Althouse: "You’re good to go, but first I have to pat your hair."

August 16, 2011

"You’re good to go, but first I have to pat your hair."

"I’m like, pat my hair? O.K., I guess.... Is it just African-American women with natural hair who get the hair search?"

46 comments:

TMink said...: No, it is not just African Americans who get their hair searched. It is people who have hair that could conceal things. Bald black guys do not get the hair search. Neither do balck women with short hair.

Newsflash: Not every inconveinience is personal. And racism is rare.

Trey; 8/16/11, 1:14 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: Hey, now, the TSA has to be vigilant - you never know when someone like Foxxy Cleopatra might try and smuggle some kind weaponry through security in her "natural hair".; 8/16/11, 1:16 PM
DADvocate said...: It took them 3 hours to search Pam Grier's hair.; 8/16/11, 1:17 PM
Anonymous said...: Imagine what you could hide in this:

http://files.myopera.com/alanagirl/albums/2388021/big-1968-diana-ross-hairstyle-afro-2.jpg; 8/16/11, 1:18 PM
Carol_Herman said...: It bounces back!

And, it's soft! Not like Brillo at all. Holds its curl, too.

Now, if you want to hide shit inside your hair, you use a rat. And, fill it with stuff. And, you make a ponytail. On which you then stick the rat. And, then, with bobby pins ... You tuck your hair into the circle.

Oh, yeah. And, use about a can of hairspray. (Then you'll look like a natural to be a GOP presidential candidate for prez.) While you're at it.

Prell should make a TV commercial out at the airport. But instead of a pearl ... they just drop a head of a TSA agent ... Watching it slowly sink down in the green goo.; 8/16/11, 1:24 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Oh, the name you get is:

CHIGNON

Grace Kelly's do is still famous.; 8/16/11, 1:25 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: I wonder if Ross Grimsley ever gets hassled going through airport security? If not, that's pretty strong evidence that the racist TSA is bent on keepin' the sisters down, innit?; 8/16/11, 1:27 PM
Peano said...: Always carry a full deck of race cards. Deal 'em when you need 'em.; 8/16/11, 1:33 PM
DADvocate said...: Not like Brillo at all.

I had a friend in college (only one) a white guy with blonde, kinky hair that he wore in an Afro. We all called him "Brillo".; 8/16/11, 1:35 PM
prairie wind said...: How about if we just get rid of the TSA and let airports and airlines take responsibility for security again?; 8/16/11, 1:40 PM
David said...: It was a sex thing too. Harassment, unwanted touching and racism all rolled into one.; 8/16/11, 1:44 PM
chickelit said...: Beware the full booty scan.; 8/16/11, 1:51 PM
ricpic said...: No telling what could be hidden in a puff. I say they should search all pompadours, too. Let the adult molestation increase!; 8/16/11, 1:52 PM
coketown said...: Considering most TSA screeners I come into contact with are black women, I doubt this is racially motivated. Probably more like, "I's gonna make sure this bitch's hair ain't softer 'en mine." And then of course it is, because all that radiation from body scanners just isn't helping those split ends.

And since when is two isolated incidents proof of systemic racism? Do we need to take a poll of Jews and Italians, like my poor mother, who looks like the effing Hottentot Venus in anything over 60% humidity? I'm sure their unfortunate nappy heads get just as much attention as any black woman's. But then, they don't have the NYTs shoving microphones in their faces without any provocation, leaving no stone unturned in the tireless search for racism in modern America. News flash: racism isn't proliferating in our nation's airports. Maybe in our nation's comment threads, though.; 8/16/11, 1:55 PM
bagoh20 said...: I'd be more concerned about all that junk in the trunk.; 8/16/11, 2:04 PM
Carol_Herman said...: Homeland Security was a Dubya solution. Stunk when he did it. And, still smells terrible.

Taking out the TSA from the budget would be a good thing. Airlines would get more business. And, passengers are the people who really supply security. Because the terrorists can't just book a whole plane.

(Or, as my son explained to me.) If passengers seen terrorists are on board ... what if enough of them rise up, open the overhead bins. And, throw all that luggage stored up there, down on the floor?)

With the TSA gone, you'd also be able to carry tweezers, again, on board. Plus, women with chignons, who put decorative sticks in their hair ...

I don't think the terrorists get a leg up.

And, we'd save so much money. And, aggravation.; 8/16/11, 2:05 PM
chickelit said...: @Carol_Herman: Perhaps we could outsource airline security to Disney?; 8/16/11, 2:07 PM
Charlie Martin said...: There are a whole lot of old guys who just wish something could be hidden in their hair.; 8/16/11, 2:07 PM
Curious George said...: "Maguro said...
...innit?"

That's racist!; 8/16/11, 2:14 PM
bagoh20 said...: The TSA is here for good. The only reason people think it can go is due to it's success, regardless of the numerous holes. If it was eliminated, some tin pot terrorist would soon succeed in bringing down an airliner and the call for a return of the TSA would be overwhelming. No politician would be able to resist it.

