To be irradiated or to be groped--that is the question.
TSA began deploying state-of-the-art advanced imaging technology in 2007.
This technology can detect a wide range of threats to transportation security in a matter of seconds to protect passengers and crews. Imaging technology is an integral part of TSA's effort to continually look for new technologies that help ensure travel remains safe and secure by staying ahead of evolving threats.
According to the TSA, advanced imaging technology screening is safe for all passengers, and the technology meets national health and safety standards. In addition, they claim to have installed software that prevents the screener from seeing "passenger-specific images," which means they aren't looking at your "junk."
In addition to AIT scanners, the TSA has also implemented what they euphamistically call "enhanced pat-downs".
This procedure entails a TSA agent running their hands along a person's body, including the breast, inner thigh and groin area. Generally, if staffing permits, a traveler with be frisked by a TSA agent of the same gender.
The "enhanced pat-down" is to be applied under various circumstances:
* If some form of anomoly appears in the AIT scan.
* If a traveler is wearing baggy clothing.
* If a traveler refuses to submit to the AIT scan.
So while you do have the right to refuse the AIT scan, if you exercise that right, you will be subjected to the "enhanced pat-down".
The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states "The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated..."
The TSA seems to be implying that when you purchase an airline ticket and subsequently step into the security screening area, you have voluntarily waived your Fourth Amendment rights.
Mr. Stephen T. McCarthy has already posted several pieces regarding this invasion of your rights, but it seems that most Americans are only too willing that all of the stupid human tricks we are asked to perform in the name of airline security actually make us safer, so I won't go into that here.
What I will go into here is the continued stupidity of the American people who believe you get something for nothing, and trust the government to do anything efficiently.
These fancy new machines have a price tag of $200,000 each. I would imagine there are set-up costs as well, as they probably need a little electricity to operate, and who knows how much computer infrastructure. The fiscally prudent Barry Obama allocated $1 billion to the TSA under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to buy these fancy new machines.
In addition, the TSA costs us $8 billion dollars annually.
Do you feel safer?
I don't.
Wanna know why?
These idiots, in buying all this new imagine equipment, were still TOO FRIGGING STUPID to make the machines able to image passenger shoes. So we still have the delays of taking off our shoes.
These are the people you are trusting to make you safe!
When I pointed that out at the airport, someone commented that they were working on technology to image the shoes.
Does that mean ANOTHER BILLION DOLLARS?
Wanna know where your Social Security money is being squandered?
Wanna know what it'll look like soon?
Keep bending over, America!
We've gone from a country founded by Freedom Fighters to a country of punks!
