Don't Touch My Junk
I am appalled that so many in my generation are ready and willing to roll over and be sexually assaulted (and let their children be sexually assaulted), give up their rights to privacy and ignore their rights as stated in the 4th Amendment all in the name of supposed security at airports. This new TSA measure is outrageous and ineffective.
I did not always feel this way. Like so many others, I didn't see the big deal. However, on more careful examination of the 4th Amendment as well as the many, many assaults that have already taken place, and along with an understanding of the measures we really should be taking to ensure our safety, I have changed my mind.
This video is of a man who recorded his experience going through TSA. He asked the TSA agent not to "touch his junk". That's when the TSA agent put him on the no fly list and asked him to step out of line. After questioning he then tried to leave the airport but was told he had to go through the entire procedure or face a $10,000 fine. Hello? Are we awake to what is happening? There is talk of applying these measures not just to airports but to transit systems and sporting and concert arenas.
The argument that you don't have to get on a plane is a ridiculous one. You either choose to drive everywhere (not practical, especially for business travelers) or be sexually assaulted or exposed to repeated radiation and have your junk exposed on camera...um, really? Those are the choices?
How bout we actually do something effective like use bomb sniffing dogs and psychological profiling like they do in the most secure airports in the world? Why don't we take notes from them? Why are we so willing to give up our rights as citizens all in the name of this outrageous political theater?
Here's the video, if you are curious, to see just went down with "Don't Touch My Junk" John Tyner.
I did not always feel this way. Like so many others, I didn't see the big deal. However, on more careful examination of the 4th Amendment as well as the many, many assaults that have already taken place, and along with an understanding of the measures we really should be taking to ensure our safety, I have changed my mind.
This video is of a man who recorded his experience going through TSA. He asked the TSA agent not to "touch his junk". That's when the TSA agent put him on the no fly list and asked him to step out of line. After questioning he then tried to leave the airport but was told he had to go through the entire procedure or face a $10,000 fine. Hello? Are we awake to what is happening? There is talk of applying these measures not just to airports but to transit systems and sporting and concert arenas.
The argument that you don't have to get on a plane is a ridiculous one. You either choose to drive everywhere (not practical, especially for business travelers) or be sexually assaulted or exposed to repeated radiation and have your junk exposed on camera...um, really? Those are the choices?
How bout we actually do something effective like use bomb sniffing dogs and psychological profiling like they do in the most secure airports in the world? Why don't we take notes from them? Why are we so willing to give up our rights as citizens all in the name of this outrageous political theater?
Here's the video, if you are curious, to see just went down with "Don't Touch My Junk" John Tyner.
Comments
What the TSA really should be looking for is suspicious psychological behavior, a brand new passport and background ties to terrorist organizations (as in when a dad of a terrorist phones in and warns the TSA of his son's activities they should be paying attention, not let him somehow get through their supposed security measures and end up the guy we now call the "underpants bomber").
They should not be touching our "junk", forcing people to remove their prosthesis or feeling up children. It's absurd, ineffective and is definitely a violation of our rights.
That all being said, I don't want the private sector running airport screenings. You've heard reports of contractors in Iraq. Can you imagine some minimum wage person running those scanners. Your "junk" then might end up on YouTube. I think the TSA is the best option we have right now.
Until they clean their "junk" up, I don't think I am going to fly unless I absolutely must. Here's another point worth considering. Has the TSA actually caught anyone dangerous before they got on a plane?
Scott - psychological profiling is the measure they use in Israel (among other things) to make it the safest airport in the world. Here's what they do:
1. Roadside check before they reach the airport where they are asked who they are and where they come from. They look for behavioral giveaways.
2. At the entrance of the airport armed guards give everyone a visual once-over and then randomly pull you aside.
3. Before you go to the main check-in counter you stand in a security line where professional intelligent young people examine your passport and ticket. They also look in your eyes and ask you questions about yourself such as where are you going and who packed your luggage and if you carry packages meant for others. If you are ambiguous it raises a red flag and so the grilling continues.
4. Luggage is X-rayed. Suspicious items are put in blast-proof containers and moved to a safe area. The airport does not shut down over these items.
5. Then you walk through the X-ray machine (with your shoes on) and they check out all that you are carrying on. You may bring bottles of water, shampoo, baby formula, nail scissors – anything that makes your life comfortable.
Israeli security is very dependent on profiling – which makes sense. They argue that their profiling is based on background and past behavior – not on race.
As for the sexual assault comment, well, this procedure is actually quite nerve racking to someone who has been sexually assaulted before. It deserves mention.
Beverly Brautigam of Elk Grove complained that a TSA worker "moved her hand over both breasts."
And then there's the guy who didn't want his junk touched.
I would like to offer a counterpoint to your comment on radiation (but I’ll make it quick so I can go watch my Cougars lose). I’m not saying radiation isn’t a problem, but I think it’s attacking the wrong problem. The level of exposure you receive going through a scan is statistically insignificant compared to the exposure you receive over the course of the next few hours (or whatever) while you are flying. It’s like a person who eats fast food all the time, becomes morbidly obese with clogged arteries, subsequently has a heart attack (with all the expenses that involves) and blames their situation (health, finances) on the diet coke instead of the Big Mac, supersized fries, and chocolate shake. The diet coke was part of the problem, but it’s a minor problem compared to the rest. (that makes me think we should get Michael Pollan on this issue…he could write The Travellers Dilemma).
Here’s another analogy: people lament the national deficit, then rail against earmarks as the problem, even though earmarks make up less than 1% of the budget. Again, are earmarks a problem? Yes. But are they THE problem? Not even close.
The risks that pilots/crew and very frequent travellers face is due more to being in the air, not the scanners. But by all means let’s find ways to do screening that don’t expose us to dangerous radiation at any level. That would be even better.
First, let me be clear that I’m not advocating for the scanners in any way (besides, who names a product Rapiscan? Focus groups, people!). I’m not a fan of the pat downs either. I’m not defending the current system at all (as I hope I made clear in my first post). I’m sure there are many things we can learn from the Israelis, who unfortunately have a lot of experience in anti-terrorism measures. Their airport security is legendary, so it’s a good place to start.
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And again in consideration of the 4th Amendment, do we think it’s okay for an interrogator to ask about our whereabouts, our associations, our religion, the books we happen to be reading? So, Ms. Buhr, who are you going to see in DC? What’s this book about meditation? Do you subscribe to other eastern religious practices? Why is this text underlined? You get the point. Is it possible the profiling approach could be just as much or more of a violation of the 4th Amendment as the current scanning process? Wouldn’t we giving up our rights – and our way of life – just as much as we are now? If you were an Arab-American, do you honestly believe you would be just as enthusiastic about a profiling solution?
Again, devil’s advocate. :)
Also, my concern is over the abuse of power by highly unprofessional workers. If you happen to be attractive or they happen to have a problem they may indeed enjoy touching your junk quite inappropriately and at present get away with it.
SJ - I wasn't accusing you! It was a technical error by Blogger! Sorry if it came off that way.
Psychological profiling is a fancy way to do racial profiling. Besides, the USG doesn't have the resources to devote to a similar project due to the logistics in this country compared to a much smaller, thus easier to maintain entry points, like Israel.
Also, in my other comment, I stated that radiation is not a concern since you'd have to be spending a lot of time in these machines to be exposed to harmful levels. And if radiation exposure is really your concern, then you should stop using your cell phone, iPad, wireless internet connection, and not have wireless in your house as all have shown to affect you biologically, yet we sit in a stew of these waves constantly (myself included, although I do what I can).