I’ll never forget that trip home from college in 2002, the first time I opened my suitcase and found a small, white card with an official-looking seal informing me that border security agents had gone through my bag and inspected my belongings.

“Great,” I thought. “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has been rifling through my underwear.”

The men in black, or whoever they were, left little evidence that they had been through my things at all, save that card, and some slightly out-of-order folded clothing — oh wait, this was MY suitcase, so nothing was probably folded anyway.

Nevertheless, that card alone made me feel slightly, well — violated.

Six years later, there are bigger fish to fry — a U.S. Senate hearing yesterday questioned whether federal officials can seize and search people’s laptop computers during airport security inspections. That story in today’s New York Times.

The federal government says the laptop searches are a necessary step in efforts to catch people who carry illegal material across U.S. borders.

The searches are problematic not only because of the obvious privacy concerns, but will likely cause an uproar because so many people today tie their entire lives up in their computers. I’m traveling to Chicago next month and will probably take my laptop, on which is saved countless, priceless notes, papers, interviews. I’ve seen friends treat the death of a laptop like the loss of a loved one. Seriously, they’ll mourn for days.

What would they do if their computers were suddenly taken away? For me, it would be as if someone took over and blew up my office.

I’m also confused as to what the Feds looking for. Data? Viruses? Photos? Is this a security issue? If it’s a bomb disguised as a computer, I could see how there would be cause for concern. But can’t anything being carried on a hard drive just as easily be sent via email from outside the U.S. to within American borders without even going through a metal detector? Someone enlighten me.

After going along with stricter bag inspections, pat downs, shoe removal, long lines, extended waiting times, no bottled anything, and the consolidation of all toiletries and medicines to a quart-size, zip-lock, clear plastic bag with (relatively) little protest, one wonders how much more travelers will tolerate.

Seven years after 9-11, seems like little white cards in our suitcases may be the least of our worries.

Before moving to Chicago to take a $12,000-a-year job as a community organizer in the 1980s, someone advised Barack Obama to go into TV broadcasting.

Why?

He was told: “Forget this community organizing business and do something that’s gonna make you some money”

Arguably, cutting his teeth on public service at the grassroots level has, in the long-run, been far more beneficial for Mr. Obama than if he had pursued a TV news career. The Democratic presidential candidate shared this experience in a commencement address he delivered to Wesleyan University graduates last week. He was standing in for Sen. Edward Kennedy, who was recently diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.

Selflessly serve the underprivileged or earn lots of money. True, it’s not always a choice between the two. But, at least at the grassroots level — or the fresh-out-of-college-with-little-experience level — let’s face it: compared to other professions, neither public service nor non-profit work is very financially rewarding at the outset.

It’s a choice many socially conscious grads are faced with when deciding on a career. Even for the most selfless individual, it’s hard to accept that non-profit position if the salary is such that you’ll either be eating instant noodles for the next 30 months or living at your parents’ house for the next 30 years.

I do think my friends look for greater meaning in their jobs because they desire to make a difference. I have friends who are teachers, and some who work in state or city government, or for non-profits. They work hard; they leave their jobs exhausted each day. They take pleasure in their work, even if it means they’re earning less than if they had gone into something more lucrative, but perhaps less morally rewarding.

I also have friends who work on Wall Street. But then, there are the friends who are earning big money on Wall Street with the goal of starting their own non-profits in a few years. True story.

Does all of this sound idealistic? Naive? Crazy?

As Obama put it: “There’s no community service requirement in the real world; no one forcing you to care.” It’s what makes the commitment from young people that much more important.

I guess the speech struck me because, even two years out of college, I’m still doing some similar soul-searching — what I can do to make a positive change, regardless of where my career path leads. As an undergrad, Obama was inspired as he followed the debates about poverty and health care and became involved in the anti-apartheid movement. So, he said, “by the time I graduated from college, I was possessed with a crazy idea – that I would work at a grassroots level to bring about change.”

Wouldn’t it be great if it weren’t just a crazy idea?

Filed under MSNBC’s “Weird News” on Friday … voters in Muskogee, Okla. reacted to politics as usual in their town by electing 19-year-old John Tyler Hammons as mayor.

The college freshman, who will be sworn in today, was elected with 70 percent of the vote in a runoff election. Residents say he represents a “fresh start” for Muskogee, population: 38,000.

Hammons will be one of the youngest mayors in the United States, but he is not without political experience: he was president of his senior class at Muskogee High School in 2007 (Yes, 2007. We are all old.) and president of BOTH the Young Republicans and Young Democrats clubs, although he now considers himself a Republican.

AND he’s a political science major at the University of Oklahoma. Although, he was moving out of the dorms and back in with the ‘rents this week as he prepared to be sworn in.

Does this qualify as “weird news”? It’s actually so rare to see young people interested in politics, let alone running for office that — unfortunately — yes, this is a little weird. It’s bizarre because it’s so rare.

As a very young mayor, Hammons is always going to face challenges and stigmas because of his age and lack of experience. Check out this video of an interview with Hammons from The Oklahoman. As the interviewer puts it in one of her first questions: “You’re 19. You should be in college or tuning up a truck or something.”

Ouch. But true?

At the same time, his youth could very well be an advantage. The image of aged politicians scheming in smoke-filled back rooms has long been notorious for turning people off from politics. Hammons’ opponent was a 70-year-old, former three-term mayor. I admit that I know very little about the issues at stake in the Muskogee race … but there’s something to be said for that.

I think Hammons’ story is interesting and inspiring, and I hope he does good things for the city of Muskogee. He has the opportunity to set an example for other aspiring young leaders looking to make a difference and prove to everyone else that the under-30 crowd isn’t just about iPods and reality TV. Let’s hope his heart is in the right place.

(Mahalos to JMAW for the link.)

Photo: AP/Sue Ogrocki

Today is Good Friday, which is a state holiday, but not a federal holiday. (And unfortunately, it is not an Advertiser holiday, either.)

Hawaii is one of a handful of states that recognize Good Friday as a state holiday.

I was interested in the history behind this, so I looked it up.

In the late 1980s, a group of local residents sued Gov. John Waihee, Mayor Frank Fasi, other government officials and public employee organizations. They alleged that the Hawaii statute that sets aside Good Friday as a state holiday violates the establishment clause of the first amendment, which prevents government from affiliating itself with any religious doctrine or organization.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the observance of Good Friday as a state holiday on April 30, 1991, saying that the purpose of establishing Good Friday as a holiday in Hawaii wasn’t religious, but simply “to provide Hawaiians with another holiday.” Essentially, our government just wanted to give workers a day off.

At that time, 11 other states recognized Good Friday as a legal holiday. As the AP/NYT reported in 1991, the Ninth Circuit became the first Federal appellate court ever to rule on the issue.

Hope you’re enjoying your day, if you have the day off. Have a nice weekend!