taken without consent

So, I decided to take some time away from reading fiction and try to read more nonfiction and business books. I have a subscription to the New York Times bestsellers list on my nook and regularly peruse it for new, exciting books to read. One that has been on the list lately is "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks". I bought it and just finished reading it.

This story about is about a black woman in the 50's with cervical cancer. She went to John Hopkins for diagnosis and treatment. During diagnosis, a sample of her cells were harvested and found to be immortal, they reproduce forever, have never died, are immortal. Her cells were used (and still are used) throughout the world for medical research. Many of the vaccines we have now were discovered because of her cells.

What is interesting about this book is that her cells were harvested without her consent. She had no idea that her cells lived on, and on, and on. Neither did her family. Twenty years later, the found out and since they didn't understand (none of them having much more than a fourth grade education) what it meant to have her cells flown into space, blown up in a nuclear bomb, etc. they were obviously upset.

So, it got me thinking. How would I react? Well, just as I was finishing this book I had an opportunity to experience a similar experience. This week while going through security, I set off the metal detector. I never do this! I don't put anything in my pockets. I take off my shoes. I take off my belt. I take off my jacket. I put my cell phone in the bin. Still I set off the alarm. Well, I was directed back through and asled to step aside. The man wiped my hand with some wet something and told to wait while he "checked it out". He wouldn't tell me what he was doing, just smiled and waved me through when I passed the test. I was totally offended! I wanted to yell "what are you doing?" and "why?"

I felt violated and angry and it was only 10 seconds on my life.