The agents have said that the intrusive pat downs are to push people to use the FBS (full body scanners).
I am not going to be molested to get on an airplane. During the French Revolution it was the People's Safety Committee or what ever it was called that put most of the people to death on the guillotine. I see this no differently.
When you have to choose between scanners that can tell the difference between a circumcised or uncircumcised male, or getting felt up I won't fly. And I don't trust their security as to it not ending up in some kind of a data bank.
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To scan or not to scan, pat down or not to pat down......nothing is going to stop me from traveling. I agree with John- I'm not afraid to expose myself. The price of travel in this day and age.
We will see you on the plane to far away lands.
Reply to this I fear losing my freedoms. This does not make us safer.
Reply to this fear losing your freedoms if guns get outlawed. don't boycott travelling for this, it won't change anything.
Reply to this When they start to squeeze your privates.... tell me about this again.
Reply to this i didn't even read your first post entirely before, but I'm just wondering, how can you compare guillotine deaths in the French Revolution (1700s) to being scanned to get on an airplane? No difference? I'll take dropping my pants to a guillotine anyday sista!
Reply to this "when" someone squeezes my privates? is that a threat?
if someone was squeezing your testees, are you sure you were at a real airport?
Reply to this This has nothing to do with safety that they are doing. The underwear bomber would have made it through the scanners. They are doing this to control the masses. It is just another step. They are saying that your rights end when you purchase the plane ticket. If you don't submit when you go through you are looking at an $11k fine.
People who are going through these machines on a regular basis are going to end up with cancer. So yes people will die because of them.
Reply to this In the new intrusive pat downs, there are reports of people going in the pants and around the boobs. This is an unreasonable search against the 4th amendment of the constitution.
Reply to this I think that no matter the method, people's response to security measures will be frustration and anger. However, we must consider that this is not for no reason. To an average traveler with no intentions it is intrusive and a nuisance, but this is not a witch hunt. They are constantly refining ways to improve travel safety.
I previously mentioned that my boyfriend works for Customs. They have found all sorts of things had they not been intrusive, they would have never discovered. Cocaine hidden in baby's diapers, ripping apart cars to find the frame lined with marijuana, black market merchandise hidden in the center of cheese (?). While we are just trying to get to our destination, others will stop at nothing to smuggle illegal contraband or even worse harm other passengers.
I have been through security check points that are not so strict, and I remember thinking if I wanted to it would have been easy to pull one over on them. I understand frustrations, and like you am not thrilled that it has come to this. However, don't let it stop you from traveling. If it does, then all those who make traveling dangerous have already won.
Reply to this Unfortunately Lee Ann, this is their safety precaution. If you want to travel you must abide by the laws and rules of the company and government that provide it. Otherwise, there is always ground transportation, which isn't so bad either. Perhaps, in this case, it would make you feel more comfortable and is a better option at this time, no?
Reply to this Also, I do not know who the underwear bomber is but the shoe bomber and the Nigerian man with explosives strapped on his chest would have absolutely shown up through either of these methods. However, Amsterdam failed to screen the Nigerian man which is how he entered the United States with explosives on him. The same with the English man from where ever he was coming from. These countries were reprimanded because even with our security, if they do not hold up their end, our methods become obsolete.
Reply to this on a more serious note,
the 4th ammendement protects against unreasonable searches without probable cause. therefore it's not breaking any ammendment. if you go through a metal detector or body scanner and still set it off with empty pockets, then there's a cause to search the boobies. I'm not saying I like it, but damnit, it has to be done.
flying is a luxury, not a right or a necessity, you can try to sue the government or boycott flying, but would you rather have terrorists running free through airports?
Reply to this Boycotting is a response to commercial and corporate activity - thus boycotting airlines will not directly change policy as airlines and airports themselves have no say in TSA protocol. It will, perhaps, cause airlines to lobby on your behalf on account of the loss of business, however the true 'freedom' of every citizen is to have their voice heard directly. I view it as such - anyone who prefers an alternative safety/screening precaution be implemented nationally, should direct their energy towards contacting your local and state representatives and telling them such.
Reply to this Stephanie you are correct. That is the only way to implement a change.
Reply to this I figure I've already got enough things that try to dictate my freedom. There's always something. That's not going to stop me if I really want to do something. Yeah, I used to get a little irritated when they'd demand a strip search after my underwire showed up on their metal detector. Fine, whatever. Make your search. But do it right, by the books. And WHEN you don't find anything, back up and leave me the heck alone. lol
Reply to this What country were you in where you were strip searched for an underwire?
In the United States, an underwire would not set the machines off or else almost every female would be inspected.
Regardless, here, they don't strip search you for an underwire, that is what a pat down would be for, it would be something internally....Also, they need a warrant to strip search you..so...
Reply to this Stephanie is right. Talk to your Congressman to enact change.
Reply to this Flying is not a right it's a privilege! If I have to be scanned to fly so be it!
I don't have a problem with babies, children and even old nuns from being searched! Narco terrorists already have been found to have killed little babies, disembowel the baby and fill the cavity with cocaine. The woman carrying this baby speaks to the baby like it is alive - substitute semtex or some other explosive for the cocaine and you can kiss off 400 lives on a 747!
Already diapers on children have been found stuffed with cocaine, to me it would be stupid not to think that explosives could also be used too! Just about any kid would carry something for his or her father even if the father said to keep it a secret! Is it far-fetched to not believe that a Muslim terrorist would sacrifice his own family members as martyrs?
If some travelers want to refuse the scanners and ask for a body search to deliberately slow things down then just give them a number and segregate them, just like a waiting room and if they miss the flight so be it! It's their money to lose!
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