A backscatter X-ray body scanner recently installed at Sea-Tac Airport. Photo by Aubrey Cohen/seattlepi.com
There has been a call to boycott all TSA body scanners tomorrow November 24th to protest the TSA’s handling of airport security. I do not want to see people missing their flights from this protest, but I feel it is important to let the TSA know that their actions have gone too far. No matter if you agree or disagree with the TSA’s body scanners or enhanced pat downs, please remember to BE NICE.
If you are traveling over Thanksgiving, make sure to arrive at the airport early (like super early) and smile. People are normally on edge on the busiest travel day as it is and if people are boycotting the body scanners it will make things worse. Be polite to the passengers around you and also the TSA agents. Remember those people who are requiring you to go through the body scanners or conducting pat downs are just doing their job; they are not the policy makers. If you are asked to go through a body scanner, be polite and let tell them, “with all due respect, I am opting out of the body scanner.” It is alright to let them know you do not agree with the pat-downs, but how many of those TSA agents really want to be feeling your privates on Thanksgiving anyhow?
It will be easy to become frustrated and angry, but just do not take it out on the TSA agents. Take a moment to write to the TSA directly and let them know how you feel. You can leave a comment on their blog, send a message through their TalktoTSA program or email your local congressional representatives.
Good luck and have a great Thanksgiving.
Image by Aubrey Cohen/SeattlePI
BOYCOTT!!!
WAAAAAAAAAAAAY to much BIG BROTHER!
Flying is a privilege, not a right. When you buy that ticket you forsake your own privacy rights for the safety of others. If you don’t want to be patted down then go through the body scanner. If you are not willing to do that then don’t buy the ticket to begin with.
49 CFR 40103
(a) Sovereignty and Public Right of Transit.
(1) The United States Government has exclusive sovereignty of airspace of the United States.
(2) A citizen of the United States has a public right of transit through the navigable airspace.
Flying is a right, the United States government says so.
People, stand up and take notice. This is optional today, but it won’t be long before it is mandatory. I fly A LOT.
The GOAL is for you to stop flying all together. Stay in your home state and spend money there.
Don’t know if many of you have ever flown private, but you can drive your car right onto the runway, get out on the red carpet and get into your plane.
If a bad guy were really funded by an entire country…
Who cares? Put a cucumber in your pants and have fun.
haha thats pretty funny
They just keep reacting to what’s already happened– the liquid bomb, now you can’t carry liquids. The shoe bomb, now you have to take off your shoes. The underwear bomb, now you have to have a full body scan. They just had the bomb scare in the checked luggage- THAT’s where I would like to see them do more security! I mean, we and our luggage are getting on the same plane- we get a sexual assault pat down but they don’t look twice at our checked luggage? come on!
I want to be safe, but that body scanner creeps me out. Problem is, if I decline it I’ll have somebody feeling my privates. I want to take a stand about privacy, but to do that I have to sacrifice it.
I’m undecided. Flying home tomorrow, we’ll see . . .
They have to do something, I would much rather go thru a screener that to be patted down…and I would feel much safer if everyone was checked.
I will give up that part of my freedom, to insure ever one is safe.
Wow! Really? When you voluntarily give up you personal rights you can’t just change your mind later. You’ll never get them back. What are you really willing to give up for the “illusion” of safety? We Americans are seen as being complacent. But I used to think that if our rights were actually threatened/invaded we would rally and fight for our country/freedom. Now I’m not so sure. It would seem that the real threat to us will be from within our own government as we “willingly” give up our rights in the name of “safety”. How soon will it be before you willingly walk into a “shower” if they guarantee your safety? Where are we going to draw the line?
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Benjamin Franklin
“If you drop a frog in a pot of boiling water, it will of course frantically try to clamber out. But if you place it gently in a pot of tepid water and turn the heat on low, it will float there quite placidly. As the water gradually heats up, the frog will sink into a tranquil stupor, exactly like one of us in a hot bath, and before long, with a smile on its face, it will unresistingly allow itself to be boiled to death.”
I’ve been going through the body scan for a year now, and it doesn’t bother me a bit. I am traveling tomorrow, and I doubt very much that many people will participate in this. Frankly, those that do are most likely closet homosexuals who simply look forward to being groped by a man under the guise of “protest.” Hey, whatever floats your boat, boys. As for me, I’ll use the scanner.
I only wish I were flying tomorrow, I’d eat about 6 pounds of beans tonight and let nature take its course.
Every time you go thru the scanner you increase your chance of cancer in the future,so Melinda and Paul I totally don’t understand why are you risking your health.Michael Chertoff got millions $$$ for lobbying full body scaners,it’s all about money not safety.
I can’t help but feel that TSA has now declared war on US citizens who buy airplane tickets. Folks utilize this wonderful invention of flying to get to their business appointments and family gatherings in a pleasant and reletively quick way. Why then, why must we be treated like common criminals? The elusive terrorist are the ones that have threatened our skies. Everyone else is just a US citizen. We have fought for civil liberties, and freedoms and by gone we should secure those from so called agencies who want to protect our lives. These agencies are not there to secure American’s freedoms or liberties but to make lots and lots of money. I will not give up my rights so that some fat head can have more money. I do not believe that I am now considered a terrorist because I purchased a plane ticket. How disgusting. Would the farmer blow up his barn so that he can get rid of the fox? NO.
Next they will want to look up your a@@ and under your sack!
David – I’m glad to see you’re still on the case.
I predicted this crap last Feb/March on your blog, if you remember.
I will be out at FLL tomorrow with 170 volunteers passing out fliers from
http://DontScan.me
http://OptOutDay.com
We will be sending in 20 people (4 to each of 5 terminals) every hour to leave brochures in bathrooms and other places and talk to people until we get kicked out. No posters or groups of people. Next hour – another 20.
As me and my family will not fly until this madness is gone, it’s the least I can do for the cause.
I’ll take my chances with Al-Queda – It’s the TSA that terrifies me!
Opt-out, I have already emailed and phones all my reps in leg and senate. I have also called all the airlines I usually travel with and told them I am cancelling all air travel and making alternative arrangements. Hit them in the pocket book and all will change very quickly. If not the jihadists win!
If you are not already enraged, read this: http://papersplease.org/wp/mocek/
I do live in Europe and just by thinking about the additional radiation I will receive by flying transatlantic and having a terminal change with additional bodyscan to get to the final destination makes me angry. such as a roundtrip and done several times a year sums up !!!
And why don’t I see the picture, how I will be seen from the TSA ?!? something to hide ?
No – I want to know how much of my privacy is shown !!!
***** I’m waiting for a FLASHMOB which is proud enough to leave ALL CLOTHES in the boxes and walk NUDE through the bodyscanner !!!! *****
additional remark:
it’s disgusting at amercan airports, that shoes are in the same boxes as personal belongings. Imagine you have to place shoes on your kitchen counter top… families with children might place hooding towels or clutching toys there… that’s not hygenical at all !!!!!! I do know several european airports with seperate shoe boxes – that show’s that another procedure is possible….
These full body scanners, not only are a risk to heal as it can damage the human DNA, are also a privacy breach. In these scanners, private parts are very clearly visible. What about rape victims and those of the Muslim religion? Do they have to find another way to fly without being uncomfortable? Why do they put so little faith in their metal detectors? And if they did have to use x-ray technology, which, again, gives off radiation, why not make it completely skeletal instead of showing intimate areas of our bodies?
Please, BOYCOTT THIS!