Ten years after 9/11

Tomorrow, we mark the 10th anniversary of that tragic 9/11 terrorist attacks that shook the entire world and still continue to haunt citizens of various nations all over the globe.

I never knew personally any of the 9/11 victims, but I will always grieve for them and commiserate with the loved ones they left behind.

Although all of us who read this may still be alive today, the truth is you and I are all victims of this tragedy — its aftermath, actually.

As a result of the 9/11 incident, security was never the same — everyone is now a suspected terrorist — whether you are boarding a plane or simply entering a shopping mall for either business or pleasure.

 The frisking — no matter how perfunctory — conducted on us by mall guards may seem like a minor inconvenience, but if you look at this procedure carefully, that act dehumanizes us.

Of course, I am not about to write our lawmakers to suggest the banning of security checks in all major establishments because that is necessary — considering the fact that those terrorist threats are real.

But really, had it not been for those senseless terrorist attacks we can live without those body searches and we wouldn’t be snarling at security people for doing their job by insisting on checking our belongings when we enter shopping malls.

In the Philippines, security check had been tightened as early as 1981 — no thanks to those who planted bombs in hotels and other commercial establishments. The same people responsible for severing the other leg of singer Nonoy Zuñiga, who — as a band member — was simply answering the call of nature when a bomb exploded in the then Philippine Plaza Hotel (now Sofitel) where his group was performing. Bless him — he never lost hope, charged on with life and became one of the country’s finest singers in spite of what happened to him. (Of course, we all know that he eventually became a doctor.)

Those who put that bomb there are cowards. I hope they got their just dessert later in life for victimizing innocent people like Zuñiga.

After those series of early ’80s bombing, we all became paranoid in this country and the 9/11 incident made matters worse for everyone — this time all over the world.

Most inconvenienced, of course, are the travelers.

I still remember how it was to be traveling shortly before 9/11. Airport security was already a hassle. From a line of passengers boarding a plane, especially in the United States, you could be asked to step aside during a random check, but that went quickly and airport police let you go in less than five minutes if they realize that you were, well, “clean.”

Carrying on board a large of amount of liquid — perfume, alcohol, etc. — was no longer allowed prior to 9/11 because some idiot had already discovered that it is possible to create a bomb from anything water-based.

Security went into total extreme, however, only after 9/11. Suddenly, it was “off with your shoes.” Even belts.

Ask the Philippine senator — okay, Sen. Franklin Drilon — about how it is so degrading to be ordered around and have your shoes removed. Remember that incident involving him at the San Francisco airport a few years ago?

Again, I am not going to appeal to international courts to stop this practice because I always believe that it is better to be safe than sorry.

But I can imagine all the germs passengers collect on their bare feet (wear socks all the time) during security check. You take off your shoes and your soles make contact with the floor where all types of dirt have congregated, courtesy of other passengers.

And what about those bomb jokes? John Estrada had to crack one and paid dearly for it during a domestic travel. I can’t totally blame John because celebrities are sometimes never allowed to think clearly and focus during airport inspections. While they comply with airline regulations, they are at the same time distracted by airport personnel who — in their attempt to be friendly — ask the celebrity so many (harmless) questions: Where are they going? Are they going to have a show? Who are his traveling companions?

Fellow passengers oftentimes also badger celebrities for photo opportunities. The hapless celebrity passengers therefore often lose their bearings — trying to be nice to everyone around them, while at the same time keeping watch of their personal belongings that they have to carry with them on board.

You also have to factor in that the celebrity who is so used to special treatment also has to comply (which is just proper) just like the rest with airport security requirements and that could be embarrassing because all eyes are on him. To diffuse tension, some get out of awkward situations by cracking jokes — forgetting that bomb jokes are forbidden as soon as they reach the airport.

Before 9/11, traveling — especially by plane — was so much fun. But all the precautionary measures that have become necessary for the protection of everyone had discouraged a lot of people from flying. It is only the promo offers wangled by airline companies that seem to be prompting the travel bugs among us to pursue their dreams of visiting other places.

While getting a body search and being stopped to have your personal belongings checked after your bag reveals “suspicious” items after passing through the X-ray machine may seem to be just a little inconvenience, that is still inconvenience just the same.

A whole decade after the 9/11 event, those who survived are still being put through a slow death by getting us irritated, annoyed and inconvenienced by security check (which again — though a hassle — is necessary). I for one will not deny the fact that my heart beats faster and I get agitated whenever I have to pass through airport security because you can never tell what may happen next.

Ali Sotto once missed her connecting flight in the West Coast after one member of security personnel decided to play god and took his sweet time inspecting every nook and cranny of her hand-carried laptop that in the end yielded nothing. She was helpless all throughout the ordeal and with clenched teeth was forced to take a later flight that wasted so much of her time.

Those 9/11 terrorist attacks didn’t only kill those who perished at the World Trade Center. We may not realize this but we all die a little with every passing day because fear had already been instilled in our hearts — no thanks to that dastardly deed committed against humanity a decade ago.

(See related story in Funfare)