Heating up to the boiling point, full body image scans vs. full body pat downs. As more airports install the full body scanners, more people are refusing the scan only to be groped-up by a TSA agent “doing their job”.
This past week, John Tyner, flying from San Diego refused the scan and was put in his place as the TSA agent droned on about how he was going to grope the guy. YouTube camera on the ready, Tyner kept agreeing, but told the agent if he touched his junk, he’d have him arrested. Tyner was asked to leave the airport and faces an $11,000 fine for talking back to the TSA. Hopefully Tyner can make some money from the t-shirt sales of his now infamous “don’t touch my junk” line to pay the fine.
Bubbling up again this week are the people behind the company, Rapiscan, that supplies the full body imaging scanners being installed in airports nation wide. Conspiracy theory? You make the call. News of who benefits the most from installing scanners at the airport broke late last year, to little fanfare. Now, with more scanners in airports and more travelers being affected, people are paying attention.
Our former Homeland Security Secretary, Michael Chertoff, who in 2005 began to lobby for full body scanners in airports, heads the security consulting company Chertoff Consulting. The company they consult and lobby for? Rapiscan, the maker of the full image body scanners. Funny how that works.
Chertoff has been making the rounds ever since the panty bomber tried to blow up the Christmas Day flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. He contends that full body imaging would have detected the panty bomber and the incident would not have happened. However, the GAO has recently determined that the full body scans probably would not have detected the bomb. So, who’s right? Does Chertoff have something to gain from more Rapiscan full body imagers being deployed in airports nationwide?
And finally, Tuesday we learned that religion won’t save you. Well, at least from being required to have a full body scan or a physical grope-up. TSA Security Chief, John Pistole, told the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Tuesday that religious beliefs will not exempt anyone from being required to be scanned or groped, if selected. The option – get the screening or go away. No flying if you don’t submit to the TSA.
Some people are calling for a nation “opt-out” day on Wednesday, November 24th. Refuse the body image scan, get the grope-up and clog the lines on one of the busiest air travel days. This may be cutting off your nose to spite your face, as you’ll still be violated and if it really does clog security lines, you’ll probably be eating turkey at the airport.
