The TSA Body Scans Have to Stop

Rightspundit.com ^ | November 9, 2010 | Bryan McAffee

[Citizen X_Area 51]

SNIP...like most government scandals, FOLLOW THE MONEY [my emphasis]. Guess which company owns a large manufacturer of backscatter x-ray devices? Give up? The Chertoff Group which is a security consulting agency run by former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. That’s right, in the wake of the Christmas Day bomber Chertoff has been pushing for more and more of these full body image scanners and it’s no wonder considering that this is going to put a large chunk of money in his pocket. Go figure!

[Zarro]

I emailed a complaint to the TSA a day or two ago. Their response? Thanked me for my input and referred me to the TSA web site.

What’s on the web site? (I had obviously already been there to get their email addresses) Basically, it’s TSA propaganda. They have a prominent link to a USA Today poll (must be very old) stating that 80% of travelers are OK with the naked body scanners.

If you dig deeper, you find the “TSA Blog”, which is more propaganda, including a posting about the female radio host who was intimidated for opting out, then ejected. They have hundreds of complaints there and many, many questions. The questions, they are just ignoring.

We must stop this. I, for one, am not traveling by air until it is stopped (I wrote several of the bigger airlines to let them know this — not ONE has responded).

[rurgan]

This is just one more example of government idiocy and tyranny.

We have to repeal all these laws and government agencies to 1890 . Period. Then and only then will America be free and prosperous again.

Government goons better leave us the hell alone.

I am Republican.

I hate democrats/Marxists.

[Tolsti2]

Nope, I gave up flying on 9/11/2001. Haven’t missed it. Why the heck would I need to be somewhere else than the midwest USA when it comes down to it. Live where you want to be.

[TauntedTiger]

“form of civil disobedience”

How about wearing some dark pants that hide wetness well and release the kidneys in the porno machine or during crotchal grouping?

[Gaffer]

This whole X-ray radiation and millimeter wave radiation crap is a bunch of hooey insofar that all the government can say for millimeter wave technology is that it is 'safe' according to 'experts' and that it is unknown about the long term effects of repeated X-ray dosing. Next time you go through either one of these, watch just exactly how close the TSA employee stands to the radiation emitter (of either class). Same with the X-ray technician in a hospital - behind a bunch of lead; mothers-to-be get lead blankets - which begs the question, what is the effect on possibly pregnant women travelers.

All the government can do is talk nebulously about some experts saying it's safe. Well then, dammit, where are the studies? Where are they published. Were they peer reviewed? No, they won't show or tell you about this. Because no self respecting engineer/expert would make blanket claims like that. It is just the same with power lines, RF hazards, cell phones, etc. The only ones sticking their necks out with experts are both sides of the industry, those with lawyers and those with company lawyers. Still no peer-reviewed proof.

I've spent my life in RF and I would not EVER subject my eyes, retinas and other smaller parts to millimeter wave radiation, eyes closed or not. When parts of the body approach resonance with the wavelength of the source, a condition for optimum power transfer can exist; retinas are very sensitive things.

These people likely have done any studying at all and are relying solely on markedly biased manufacturer claims. I do not trust any of them. I hope all the TSA people get cancer from their machines.

[J Edgar]

Agreed 199% this must be stopped, and stopped quickly!
1. They are ineffective.
2. Exposure to radiation is harmful, and frequent business travelers are going to end up getting a lot of exposure.
3. The pat-down are an invasion of privacy, and are again ineffective.
Dedicated terrorist can get past bot checks.

Organize for Nov 24. Make small handout flyers, and asking travelers to join together and object to the machines, and demand that the pat-down not include groping private parts, and be done in a private area.
Take the flyers to the local airport, and pass them out to departing travelers.

We must organize and bring this outright assertion of fascism or we shall lose all our freedoms for certain. JMHO

[FreedomPoster]

Islam delenda est.

