sadly, those folks that treated you that way will likely go home tonight and celebrate that they stopped a potential terrorist and acted to protect our freedoms.

Good that you used it as a teaching event for your son.

In Phila, before they got common sense and recently removed the WTMDs at Independence Hall, they asked for wallets to be removed. I never complied and never had a problem.

Now your son understands what it is like to live in a police state. It used to be necessary to travel behind the old iron curtain, to North Korea, or someplace similar to have such an experience. The fine people of New York have brought this wonderful experience to your family. Now your son is better prepared to be a good comrade when he grows up.



Send letters to the editor of the various NYC papers. Maybe some family members of the troopers will read the letter and be embarrassed.

Lived in NYC for the first 17 years of my life, and never got to visit Liberty Island (or the WTC for that matter). Thanks to your story, I never plan to go unless there are serious changes. Shame on them.

Yes, I'd say the son learned a perfect example of how NOT to act. Good job, teacher!

Hmmm, is this meant to be hyperbole or is this a serious post? I'm asking a serious question here.

Police state? North Korea? I can't imagine you're really being serious; but, if you are maybe you can explain how this experience warrants such comparisons.

The big difference is that in the US one can completely avoid the security at airports and public attractions by simply turning around and going home. This might not be a great option, but nobody would stop you. In many police states, the security finds you, including at home, and is unavoidable.

Although I wasn't paying that much attention this a.m., I thought I saw something scrolled across the screen on the early a.m. NY news (nbc) about security being relaxed but not until after the tourist season is over.

With a procedure like you faced, once again the good ole' USofA is doing its best to drive away tourists from across the seas - and probably from our own country as well. The antithesis of what this country is supposed to be about.

Also heard on a news broadcast this morning that Amtrak's passenger load has increased significantly recently due to flight delays and "security" procedures at airports.

Pulling off some spectacular incident at the Statue of Liberty would get your average Jihadi an extra dozen or so virgins in Paradise, I expect. It doesn't surprise me that the security is much tighter there. Security is seldom convenient, but that day it was even more inconvenient for all of the people standing in line behind you. Had I been one of them, I would have suggested that you swim back to the mainland.

As thegingerman mentioned, I think you taught your son a memorable lesson: if you don't want to follow the rules, don't. I spent a number of years dealing with people that ran their lives that way. We called them "criminals," "defendants," "arrestees," or "inmates" (there were also some more colorful terms), depending on their progression in the system. I sincerely hope your son doesn't turn out that way, but if he does, remember where he might have learned the behavior.

And I, for one, would have told you (copwriter) where to stick it. OP was protesting LUDICROUS abuses of authority, and the "police state" comment was in no way out of line. The treatment in this case of someone who has legitimate concerns about what the "security" personnel were demanding he do is appalling.

Yeah - instead, he should have just "gone along and been a good little sheep", huh? When the rules are bovine excrement, defying them is a GOOD thing. I'm reasonably sure, if there had been a modicum of courtesy displayed by the "security" staff, OP would have been reasonably courteous back and gone through his wallet with the guard to demonstrate there were no pocket nukes in it.

I sincerely hope his son DID learn to push back against officious pr---s and their BS rules. If we continue giving them what they want all the time, they'll just keep getting worse.

"But, Daddy, I want to see the Statue of Liberty."

"Son, Liberty doesn't live here any more. What you see up there is a hollow shell, protected by men who never understood it."

You'll encounter the same level of security if you enter the White House Gift Shop - at least I did a couple years ago. Like you experienced, everything must come off and go through x-ray including your belt (even if the belt is ok at airports), empty pockets, etc.

Initially I left my belt on - i figured it was ok at airports, so why not here - at a gift shop. Bad decision. I received a stern warning about my failure to listen to instructions and to remove my belt. What ever happened to, "I'm sorry sir, you forgot your belt", as a way to get the message across? Absolutely no reason to degrade someone about their ability to listen and follow instructions.

It left a bad taste in my mouth and I didn't spend a penny in the shop even though I saw a couple interesting things I may have purchased otherwise.

I have no plans to ever visit the White House Gift Shop again after the hassle I encountered just to enter. What I encountered there was more hassle than most airports.

Last but not least, I took a tour of the White House several years ago. It was an impressive tour and I would love to do it again if given the opportunity. Back then it was just a quick WTMD and x-ray machine for change/pocket items. Based on the hassle of entering the White House Gift Shop, god only knows what the process is to enter the actual White House on a tour (if they're still provided).

Sorry, copwriter; with all due respect, this is the classic knee-jerk law-enforcement reaction. What explosive device could possibly have been hidden in a wallet or a belt? I walk through WTMDs 2-3 times a week without removing these (or my loose change, or my keys) with nary an alarm.

"Tighter security" does not mean "subjecting citizens to arbitrary power trips."

A few of us went on a White House tour when we were in DC for the Freddies a few months ago. The security was about as you described it, rather quick and simple. Of course, we all had to supply our names and SSN a week in advance so they knew who we were before we even got there. I didn't notice a gift shop.