These photos were taken at the Miami International Airport on December 31st, 2008. I felt like I was in an episode of the Twilight Zone. First I have to take off my belt, shoes and hair clip to avoid triggering the metal detector, something I don't want to do because I don't want to be separated from my belongings, which include my laptop prominently displayed in it's own plastic bin for the X-ray machines (which take visually fascinating and scarily detailed photos). After being herded out of one set of pens and chutes, I encounter parts of the AIDS quilt, a poignant moment. Then I encounter "Love", which also attracts people with Obama T-shirts. I feel like I am in a cult. It was sensory overload when I encountered the "Thoughts on Democracy Exhibition". I stopped to take pictures and wandered away from my bags, about 30 feet, when three TSA employees walked by and asked, "Is that your bag?" I with my big lens and entry-level professional camera said "Yes," wishing I could say even more in light of the subject matter I was shooting. I believe the irony was lost on the men in black and blue.
