“Leave now sir!” ordered the security officer. He was speaking to Sam, an older man looking confused while viewing his map of the Capitol. “You can't read anything in here and you can't stay,” continued the officer in a loud voice.

Sam was ready to leave, but wasn't sure where he was supposed to go next. He had pulled out a small map and was looking at it when he was ordered to leave. Sam put his small map in his pocket and moved toward the door.

As he was leaving, he told the officer that he was looking at his map and not reading anything. The officer's tone turned even more ugly and condescending toward Sam. It was unprofessional and not necessary. Sam was leaving willfully and did not deserve such an ear full of ugly attitude from the security officer.

Public safety is important in this uncertain world, filled with seemingly unstable people with a violent agenda they feel they must act out. I understand why airports and public buildings have strict security rules. Security officers cope with a high level of stress in potentially dangerous situations.

However, if security officials conduct themselves in a nonprofessional manner people often become more anti-social and less willing to be cooperative.

I was embarrassed for Sam and upset that the security officer was so rude. I asked Sam if he wanted to complain to a security supervisor. He was unsure whether he wanted to be so formal. I could not let the situation pass, however. I approached the security supervisor and let him know what had just happened.

“Being strict is not the same thing as being rude,” I told the supervisor. Sam was not deliberately trying to break the rules. “A gentle, but firm reminder was in order since reading was not allowed in chambers. However, the rude and unprofessional response Sam received cross a boundary line between strict and rude,” I said to the security supervisor.

Not surprisingly, the supervisor was very formal but cordial in his discussion with me. He listened to the circumstances I had witnessed. He asked if I wanted to make my concerns formal or have him follow up this matter in an informal manner. “Just talk with him about his attitude,” I said. “Sam was wrong to appear to be reading in chambers, but he did not deserve to be spoken to in such a rude fashion.”

Be strict, professional, and polite; at least that is how was I was trained when I was younger. Expressing an ugly and condescending attitude is neither polite nor professional while being strict. It is a lesson that can be forgotten in a world that is so dangerous today.

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