Opting Out of a Body Scan May Not Be the Better Choice

ChronicSelfEditor said:

After reading all of the comments here, I feel stupid. I don't see what the problem is, but I chalk that up to being, as I said, stupid.

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Let me put it to you tis way, You go to the airport and your given a choice. Be seen nekkid, or get felt up. Either way, they never buy you dinner and they won't call you later.

ChronicSelfEditor said:

After reading all of the comments here, I feel stupid. I don't see what the problem is, but I chalk that up to being, as I said, stupid.

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Some of us just have a problem with needlessly invasive, humiliating, and time-consuming searches of our person and personal effects. Nor do I need more radiation in my life.

Vince524 said:

Let me put it to you tis way, You go to the airport and your given a choice. Be seen nekkid, or get felt up. Either way, they never buy you dinner and they won't call you later.

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I have to undress now? Guess I better go on that diet after all. I could clear out the airport if I took off one stitch of clothing.

kuwisdelu said:

Nor do I need more radiation in my life.

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I'm not sure about the specs of these imaging machines, but I feel confident saying airplane passengers get a significantly larger dose of radiation from the flight itself than from the machine.

I'm concerned about the unprofessionalism of the TSA as well. I think that's the major problem most people have with many of the security measures. I keep hearing stories about TSA employees doing ridiculously rude things and getting away with it, and it's disgusting.

ChronicSelfEditor said:

I have to undress now? Guess I better go on that diet after all. I could clear out the airport if I took off one stitch of clothing.

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You don't have to strip. They've got X-ray eyes. (Rep for the first person who where that song came from, no googling! Artist and cd name required to redeem rep. Ony valid in US, and all other countries, human only , no reptoids!)

Vince524 said:

You don't have to strip. They've got X-ray eyes. (Rep for the first person who where that song came from, no googling! Artist and cd name required to redeem rep. Ony valid in US, and all other countries, human only , no reptoids!)

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The Future's So Bright (I gotta wear shades) Timbuk3 ?


Fark had an article today about a TSA guy who was pretending to find drugs in people's luggage, apparently for the yuks.

I must say, I'm so gratified that there are semblance of people that reject TSA's and ultimately the government's kind of tyranny and invasion. I hope we get to a point where all the people in airport lines chant, "Opt out. . . . " That'll be wonderful, and I'll know, the day that's reported, that we're back on track to freedom. . . .

Vince524 said:

You don't have to strip. They've got X-ray eyes. (Rep for the first person who where that song came from, no googling! Artist and cd name required to redeem rep. Ony valid in US, and all other countries, human only , no reptoids!)

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So... like Superman? Or like an x-ray machine at the hospital?

heyjude said:

On the professionalism of the people working at the airport: last time I flew, the security guy looked me up and down and said "You just won the nudie scanner bingo." I thought my husband was going to kill him.

Flying shouldn't be creepy.

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My wife's going to London in a few weeks. I'm not. This is one reason why. I figure she'll have a better time if I stay home than if I'm in jail for assault, and either way I'd never make it to London. Might as well save the air fare and the assault charge.

Michael Wolfe said:

It might encourage them. The more we willingly dismantle our own liberties, the more they see that terrorist attacks are successful.

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There's a winner, right there.

kuwisdelu said:

Some of us just have a problem with needlessly invasive, humiliating, and time-consuming searches of our person and personal effects. Nor do I need more radiation in my life.

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Not to mention that since they're Federal employees, there's the whole pesky Fourth Amendment issue to deal with.

SPMiller said:

I'm not sure about the specs of these imaging machines, but I feel confident saying airplane passengers get a significantly larger dose of radiation from the flight itself than from the machine.

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I've heard the opposite, but no cite handy. Have you got one or should we go looking?

Bird of Prey said:

I must say, I'm so gratified that there are semblance of people that reject TSA's and ultimately the government's kind of tyranny and invasion. I hope we get to a point where all the people in airport lines chant, "Opt out. . . . " That'll be wonderful, and I'll know, the day that's reported, that we're back on track to freedom. . . .

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Now that you mention it, I've seen little of the progressive movement standing up for civil liberties in the case of body scanners. The Patriot Act got more protest than these much-more-personal scanners. Surely the party of the sitting president wouldn't influence something like that, would it?

And I'm sorry to see there hasn't been a word from the tea party folks either. There's another proof the Theocons took over that movement.

Oh, and thanks for just a moment of truly delightful fantasy. I can still hear them chanting...

shawkins said:

The Future's So Bright (I gotta wear shades) Timbuk3 ?


Fark had an article today about a TSA guy who was pretending to find drugs in people's luggage, apparently for the yuks.

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Sorry, no. But thanks for playing. Here's your consolation prize.


May only last one day, we reccomend putting directly in the toilet.

