Frens, fambly an distinguished peoples, ow iz uno hall doin dem ya dawg dayz ere? Tings haad hall ova de wul fi hevrywan, an it nuh sim like anyting a get betta.Owever, iz nat de inflaccion dat gat peoples dung, iz de presant sitiation of de way odder uman beins is treatin dem fello citizens. Me sey, me get bout a dozen letta de odder day 'bout de way de peple dem feel wen dem a travel.
Frens, fambly an distinguished peoples, ow iz uno hall doin dem ya dawg dayz ere? Tings haad hall ova de wul fi hevrywan, an it nuh sim like anyting a get betta.Owever, iz nat de inflaccion dat gat peoples dung, iz de presant sitiation of de way odder uman beins is treatin dem fello citizens. Me sey, me get bout a dozen letta de odder day 'bout de way de peple dem feel wen dem a travel.
Wan likke 13 year ole write me, an me haart feel so full wid upsettedness, me juss haffi holla an shout bout de wranglings. Lissen to dis ya letta good, from, "Shaken hup, Stirred an Fried".
Dear Mrs. Dulcimena:
I am a thirteen year old High School Student who travels every few months to my grandparents in Denver, Colorado. I was born a couple of years before 9/11 occurred, therefore, I am really not acquainted with the good old fashioned traveling days. When I first started traveling to and fro, it seemed like fun and an exciting adventure. However, as time progressed, I began dreading making the exhausting flight from Philadelphia to Denver. On the days I have to travel, my morning usually starts off with anxiety and panic attacks. Primarily, because I am fearful regarding the invasive treatment that travellers are exposed to. Each time I depart from the Airport, there always seems to be a new guideline, rule or a privilege exempted. Traveling has started feeling worse than going to the Principal's office.
On my most recent trips, I was mauled and fondled by an Agent. He insinuated because I have long, curly, blonde hair, and look like a "surfer dude", that I was a suspected drug trafficker. I am quite tall for my age, and most people tell me that I can easily pass for seventeen. The whole event was quite suspicious.
The plane made an unscheduled stop in Chicago, claiming that there was a malfunction, and while waiting in Chicago, they unloaded our luggage and basically ransacked every bag and parcel that the passengers possessed. Just when we thought that we had endured the worst of the flight, all the passengers were subjected to body searches and I was singled out, and interrogated. They rummaged my backpack and like magicians, they pretended to find reefer paper(used to make marijuana cigs). I did not place those items there. So immediately, I knew that it was a set-up.
They continued with their charade of badgering me about my drug contacts and who I am going to meet in Denver to unload my drugs.
I was startled and mortified, so I asked to call my grandparents in Denver. I explained the circumstances to them, but there was not much they could do since they were miles away.
For hours, they badgered, questioned and tried to get me to admit that I was a teenage drug trafficker. They smacked me around a few times for intimidation purposes, but I stood my ground. Declaring that I am not an easy stepover. When they realized that I was not caving into their bullying tactics. They eventually released me.The only help I had at that time was prayer and I am sure Divine Intervention stepped in.
Needless to say, I missed my flight to Denver and had to get rebooked on another flight several hours later. The whole time that I was waiting for my connecting flight, feeling bruised, and nursing my black and blues, I couldn't help to think about the other minors who they have tried to abuse or "hoodwinkle" into unknown crimes. If I did not have a good support system, I would have been stuck, down and out in Chicago.
It seems as if all the happenings at the airports are kept "hush-hush" and everyone is afraid to talk about it for fear of retribution, and if they are illegal, they may be threatened with deportation.
Ms. Dulcimer, I know you are a woman of morals and scruples, and if anyone can shed some light on these uncool affairs....I know that without a doubt, you are the person who can get justice for the unspoken stories. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Jah Bless,
"Shaken Stirred and Fried!"
Dear "Shaken, Stirred and Fried!"
What a bam, bam wid de TSAS! Me very sarry fi ere wey yu go thrugh at de Hairport. Me sad fi sey, but me knoe wey yu a tawk bout. Me fly hall de time fi see me granpickney an daughta Hingrid inna Henglan. Mek me tell yu, from de time me leff mi yaad, till de time me lan a Heathrow, me iz wan "champumnannny" hall de way. Hif dem touch me too haad or raga-raga me, me kinely tap dem wid me fan an hexclaim, "Dis a Jamaican nappa leda, dere is no tough halligator skin ere, so no get too carried away!"
Hall wan time, dem hemty hout me grip, an a tuch hup me private tings dem like dem a try fi get dem jollies. Me juss tell dem sey, dat inna Jamaica, we haff wan folklore dat wen yu touch tings dat doughn't belang to yu, yu finga dem fall hoff. Yu wan see ow quick dem pud dung de sinting dem.
No man, me knoe what peple iz gweyin thrugh, dem iz real houta horda. Dem need to bring sum professionalism, decorum an disciplin to dat dere horganization. 'Cause fi dem shenanigans iz like de wile, wile, west and as you sey mi love, it is very uncool!
Hall me haffi sey, iz dat yu hangle yu self right. Yu neva mek dem railroad yu inna nutting. If yu did fool-fool, you probly wulda wandar hoff at de Hairport, an next ting dem report yu as missin! Human traffickin iz very big dese dayz. A big kudos to de peple dem dat raise yu, cause sum pickney wid a get canfuse an give hin to dem "roonkus poonkus" dealins. Yu may be young, but you are very mature far yu yeaz.
Fi me hadvise to hanyone who is travelin iz, get loud, proud, an declare hout loud what dem iz doin inna secret, hall inna de nyame a terrorism control. Uno muss write de President an Congress an bodder dem fi draw in de reigns on hall de slackness wey a go on.
Lissen me good, we hall wanna be safe, but we no wan sacrifice we dignity nor howa chilren dem fi mek wan point. Yu knoe, everyting can be dun in a decent an horderly fashion, wey folks no feel violated, petrified or ambushed.
I feel sarry far yu granparents, hespecially, 'cause me knoe dem waz havin french kittens hall de while yu waz in transit to dem. Praise Gad for hiz wandarful mercy!
You knoe sweethart, me haff a wud fi de Hairline dem, "Uno ticket dem is nat cheap, so uno need fi practise a likkle compassion an sensitivity to de passengers dem.
No passengers equals no paycheck. Hessentialy, de travellers dem iz uno Boss..Zeen!"
As a granparent miself, me knoe wey yu granparent dem waz gweyin thrugh. But, Ms. Dulcie is a few chromosomes shart a hinsane, so, hif anywan decide fi treat mi granbebe like wan mango at de Solas Market.....Hall me knoe iz, it will be bruk hup time Jamaica style!
Me halso knoe sey, dere iz not a parent or granparent dat wouldn't hagree wid me.
Dat's why yu knoe, yu see de likkle chilren dem wid de custed cellphone glue to dem eayz? Mi no blem dem, too much hadvantage iz bein taken wid dem.
Me praise de Lawd sey me did haff de good sense fi put likkle precious pon de "Ring-ding cell phone plan". Hif she modder hor anyone upset she,hall she haffi do iz, press wan likkle button to Granmammie, walt disney an hall de authorities get halerted. Me haffi sey, it betta dan de Bat phone.
Well, dat's hall we cyan do as parents fi proteck we chilren. Teach, counsel, guide an hequip dem fi ward hoff de ole ragamuffin peple dem.
Tenk yu far sharin yu hordeal wid me, an may God bless you on yu future journeys dem. Till nex time.
Dulcimer Peaches Robothom from Oracabessa, St. Mary and Westmoreland