Hands-on airport searches - National rollout of invasive pat-downs this week

Boston Herald ^ | October 26, 2010 | Donna Goodison

[Lazamataz]

Airline passengers nationwide will be subjected to new aggressive and controversial body searches likened to “foreplay” pat-down

I'm going through the Security Checkpoint over and over again, until *I'M* satisfied.

[alexandria]

What does this 'pat down' include? Just running hands down arms, back, outside of legs or what?

Are they including feel good touchy no-no places in these searches?

[ArrogantBustard]

Kimchi, beer, and boiled eggs.

Seriously ... I have to travel frequently for business.

I'm doing this.

I look forward to flatulating in the face of some TSA goon.

[ArrogantBustard]

SBD!

Nope. Loud & Proud.

I want everybody in the "screening area" to know I just ripped one at the TSA.

[kearnyirish2]

Like I said, if the movement grows, this will put an end to it. A few years ago I was man-handled by some Asian TSA employee; I felt so violated, but thought it was the funniest thing afterwards. Neither wants to make eye contact, both wish they were somewhere else, and you just hurry away with bowed head when the ordeal is over. Any time I hate my job, I remember what that guy does for a living...

[Citizen X_Area 51]

TSA rules require:

Same-sex doing the pat-down. Wear gloves.

Article and video about new search

[alexandria]

I had assumed already that it would be the same-sex doing the pat-downs, although that would still be a no-way if they are allowed to touch my breasts.
I can seriously cry on command so when I refuse this x-ray I think I will demand for them to publicly mortify me, tears and all.

[Tucson_AZ]

5 Reasons to Reject TSA's Strip-search and Grope

1. WBI (whole body imaging) is only-skin deep. That’s right, if a terrorist puts a bomb in a body cavity he’ll sail right through these machines without being stopped. Don’t think it’s been done yet? Ask the Saudi prince who almost lost his head when an al-Qa’ida guy detonated a rectal bomb a few feet away from him.

2. TSA lied about these machines not being able to store or print images. According to documents obtained by EPIC, in 2008 TSA specified that the machines had to have image storage and sending capabilities. Beyond that evidence, let’s apply some common sense to this: let’s say TSA catches an actual terrorist with one of these scanners. Are they trying to tell us they would not be able to produce evidence from these machines for law enforcement? I don’t believe it. And that opens up a whole host of other questions, like how long are these images being stored for, how are they secured, who has access to them, what legal protections do travelers have to ensure they are not distributed? The list goes on.

3. The person viewing your naked body in a booth might be sequestered, but there’s no guarantee they are same-sex. How would you feel about a pervy 50-something TSA’er ogling the naked image of your teenage daughter? Enough said.

4. TSA’s alternative to the strip search – an ‘enhanced’ pat-down – would be sexual assault anywhere else. The nature of my job is that I’m in contact with a lot of frequent fliers. I’m one myself, but thankfully have not yet had to opt-out of these machines. But for those who have, I’ve heard stories from credible people of testicle and penis fondling, breast squeezing and other inappropriate touching. If that ever happens to me one of two things is going to happen (and I say this very seriously): I’m going to punch the guy in the head as hard as I can, or I will file sexual assault charges against him. It just depends on how much restraint I can muster when the moment comes.

5. The scanners are nothing more than another revolving door deal from Washington. Ex-Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff has his own consulting firm now. Who’s on his client list? Body scanner manufacturers. Follow the money, folks.

All that and I haven’t even mentioned poor Rolando Negrin, a screener at Miami International who is facing assault charges against a co-worker. Why did Mr. Negrin assault him? Co-workers had been teasing Mr. Negrin mercilessly for months about the size of his genitals, revealed during a body scan. If the TSA can’t even keep its own house in order…

[Edited to add: I didn't get into the health risks either! See the resource sites below for more information on that.]

—

Lest I be accused of offering criticism without suggesting a solution, I say focus on explosives. Whole-body imaging is about money, power and control, not security. Metal detectors and standard x-ray machines are very effective at detecting firearms, and hand and bag swabs (explosive trace detection) are more accurate in checking for bombs. That covers the bases, with the added benefit that no one needs to slip a Benjamin into my waistband as I leave the checkpoint.

Finally some resources for further reading. Learn what rights you have at the checkpoint:

Don’t Scan Us

Nudeoscope

(There are hot links in original article.)

[Citizen X_Area 51]

... if they are allowed to touch my breasts. I can seriously cry on command so when I refuse this x-ray I think I will demand for them to publicly mortify me, tears and all.

---

Some of the screener are professional, but there are horror stories at the Flyer Talk forum of some on a power trips and will gladly mortify you.

[sheik yerbouty]

You are a very wise man!

[PureSolace]

Coming soon to a home near you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZFH4wCLVXY