Imagine if you were the politician who got it eliminated and were still in office when that plane went down. You would wish you were Nixon... yea the dead guy.; 8/16/11, 2:16 PM
bagoh20 said...: My "junk in trunk" comment is more racist than all you posers' lame attempts.; 8/16/11, 2:17 PM
Rich B said...: There is always a home at the Times for the perennially aggrieved.; 8/16/11, 2:24 PM
MadisonMan said...: Ms. Nance, who had been visiting her husband at the Air Force base where he is stationed, was deeply embarrassed as other passengers stared at her

Oh for God's sake. Get a thicker skin. I guarantee you that every single person who saw this forgot about it in about 10 seconds.; 8/16/11, 2:28 PM
ALP said...: MadisonMan:

No kidding! I suspect she's loving all this attention, despite her comments. I am half Italian, and can sport Big Italian Hair that would probably dwarf this woman's do. I simply cannot imagine reacting like this woman did - it would merit about 2 minute of annoyance, mainly because I'm sure the TSA agent would mess up my carefully gooped curl definition. But two minutes MAX and certainly no article in the NYT!; 8/16/11, 2:35 PM
Keryn said...: Well, since we have the two reported incidents, let me add a third anecdote. I am a 30-something white gal with (very) thick brown hair. While flying from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, my hair (in a bun) was searched.

It was weird, but not a big deal. And I doubt it was racist. (BTW, this was pre-naked scanners.); 8/16/11, 2:45 PM
edutcher said...: The 95b year old white grandma has to have her Depends removed, but we can't search the 'fro?

Get a clue.

bagoh20 said...

The TSA is here for good. The only reason people think it can go is due to it's success, regardless of the numerous holes. If it was eliminated, some tin pot terrorist would soon succeed in bringing down an airliner and the call for a return of the TSA would be overwhelming. No politician would be able to resist it.

No, it was private before and we go back to that. God knows, they weren't any more incompetent.

PS What's their position on full-flavored women?; 8/16/11, 2:59 PM
KCFleming said...: The new national health care system should be combined with the TSA.

That way women can get routine breast, Pap and pelvic exams done, and men can get their prostates checked.

It would only add about 6 hours to a trip, so win-win.; 8/16/11, 3:10 PM
KCFleming said...: The pre-flight colonoscopies should be fun.; 8/16/11, 3:14 PM
chickelit said...: Pogo said...
The pre-flight colonoscopies should be fun.

Think of the fuel savings as people "go lightly" into the void...; 8/16/11, 3:42 PM
Rocco said...: Remember the gags on the Simpsons where Marge would pull stuff out of her hair like it was an extra purse?

I guess searching her hair would be racist, too. After all, she is not white, but yellow-skinned - therefore a Toon of Color.

Word verification: herici, as in veni, vidi, herici: I came, I saw, I had hair.; 8/16/11, 3:43 PM
KCFleming said...: @chickenlittle

Sales of Depends would skyrocket.; 8/16/11, 3:48 PM
Anonymous said...: I suggest she wear a hijab next time--that will exempt her from search.; 8/16/11, 4:29 PM
Anonymous said...: I got excited when I saw the reference to "natural hair." Unfortunately, it wasn't what I thought it was.

Peter; 8/16/11, 4:42 PM
Moose said...: Yup - it's gotta be racial. We'll only be safe when we're all anally probed.; 8/16/11, 4:59 PM
David said...: Somebody's watching too much Superglobetrotters...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pch_77AX08; 8/16/11, 5:12 PM
missred said...: rather my hair than my crotch or breasts. i have curly red hair and on some days it can be rather wild. if they are looking up then they are not looking down.
saying that, i would prefer some intelligence and common sense from the TSA.
also saying that, i have never felt violated by the TSA. the only time i was ever touched by a security agent was at schipol; 8/16/11, 6:22 PM
ricpic said...: Don't pat my afro bro, pat my booty!; 8/16/11, 7:03 PM
John henry said...: remember in Casino where Joe Pesci's wife smuggled diamonds through customs in her hair?

I wondered if I could find a clip. YouTube had nothing but I did find audio from the movie dubbed over Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street.

Kind of a hoot to hear Deniro and Pesci voicing them. I think they should do it regular on the TV show.

John Henry; 8/16/11, 7:24 PM
John henry said...: Forgot the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NShgvtEro7I&playnext=1&list=PL79665E64835E877B

If Obama were really interested in boosting American productivity, he would ban YouTube.

John Henry; 8/16/11, 7:25 PM
PaulV said...: Remember the story of the woman with the bee hive hairdo that had an insect nest in her hair?; 8/16/11, 8:21 PM
Gene said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/16/11, 8:30 PM
Gene said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/16/11, 8:37 PM
Roux said...: They are not racist, just stupid.; 8/16/11, 8:48 PM
Anonymous said...: You want to hide stuff, grow thick Jamaican-type rasta dreads and wear that huge Rastafarian hat. All kinds of stuff have hidden inside those thick clunky dreads: scorpions and other dangerous critters, and I kid you not. A guy died from the scorpions that hid in his dreads and bit him.; 8/16/11, 10:35 PM
AlanKH said...: I guess the bouffant won't come back in style.; 8/16/11, 10:45 PM
Anonymous said...: Trey - right out of the chute with a winner. Whap!; 8/17/11, 9:47 AM