[WestwardHo]

I just emailed the US Travel Assoc., and now I’ll be calling pertinent airlines.
I’ve cancelled my travel plans to help daughter-in-law and four grandkids while her husband is in Air Force basic training.
I’d go ballistic if asked to go through a machine, and don’t even mention “pat down.”

Airline Phone Numbers for North America - Phone Number List for Airlines
•Aero California 800-237-6225
•Aero Mexico 800-237-6639
•Air Canada 888-247-2262
•Air Creebec 800-567-6567
•Air Inuit 800-361-5933
•Air Tindi 888-545-6794
•Air Transat 866-847-1112
•Alaska Airlines 800-426-0333, 866-516-1685
•American Airlines 800-433-7300
•Bearskin Airlines 800-465-2327
•Continental Airlines 800-525-0280
•Delta Airlines 800-221-1212
•First Air 800-267-1247
•Frontier Airlines 800-432-1359
•Hawaiian Airlines 800-367-5320
•Horizon Air 800-547-9308
•JetBlue 800-538-2583
•Mexicana Airlines 800-531-7921
•Porter Airlines (Canada) 888-619-8622
•Southwest Airlines 800-435-9792
•Spirit Airlines 800-772-7117
•United Airlines 800-241-6522
•US Airways 800-428-4322
•Virgin America 877-359-8474
•WestJet Airlines 800-538-5696

[Eyes Unclouded]

Fixed that for you:

“I gave up thinking on 9/11/2001. Haven’t missed it. Why the heck would I need to be a free thinker in the USA when it comes down to it? Live how you are told to by Washington DC.”

[Tolsti2]

Hated flying before, that gave me a nudge to give it up for life. Working fine for me.

[Hulka]

And don't believe the LIE that the images can't be recorded. They have to be recorded because if something is found, then they need the image for court to prove probable cause.

When they first introduced the scanners and said they can't make a recording I knew it was a lie (see above), and for the simple reason that the TSA high school mouth-breathers all have cellphone cameras (”Say, isn't that XXX, the VIP? Let's take a snap of him/her”).

Perverts, all.

[WestwardHo]

O Boy! Was calling the airlines a bust! I am so naive!
Phone numbers must be outsourced to another planet.
I tried.

[dinodino]

More power to you. Meanwhile, the rest of us who have to fly will deal with the problem ourselves.

[Tolsti2]

I really wonder, why do you have to?

[Banjoguy]

I am no longer attending an annual meeting in Pennsylvania (I live in Orlando Florida) for two reasons:

1. I would need to be screened with these devices going and coming and put up with any other thing TSA is into these days.

2. I would be using the Philadelphia airport where many thieves work baggage inspection. They will steal anything that you pack in your main bag.

As far as I'm concerned, the airlines have lost that business,

[1000 silverlings]

also act like you dont understand them or have Alzheimer’s disease. I do it to park in the white zone when picking up passengers-— when the cop comes over just act like an immigrant or old guy— works every time, they just give up

[1000 silverlings]

it’s got to be deadly-— my dentist had to xray my jaw once a year for years-— the lab techs put on heavy vests and hid behind a screen, so dont tell us all that given so frequently is not going to harm you

[dinodino]

Somebody in another thread asked me the same question. I will link to my response: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2624832/posts?page=104#104

Seriously, if someone *truly* cannot comprehend why people might have to fly in a global economy, then I respectfully suggest that he is too stupid to go outside without a helmet.

[A Strict Constructionist]

“There is no way anyone will hijack a plane with box-cutters again.”

Yep, the next time they will have a “Jaws of Life” for the crew cabin door and AK47s placed on the plane by the food crew.

[Pearls Before Swine]

it’s got to be deadly-— my dentist had to xray my jaw once a year for years-— the lab techs put on heavy vests and hid behind a screen...

The deep microwaves (TeraHertz) used in those scanners is not ionizing radiation, like x-rays. While it may be intrusive to privacy, I haven't heard anything to indicate it's a health hazard.