"I'm sorry, we have a 45-minute cutoff for check-in."

"There's still time to make it to my flight."

"I'm sorry, you're going to have to take the next flight, and it's going to cost you $50."

"Why is it going to cost me $50?"

"It's a mandatory service fee."

"Is the service mandatory too, because I don't want the service - I want to try and make my flight."

"I'm sorry, we have a 45-minute cutoff for check-in."

"Deja Vu... Can you waive the fee?"

"I'm sorry, I wish I could, but I can't."

Sure you wish you could... So here I sit, in the airport terminal, $50 poorer, with lots of time to think (stew)...

Disclaimer: Any offensive or objectionable material hereafter is the sole responsibility of Delta Airlines (the Delta made me do it).

30 minutes ago I was irritated. After being herded through security like a cow and making it to my gate ten minutes before my initial flight left, I'm livid - I still have 3 more hours until my flight... I've never been late for a single flight in my life, but I've had flights canceled, I've had extended layovers and been rerouted all over the place - what do they care, it's just my time they're wasting. But don't waste their time, because if you're late, its $7.14/min! ($50 for 7 minutes late.) Those probably weren't terrorists that attacked on Sep. 11 - they were probably just frequent flyers that had enough! (Can you believe I just posted this from the airport? I'll probably be surrounded and arrested soon...)

So I'm sitting here thinking, "Why do Americans, the modern poster-boys of freedom, put up with stuff like this?" Why do free people pay several hundred dollars for a service to then be treated with no respect and be walked all over by both the company and the government? They do it all in the name of 'national security.' What drives this desire for security at the expense of freedom? Selfishness.

The parallel is amazing.

The core of God's kingdom is love - the essence of love is selflessness. The devil's rebellion is the antithesis of that: selfishness. What's the result of a government based upon selfishness?

Knowing this, that our old man [selfish desire] was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. - Rom. 6:6

Those who serve self are not free, but slaves. I saw a bunch of slaves today standing in line, waiting to be told what to do next: "Turn over all your personal items." "Remove your shoes." "Walk this way." How long until we echo history's words, "If you're a Jew (or any group), get in this boxcar..." We inveigle ourselves to believe such a leap is impossible. After all, what's the difference between a terrorist and a human of 'inferior breeding' - both are a threat to the future of the human race.

Already, this 'me' generation has selfishly turned to the government for 'free' protection, security, and structure. Nothing is free, and these 'benefits' have come at a price.

Wow, what a rant - comparing TSA to SS (maybe not so far off - I've met some TSA Nazis). Before I finish, I want to share a story.

A week ago, when I flew in to Colorado, I sat in Salt Lake City for 3 hours on a layover. I heard a little voice behind me,

"Mommy, someone left a bag over there."

"We should report it to security."

"Why?"

"Because that's what they tell us to do - it's for our safety."

"Why do we do what they tell us to?"

GOLDEN! I wanted to shake that child's hand. Someone was still thinking for themselves. I wonder how far we would go in the name of national security (personal safety). "It's for our safety that these people be arrested - they're dangerous." Do you get my drift?

We can sacrifice freedom for self, or self for freedom. Which will you choose? Maybe a more relevant question is, "will you choose for yourself, or will you do what you're told?"

It's not much, it's mere thinking.