Should all celebrities get special treatment?
In the last few weeks, there have been several airport scares – the “underwear” bomber on Flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit on Christmas Day, the man who trespassed a security cordon without permission in Newark, etc.
These men – one harmful, the other not so much – caused headaches and worry throughout the nation. However, Halle Berry runs late and she is allowed to bypass the security checkpoint at a Montreal airport without so much as a signature to prove her identity.
“The (boyfriend) of Ms. Berry asked if they could go faster through the line because they were late and they had the baby,” said Insp. Jimmy Cacchione.
Now, I’m not saying Halle Berry is a threat – unless, of course, she’s on the road – but who’s to say that her exemption didn’t make other passengers uncomfortable? Not only were they blatantly treated as second-rate citizens, as they received no special treatment and were reminded of their sad non-celeb status, but they got to see first-hand, right before their eyes, a breach of security – at what could not be a worse time. And all because of a personal preference and request?
Marieve Paradis said she spotted the family bypassing the lengthy lineup while other passengers waited for hours to get to U.S. Customs. “I’m not sure people are very happy to learn that their tax money is used for escorting celebrities.” She barely made the morning flight herself after arriving three and a half hours ahead of departure as a result of the recently-heightened security checks.
I’m sure Ms. Berry is not the first person to have been running late, carrying a child, or become frustrated with customs in an airport, but in a time where terror alerts are high, should she have been detained like the rest of us? (At the very least, to put us at ease?) Or did she deserve the special treatment?
