Monday, June 02, 2008

The Threat From Optimus Prime

At Heathrow airport, a man was directed to remove a T-Shirt with a drawing of the "Transformers" robot Optimus Prime, or face arrest.

I fail to see the threat to the public from a T-shirt. Apparently police had an issue with a line drawing of a non-existent laser weapon in the robot's hand. Initially I was just amused at the stupidity, but the more I think about this incident, the darker my view of the future becomes. I ask myself "What sort of mindset would I have to have to see a children's cartoon character as a threat? What worldview would make me threaten arrest?"

The answers are disturbing. Paranoia. Blind obedience. Authoritarianism. It's another tiny step in untold numbers of tiny steps, leading inexorably toward an Orwellian nightmare.

Or maybe Heathrow security guards are just a bunch of ass-hats.

No comments: