Body scanners, More likely not to fly to cruise?

[Retty2Go]

Oh, no offense meant. I was just responding to a post that said the people were running around yelling the sky is falling. You seem to be, like me, more worried about having something fall off the plane and we fall out of the sky as a result than terrorism. I fly maybe a dozen times a year, about 8 of those are long haul. I have seen some things happen that I just sucked up and called adventure.:eek:

 

I fly at least 4 to 5 times a month, and still I'm not concerned with the pat downs. So, call me Chicken Little, but at least I can back up my comments because I DO fly a lot.

 

What scares me more than the pat downs is what I see is terrible maintenance of aircraft. I have to fly Sky West and again the other night, flying home, we had another emergency when the flaps failed to work upon landing. This is the fourth emergency we've had flying these hateful CRJ's in the past 6 weeks.

[Despegue]

As an Airline Captain, I am since very recently the master of an aircraft worth as much as the MS Summit/ Constellation/ Millennium/ Infinity and responsable for the lives of more than 400 passengers and crew, yet I am constantly being treated as a potential terrorist by the various security agencies around the World. I mostly find the TSA to be professional and friendly, especially compared with the Middle East:eek:.

 

That said, it is useless to make us flight-crew remove our belts, shoes etc. confiscate my lipbalm and sanitary-gel as I have just next to me on the flight-deck an big, metal and sharp axe:rolleyes:...

 

The radiation emitted by the full body scanners is far lower than the radiation that one gets from a long-haul flight. That argument is thus totally futile by the way.

 

I agree that profiling is the best way of countering terrorism. That and good intelligence.

[amcco]

I just think it is very interesting that I 'should' worry about a minute amount of radiation from a scanner when I am heading to the Caribbean where I may or may not remember to wear sunscreen after day 3 and when in my everyday life I talk on my cell phone every day. I know we need to be careful of radiation but we also need to live.

 

And a 24 hour drive to Florida is not worth it to me on the risk that I might be the one in how many that needs to go through the full body scanner ;)

[GeorgeL]

I hope that some of you folks viewed Dr. Krauthammer's comments on Fox News this evening.

 

I never miss that show (as well as most other ones on Fox News) and Charles Krauthammer is beyond great. His analysis never fails to amaze me and I read all his commentary in Washington Post ( also appearing in RealClearPolitics).

Here is his latest one on the subject we are discussing.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/18/AR2010111804494.html

[Retty2Go]

Yes, his Faux news analysis never fails to amaze. Now he immortalizes the Joe the Bumpkin Plumber of the Skies and his Junque. Excellent commentary, indeed, and so worthy of our time.

 

I never miss that show (as well as most other ones on Fox News) and Charles Krauthammer is beyond great. His analysis never fails to amaze me and I read all his commentary in Washington Post ( also appearing in RealClearPolitics).

Here is his latest one on the subject we are discussing.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/18/AR2010111804494.html

[JeaFlo]

If on September 10, 2001 some one told you that you would have to remove your shoes, give up the beverage you are carrying, stop bringing toiletries on the plane, remove your belt get xrayed and allow yourself your spouse your children and wheel chair bound parents to be groped and probed by government employees without any respect or care about your feelings teachings whatever you would have laughed. Now remember the muslim terrorist who last year tried to murder the Saudi prince with a bomb shoved up his anus...well how long do you think it will be before these TSA people will decide they have to randomly do a cavity search..remember you also would have said impossible to everything they are doing today on 9-10-2001.

 

So now where do you want to draw the line....what has the TSA really prevented....your / our rights are disappearing.

 

You are now saying it is ok for government people to grab an inspect your genitals and breasts...you are now pretty much degraded and willing to let them do as they please with your body in the name of safety but where did your freedom and self respect go.....what is that TSA persons qualifications, are they secret pedophiles who just love playing with your kids!

 

You decide its your call what you are willing to give up

[J & G]

Can't tell everyone else what they should do, but as for me, I will go through the scanner, hold my arms over my head, let the TSA agent check out my old, wrinkled body and be grateful to live in this great country where personal safety, human life, and individual freedom are valued and where a debate like this is possible! God bless America!

[GeorgeL]

I never miss that show (as well as most other ones on Fox News) and Charles Krauthammer is beyond great. His analysis never fails to amaze me and I read all his commentary in Washington Post ( also appearing in RealClearPolitics).

