I told you so. In March of 2010 I blogged about how Airport Body Scanners Violate My Rights. I decried their use, told you they were unconstitutional, and expressed concerns over privacy and how invasive they are.
Now that the holiday season is here, the backlash against the TSA is in full swing. The rollout of the body scanners has turned into the disaster that I predicted – and I couldn’t be more happy. I just spent the last 5 minutes pulling together some of the stories that are active and hot this week. Read and enjoy.
TSA pulls pants off 71 y/o man with knee implant
Pat-down backlash grows during holiday travel rush
TSA Forces Cancer Survivor to Show Breast Prosthesis
TSA patdown leaves Orlando visitor’s clothes urine-soaked
TSA Go Too Far With Shirtless Boy Search?
TSA Chief: Body Scan Boycott Would Be Mistake
Outrage Over Body Scanners Could Cause Travel Delays
Obama, Clinton ask TSA to make body screening less invasive
Passenger Chooses Strip-Down Over Pat-Down
Join the movement – refuse the body scan. Bring the airports to a grinding halt. Force the TSA to revise these procedures. This is one instance where I am happy to say “I TOLD YOU SO.”
Ron,
I love your blogs! You challenge people to think about how they have built their rationale on a topic. Great stuff.
I will reply the same as I did on your Facecrack post….
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In my personal opinion, I have no problem with using profiling, nor do I have any issue with scanners no matter how detailed. I think… they decided to put their money in the wrong scanner….they should have invested more in explosive particulate detectors and/or dogs instead of just object scan detectors. If the pilots of the larger planes are not at risk anymore for objects (knives, guns, etc) due to reinforced cockpits/doors, then why scan JUST for them? The bigger dangers are explosives now, and the bad people have shown they can make a bomb look like anything nondescript. Object scan detectors are mostly obsolete now. They should have invested more in explosive detection, or a combo of the two.
The pat-downs are a bit much, and I think they should only be used when scans or other means detect something questionable, thus inciting ‘reasonable suspicion’ (less stringent legally than ‘probable cause’). Yes, those are judgement calls, but there are guidelines for when, legally, ‘reasonable suspicion’ can be invoked. Just like cops don’t go around patting down any person on the street, they only do so when something provokes it. Since TSA is patting down ALL demographics of passengers, then it seems there is no reason to their suspicion, in my opinion because lawyers/ACLU/etc have backed them into a corner. This is a byproduct of the most litigous society in the world which we Americans have allowed to be created.
I cannot imagine what will be done next if, God forbid, something happens on an airplane that forces more extreme measures. Probe searches? Don’t stop until they reach the back of your teeth! There are better solutions to this issue.