Don said:

My wife's going to London in a few weeks. I'm not. This is one reason why. I figure she'll have a better time if I stay home than if I'm in jail for assault, and either way I'd never make it to London. Might as well save the air fare and the assault charge.

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I've got a family trip planned for December, but with an infant in tow, I don't know where to come down on this issue in practice.

Do I make a stink and force the TSA to pat us all down and rifle through our carry ons, diaper bags, and tear apart our stroller? Upsetting our timetables, and worse still, maybe upsetting the mood of my daughter before a long flight?

Or do I swallow my indignation for the peace it will bring?

I know which one the gropers and scanners want me to pick...

MattW said:

I've got a family trip planned for December, but with an infant in tow, I don't know where to come down on this issue in practice.

Do I make a stink and force the TSA to pat us all down and rifle through our carry ons, diaper bags, and tear apart our stroller? Upsetting our timetables, and worse still, maybe upsetting the mood of my daughter before a long flight?

Or do I swallow my indignation for the peace it will bring?

I know which one the gropers and scanners want me to pick...

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A friend of mine had her daughter patted down - the child's ten - and it scared the wits out of the kid. Apparently, they won't make a kid go through the scanner, or so I'm told. I suppose that's more evidence of the health concerns. I would expect that regardless of whether you opt out or not, you are going to be submitted to rifling. I saw them do that with a stroller and a woman with a baby ahead of me. It was ridiculous. The mother could've looked less like a terrorist, and she would've had to have been a genius to effectively hide explosives in that diaper bag. Now the baby's another matter. Looked kinda - you know - questionable: shifty eyed and kept smirking.

Anyway, for the sake of your privacy and possibly your health, you should consider opting out. I don't think you're going to save yourself much in the way of convenience or peace. . . .

My kids have been through the search a number of times. It's unsettling to them. It's really unsettling to have your infant yanked away, him screaming, and get patted down. Esp. if you're breastfeeding. (Well, not at that exact moment, haha.) Not so much fun.

Starting to wonder why I fly so much...

Bird of Prey said:

A friend of mine had her daughter patted down - the child's ten - and it scared the wits out of the kid. Apparently, they won't make a kid go through the scanner, or so I'm told. I suppose that's more evidence of the health concerns.

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I wonder if it's that or the idea of putting a kid through a "See through their clothing" scanner might lead to criminal charges?

So better to molest them?

Idk, for get I asked.

shawkins said:

Fark had an article today about a TSA guy who was pretending to find drugs in people's luggage, apparently for the yuks.

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Wow.

You know, I do try to reserve judgment and not overreact, but all these stories make it so hard to take the TSA seriously as an organization that I can trust. There are too many stories coming out about gross unprofessionalism.

I've yet to hear anything that makes me feel I'd be safe with those fools.

DancingMaenid said:

Wow.

You know, I do try to reserve judgment and not overreact, but all these stories make it so hard to take the TSA seriously as an organization that I can trust. There are too many stories coming out about gross unprofessionalism.

I've yet to hear anything that makes me feel I'd be safe with those fools.

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I've got a new slogan for them:

"Transportation Security Administration: Winning Hearts and Minds for Liberty, One Victim at a Time"

I'm starting to like these guys.

I was talking to my wife about this. 1st question from her was what do they really see? Is it really like seeing you buck naked, like a xray or somewhere inbetween?

2nd question was she wanted to know what I would do. I told her I'd go through the scanner and watch as the operaters ran from the booth, each throwing up in their mouths a little bit.

Vince524 said:

I was talking to my wife about this. 1st question from her was what do they really see? Is it really like seeing you buck naked, like a xray or somewhere inbetween?

2nd question was she wanted to know what I would do. I told her I'd go through the scanner and watch as the operaters ran from the booth, each throwing up in their mouths a little bit.

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Any image anyone posts gets sneered at, because we've been told they're not very revealing at all, even though that one guy got fired after punching somebody out for laughing at the size of his genitalia. I think that's too damned detailed, myself.

Anyway, this google image search brings up lots of different images. The truth is in there, somewhere. I don't see any I'd be happy to share.

Does anyone know what the current policy is on who has to go through those things in the first place? Are people chosen at random? I've heard different things.

DancingMaenid said:

Does anyone know what the current policy is on who has to go through those things in the first place? Are people chosen at random? I've heard different things.

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You either go through the scanner or "Opt Out." It's all explained in excrutiating detail in the story linked in the opening post of the thread.

Wonder how long before they have body cavity searches?

Vince524 said:

Wonder how long before they have body cavity searches?

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If they ever implement them, I'll have to leave something more fun than dangerous up there for them to find...

kuwisdelu said:

If they ever implement them, I'll have to leave something more fun than dangerous up there for them to find...

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Dude,