Lately I’ve had to travel more than usual. I’m not complaining about the flying, per se. It actually breaks up the monatony of my everyday life.
No, that’s not the issue.
The issue is the airport’s new body scanners at Newark Airport, scanners that one day will be installed at all airports.
- Photo from The Life Files
The body scanners show a nude virtual image of all your nicks and crannies. Flyer beware: Chichos/Love handles are no longer sacred!
What about the radiation exposure? There haven’t been enough studies to determine how it will affect travelers, especially those who travel often.
Shy or worried about radiation? You do have another option. The full body pat down, done with palmed hands, not the back of hands as was previously done. They will feel and cup every inch of you and I do mean EVERY inch so blushers beware. Shoot, maybe I should pick the full body pat down instead, as it will provide me with the most action I’ve seen in awhile!
But seriously, it seems like both options will be invading some aspect of our lives. As a traveler, I’m undecided. Which should I choose?
Wait, don’t tell me yet. Watch the below video. They bring up some interesting points that start at 1:51 and 2:28 but I suggest you listen to the entire show.
Which would you choose?
{ 5 comments… add one }
Both are totally invasive but unfortunately this is a reflective of the society we are living in.
Btw – Love your comment, “maybe I should pick the full body pat down instead, as it will provide me with the most action I’ve seen in awhile”
Hysterical!
In any law of the land this sort of touching would be absolutely classified as battery …the difference here is that you have to give your “consent” (albeit under the ostensible threat of ‘no touch, no fly’). I think it goes too far, period.
As for the x-ray machines, again ….it goes too far. Dubious and harmful radiation levels aside, the images are clearly a violation of privacy. The only way they’re getting away with this (where’s the ACLU when you need them) is that for many, flying is necessary.
I think it’s past time to start profiling. The “rights” supposedly violated by profiling those who appear to be Muslim/Middle Eastern fall far below the scale of the privacy rights violated of ALL who fly.
My second suggestion is to throw out the affirmative action hiring policies of TSA and get some people on the TSA staff who seem to have more than a room temperature IQ.
Politically incorrect of me? Absolutely. So what. Political correctness is what got us in this fix in the first place. Time to try something new.
Right on cue, CAIR weighs in today with “Muslim-only” rules:
* Before you are patted down, you should remind the TSA officer that they are only supposed to pat down the area in question, in this scenario, your head and neck. They SHOULD NOT subject you to a full-body or partial-body pat-down.
* Instead of the pat-down, you can always request to pat down your own scarf, including head and neck area, and have the officers perform a chemical swipe of your hands.
— CAIR Issues Travel Advisory on New Airport Pat-Downs
https://www.black-and-right.com/2010/11/11/special-treatment-of-the-day-3/
(This whole thing is outrageous.)
I’ve been traveling quite a bit this month and have been randomly subjected to a body scan once. Not my favorite thing in the world but it definitely is a part of flying now a days. 🙁
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The whole thing makes me sick! Especially the enhanced pat down. There isn’t enough research for the scanners and I for one don’t want to subject myself to that.
My solution…cut down on trips. More road trips and less of this ridiculousness.