Live data from Hacker News

Stop TSA Scanners

stoptsascanners.blogspot.com

11–20 of 36 posts

Re: Stop TSA Scanners

#11
post #5
post #3

I really don't get it. Can someone explain what is wrong with body scanners? I just see people embarrassed at having body parts, which is absurd. Everyone looks approximately the same, and it's not like photos of your junk are being sent to your coworkers.

I get it. You, like too many, think genitals are 'junk'. I am not ashamed of my body. I value my body and want to share it only with those I choose, not indiscriminately, and certainly not as a condition for flying. Forced or coerced nudity has been used as a weapon because it represents a one-way power transfer.

"Junk: Penis and testacles." [sic] [1]

[1] http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=junk (NSFW) (definition 2)

Re: Stop TSA Scanners

#13
post #3

I really don't get it. Can someone explain what is wrong with body scanners? I just see people embarrassed at having body parts, which is absurd. Everyone looks approximately the same, and it's not like photos of your junk are being sent to your coworkers.

It's not about embarrassment. It's about my right to be in control of my person, and to not be bombarded with unnecessary radiation (of any amount). And it's about power and control.

Re: Stop TSA Scanners

#14
I opted out at SFO. The incredulous TSA agent repeatedly asked me why I was opting out. I declined to provide an answer, and instead simply asked if opting out was an option and if so, then I opt out. Eventually he let me through, shouting "opt out!", at which point I had to wait for them to rustle up someone to perform the pat down.

If even 1/4 of the people in that line opted-out, it would be chaos in the security area. So do your part, and make a TSA agent uncomfortable.

Re: Stop TSA Scanners

#15
post #4

Forget about being seen naked. The bigger issue is that it's all security theater and does little to actually make us safer, yet it costs us an extraordinary amount in cost and lost time.

does little to actually make us safer Evidence? (or reasoning)

I agree with your point that there is no evidence to suggest it makes us even a little bit safer.

Re: Stop TSA Scanners

#16
post #3

I really don't get it. Can someone explain what is wrong with body scanners? I just see people embarrassed at having body parts, which is absurd. Everyone looks approximately the same, and it's not like photos of your junk are being sent to your coworkers.

1) mechanics, cleaning crew, and other people who have direct access to the planes do not need to go through security - it's only places visible to passengers where this is done. After all, airplanes are used to smuggle drugs, so the same process can be used to secrete a bomb.

2) additional security and screening costs money, time, and our patience, but there's no evidence that it's effective. A GAO report points out that the TSA expedited purchasing of the full-body scanners without doing anything to ensure it would be better than the existing system. It was done in part as a reaction to the attempted bombing of 25 Dec 2009, but without evidence that the machines would be effective against a repeat of that attack. I also recall a report (perhaps 5 years ago?) saying that penetration testing of post-9/11 security was as easy as pre-9/11 despite the attempts by the TSA at improving it.

3) Another GAO reports highlights that the TSA has done no evaluation of how to improve overall security. For example, a bomb set off in the waiting lines of densely packed airport security, or in Penn Station, would also have a chilling effect on our travel. This attack was done already against El Al's ticket booth in LA. Or consider the hijacking of CanJet Flight 918 where an armed gunman forced his way through security and got on board an airline preparing for takeoff - when the pilots are present but before the doors are secured. Full-body scanners do nothing against this attack.

4) As the GAO and others have reported, people can still smuggle things in their body. These are not detectable by the full-body scanners. With enough people in collusion, that is sufficient to get the parts for a bomb through security.

If it's impossible to keep drugs out of prison, with 24-hour observation and multiple levels of walls and barriers, it's not going to be possible to keep a bomb or weapon out of a plane. The goal is to reduce the likelihood, but there's no evidence that the full-body scanners make a real difference. Instead, they waste money, waste time, waste patience, and inure travelers to yet more intrusions on their personal life.

Therefore my annoyance comes from being told to do things which are meaningless and ineffective, and perhaps even detrimental to overall security.

Re: Stop TSA Scanners

#17
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

does little to actually make us safer Evidence? (or reasoning)

In the first millennium there was no airport security and a large number of Viking raids on Britain. In the second millennium airport security was introduced and many fewer viking raids took place In this millennium with greatly increased airport security there have been no viking raids on any part of the British isles.

Good thing the Vikings didn't use the Thai solar calendar else they would have completely avoided airport security.

Re: Stop TSA Scanners

#18
post #4

Forget about being seen naked. The bigger issue is that it's all security theater and does little to actually make us safer, yet it costs us an extraordinary amount in cost and lost time.

does little to actually make us safer Evidence? (or reasoning)

If they had caught a bunch of people, don't you think they'd be singing their praises from the rooftops?

Re: Stop TSA Scanners

#19
post #3

I really don't get it. Can someone explain what is wrong with body scanners? I just see people embarrassed at having body parts, which is absurd. Everyone looks approximately the same, and it's not like photos of your junk are being sent to your coworkers.

Our culture has sexualized taboos over nakedness; mandatory nakedness is a form of humiliation and sexual assault.

I understand if your individual experience of culture is a step apart from the norm; but you must recognize that, even if you don't see people stripping off their clothes has a sexual element, plenty of people who go to strip clubs etc. do.

Re: Stop TSA Scanners

#20
post #9
post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Would you be okay with strip searches as a requirement for flying, and if not, is it only the time and inconvenience that would bother you, or something else?

The inconvenience of having to undress would annoy me, as do having to take off my shoes and put my luggage through a machine. I would only be annoyed for reasons other than inconvenience if the contact is unprofessional. Assuming that it's not, and everyone else is doing the same, I wouldn't feel like I was being violated. My basic point is that the liberty being infringed upon by these scanners (i.e. liberty to hid…

You've very obviously never been strip-searched.
Post reply on HN