The Stripping of Freedom: A Careful Scan of TSA Security Procedures (video)
People of many diverse views came together at a conference on the Transportation Security Administration's Advanced Imaging Technology scanners and their abusive pat-down searches. by Darren Wolfe
(libertarian)
Friday, January 7, 2011
On January 6, 2011 the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) hosted a conference on the Transportation Security Administration's Advanced Imaging Technology scanners and their abusive pat-down searches. Their website billed it as:
This one-day public conference will be devoted to an assessment of the TSA airport security procedures and recommendations for reform. Experts in law, aviation security, and health safety, advocates for flyers rights, privacy protection, and religious freedom, as well as lawmakers and policy advisors will participate in the event. The event will also include a rich media display, with images from airport protests, YouTube videos, and campaign materials.
Many great panelists participated including Jim Babb of We Won't Fly.com.
At the end of the conference I asked the panel that included Jim Harper of the Cato Institute and New York city councilman David Greenfield about allowing selected passengers to carry guns on planes as a way to enhance security. It came as no surprise that Councilman Greenfield opposed the idea. What was surprising was Jim Harper objecting to it! An odd position for a representative of an allegedly libertarian think tank to take.
On a humorous note, when I asked the above question I happened to be standing next to Ralph Nader who thought it was quite funny. He later characterized it as "impertinent". Obviously there are many who just don’t get what guns and armed citizens are really about. To the best of my knowledge there are no studies that show that disarmed passengers are safer than armed ones. Matter of fact, we do know that most, if not all, successful terrorist incidents have had unarmed passengers as their victims.
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Posted By: hvchronic
Date: January 8, 2011 03:33:23 AM
The TSA is a modern monument to ineffectiveness. The backscatter scanners -- foisted on the TSA by Rapiscan lobbyist/former DHS secretary Michael Chertoff -- are dangerous and, according to a number of experts, can be easily thwarted by anyone with a slab of foam latex and a can of FX-grade putty. Even a large pancake can disguise a handgun.
Although such issues were intentionally not addressed for security reasons, the video posted below from After the Press (afterthepress.com) has broken through the major media hyperbole barrier to answer the real questions about what’s wrong with these machines. Neither of the interviewees, two of the most reputable scientists in the field of radiation physics and technology, will step into one. So whether or not you’re offended by the prospect of becoming the subject of a live peepshow for blue-gloved agents, or care about your rights being abrogated, you’ll still want to be cognizant of the danger in subjecting your or your children's bodies to backscatter radiation.
