Never in my life have I been so humiliated as I was on Aug. 10 at the London Gatwick Airport.

I had just finished summer classes in Cambridge and was headed back with my father to Dallas, where he lives. For most of the year, I live with my mother in Indianapolis. My parents have been divorced since I was 2, and I've been flying back and forth for 15 years.

On that awful day, airports shifted to high security procedures after an alleged terrorist plot was exposed to blow up as many as 10 passenger jets leaving Britain for the United States.

My father and I pushed through masses of people to get to the check-in kiosk. We were forced to check everything except our passports and wallets. I even had to check my purse and instead carry a plastic, see-through bag for my personal feminine items. This was the beginning of my humiliation.

After waiting for 45 minutes in the longest security line I'd ever experienced, my father and I put our plastic bags through the X-ray machine and stepped through the metal detectors. A tall, domineering woman impatiently ushered me to the side for a full-body patdown. I was uncomfortable, shocked and embarrassed as she searched me. I cringed as strangers waiting in line watched the invasive process.

Later, after some duty-free shopping, we were subjected to another patdown at our gate. This full body check was not nearly as rude as the previous one, but nevertheless, I still felt distressed and manhandled.

Once settled at the gate, I tried to buy a drink from the pop machine, but it was taped and unplugged. I wondered why my father and I were allowed to buy and bring chocolates through the security gate -- but were prohibited from buying water.

We waited another two hours at the gate for our flight crew to arrive. After we boarded the plane, we waited at the takeoff landing for another five hours for permission to fly into the United States. When the pilot announced that we were taking off, the passengers erupted in applause. As soon as we were airborne, I was served my first meal of the day at about 5:30 p.m., nearly seven hours after our flight was scheduled to leave.

My dad and I discussed the ludicrous security measures.

I love my country, and I believe that safety is a top priority. But I also love my civil rights and believe that no matter how many different items we prohibit on planes, we'll never establish total security.