Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I thought it was "random"? My impression was that there are only one (maybe two machines) at every airport and they pull people out of the metal detector line to go through the xray machines.

Well, maybe I don't know what I'm talking about. I want my xray!

Transgender people who have genitals that don't "match" what someone's expecting to see (on the scanner) or feel (in the pat-down) could be subject to further harassment/humiliation.

That's true! But I feel that is a societal ill rather than something specific to this.

This is exactly what I was about to post. That the potential good of these machines is that everyone gets treated the same way.

The body outline doesn't bother me, people just look like mannequins. But I respect that people are uncomfortable with that. Maybe keep the old metal detecotrs and have a special line for those people?

As far as the radiation, I understand there are mixed reviews. But not enough for me to be scared of it.

it's not just an outline though, it's full on nudity. you can even see genitals. now, personally, i'm not that upset about a stranger seeing me that way, but surely you can see how those affected by sexual abuse, those who are modest for religious or other reasons would feel completely violated by something like this. and when your only other option is a very thorough groping by a stranger, it gets pretty sketchy.

when you add in the fact that there is additional exposure to radiation which some doctors/scientists are calling a legitimate health concern and that they are still "randomly" choosing people to go through the additional screening (therefore racial profiling is still at play) then i don't think this is a minor issue at all.

i mean, it's one thing if this is on my way to an extravagant beach holiday in the Caribbean, but lots of people fly for work, to see family, for funerals, i.e. not completely optional trips.

In case anyone is interested, children under 12 are exempt, but once they turn 13, it's naked x-ray time! or you know, pat-down by total stranger.

http://www.aclu.org/technology-and-libe ... y-scanners
http://gizmodo.com/5501485/airport-empl ... a-coworker (stupid article, but legit concern)

Yes, the child issue I just read about. In the UK, under-18's are exempt. Violated child pornography laws.

Does anyone have a link on the "random" screening. My understanding was that everyone had to go through the machine. Or that once there was enough machines, that would be the goal.

What?

You know what I mean! Read the rest of my sentence.

I did read it? I think it's crazy?

But racial profiling is also borne of the societal ill of anti-Muslim sentiment--and you just argued against racial profiling.

Also, from all the firsthand accounts I've read, those who've opted for pat-downs haven't held up everyone else in line. They've only delayd themselves. Unless someone knows something to the contrary?

LIke others have said, I too am resigned to having lost my privacy a long time ago--but I'm still not okay with the amount of power TSA has.

Yes but racial profiling is part of policy so it's different than something that might happen from a forked up individual. If it's policy to fork with people that are transgendered that's a different story. I don't care about holding people up in line, I wasn't arguing against that.

PS I don't have anything invested in this. I just am resigned to giving up a lot of freedom to the big police state in the sky when I fly. That's really all. Even if it is triggering and awful for the time being. As long as when I land safely on the other side!

I know you weren't arguing against holidng up the line--that wasn't in direct response to you. I just meant it as a clarification for everyone else who's participating in this discussion--if the main concern is that of holdin gup the line, then it's probably a null concern.

Here's another fun account: http://www.ourlittlechatterboxes.com/20 ... sault.html

Racial profiling isn't policy for the TSA.


This just reeks of privilege--do you know how many people don't have the luxury of landing safely on the other side?

Depending on who they want to see naked.

As a never nude I am terrified of this and have been for months.

The probability of dying from radiation from a body scanner and that of being killed in a terror attack are roughly the same, he said. About one in 30 million.

On Reddit they said the best way to avoid the scanner, if they are "randomly" selecting people to go through body scanners, is to stand behind a girl, because girls will always get picked http://www.reddit.com/r/reddit.com/comm ... _it_today/

P.S. I think this Johnny Edge guy is obnoxious and not the most reliable source (yeah, his phone recorded him antagonizing TSA staff)--there have to be some better sources?

ETA: I think he's reliable in that he's telling the truth--but beginning with the phrase, "you touch my junk and I'll have you arrested" only gives fodder to those who support the TSA's actions to say, "yeah, you're just being belligerent."

Yes, I completely agree with every word you said. I am definitely not flying until they sort this shiitake out.

Of course they can be saved! And they have been, already, despite the plaintive denials when all this was first being talked about that these machines can't even save images and how dare you even suggest such a thing!

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31921_3-20012583-281.html

I understand that some, maybe many, people don't have a problem with the pictures or pat-downs, and that it's another example of the diminishing right to privacy. But things like this happen so easily because this seemingly small, harmless intrusions into that right happen and people don't think too much of it. I feel the need to stand up against this bc, if I don't and if more people don't, then the government will just continue to intrude more and more, slowly but surely, as they already do.

The guy who recorded his TSA run-in with his phone volunteered to go through the standard metal detector that most of the people were being sent through. But by then it was too late: he had already defied the tyrants, and they had no choice but to exercise their dominance.

Yes, everyone... including people with severe eating disorders... body dysmorphia disorder... who have embarrassing marks on their body...

It's better to do something to everyone than to be racist about it, but honestly, if they were, for example, filming EVERYONE in their shower instead of just black people, that would still be a violation of privacy. In my book.

Just my opinion. :)

Except that, as someone else pointed out, they're not putting everyone through the advanced imaging scanners and intense pat-downs. They're picking people at "random" which means people with brown skin, hot girls, and anyone else they feel like harassing at the time. It's not making anyone safer. It's just violating people's privacy for the sake of security theater.