The old Dahlia is back
May 31st, 2002
For the last six months or so, Dahlia Lithwick (the judicial correspondent at Slate) seemed to have lost her snap. Perhaps 9/11 made her think more seriously about the Supreme Court, because before that she was constantly cracking wise and having fun. Afterwards, everything was serious, serious, and more serious.
But have you been reading her dispatches from Israel? The old Dahlia has returned!
Traveling to Israel is not what it used to be. After Sept. 11, we had deluded ourselves into believing the airlines had all become security-conscious. I long ago grew accustomed to the friendly El Al strip search/inquisition, so yesterday’s polite British Airways welcome was, frankly, terrifying. No one questioned us; no one so much as peeked into our luggage. While everyone at the airline did a tremendous job of pouring perfect tea and being named “Nigel,” if they’ve increased security at all since September, it was not in evidence.
Not only is this funny shit, it’s right. The airlines should be going through every bag. It would make things more secure, and it would head off all accusations of profiling.
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