Here is his latest one on the subject we are discussing.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/18/AR2010111804494.html

 

Yes, his Faux news analysis never fails to amaze. Now he immortalizes the Joe the Bumpkin Plumber of the Skies and his Junque. Excellent commentary, indeed, and so worthy of our time.

 

I am very happy that you agree with me. :)

[NnJ2010]

It won't prevent me from flying as my job requires it. So im sol unless I wish to change my career, something I truly enjoy, because the idiots in washington have zero respect for individual rights and privacy. And too many people are cowering under their beds thinking Muslims are going to kill us all and sharia law will start any day so.... We'll just do whatever the govt tells us we need to do in order to be safe.

 

So I'll opt for someone feeling me up rather than scanning and storing and circulating images and going through even more unnecessary radiation. Remember the somewhat recent revelation that ooops ct scans might be an issue. I've had a few of those too back when they were safe. So no I dont feel the need to subject myself to more when it's completely unnecessary

[NnJ2010]

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/80beats/2010/11/17/whats-the-real-radiation-risk-of-the-tsas-full-body-x-ray-scans/

[pspercy]

it's a small price to pay for ensuring flight safety.

 

Except it does nothing of the sort.

 

Are you seriously suggesting that the US profile

 

Yes, why not ? It's just common sense. Plenty of other countries do it already.

[Spectax]

Can't tell everyone else what they should do, but as for me, I will go through the scanner, hold my arms over my head, let the TSA agent check out my old, wrinkled body and be grateful to live in this great country where personal safety, human life, and individual freedom are valued and where a debate like this is possible! God bless America!

 

I agree completely. I'm astounded by the paranoia & myopia surrounding the body scanners and the TSA in general. I don't like the prostate exam when I get my physical. It's uncomfortable and embarrassing, but I endure it simply because it may save my life.

 

The measures TSA takes are not perfect and they will never stop every conceivable plot that a bunch of nihilistic fanatics can dream up. But even though this is a difficult FACT for many people to accept, the security measures are a deterrent. Even with all their flaws & imperfections, they have saved lives simply by being in place. I'm flying in 3 days and will graciously cooperate, as well as thank the TSA personnel for doing their best in a difficult & thankless job.

 

Incidentally, I also think we should ADD profiling to the current measures as a means to further enhance their effectiveness. But I fear that it will require more tragedies before we take the next common-sense step.

[CoachT]

This blog has a great amount of thought into the security theater.

 

http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2010/11/tsa_backscatter.html

[derf5585]

Who is "WE?" Why should everyone but "we" be subjected to extra scrutiny, while "we" just walk on board? Call me an "ACLU type" but this is still the United States, and the last time I checked, we are all afforded equal liberty.

 

Maybe the ACLU should start a branch in Israel.

Why is the ACLU so powerful in the US?

[JeaFlo]

From what I am reading it appears all the excuses and the crying you are hiding under your bed worrying about the muslims taking over and putting sheria law in place (maybe you should look at once Great Britain..sheria law is allowed there now in certain cases. Or my job requires me to fly...or it is for our safety (big brother gov't) is only trying to protect us.

 

Guess on September 10 2001 most would have said, go ahead ignore our liberties and our self respect do to us as you wish you know best.

 

Farewell Freedom you are no longer desired here in the United States of America. What a slap in the face to all those who died as well as those still living who fought for our individual liberties.

[Giorgi-one]

I see some people are against screening of any type because the TSA has not "caught anyone". They must be kidding or they forgot to say no to drugs. Stop screening at airports tomorrow and planes will start falling out of the sky like fireworks. It's like saying that all the money we spent on developing nuclear weapons was a waste of resources because the Russians never attacked us. Duh! Maybe the fact that we had 50,000 nuclear weapons had something to do with not being attacked. Maybe the fact that everyone is searched at an airport has something to do with the fact that terrorists have not hijacked or bombed any planes. Terrorists keep finding new ways to hide explosives or the materials to make the explosive on the plane. Improved technology is required to keep us safe. By the way, I think that most of the terrorist attempts that we have foiled to date are just decoys to make us think that we know what we are doing. Most have been way too simple-minded and the people involved have been totally inept. They are working on something really big and I just hope that our intelligence community is not being lulled into a false sense of security.

 

Back to flying. As far as I am concerned, you cannot have enough security at airports. Once you step on that plane you are totally helpless. They can xray, pat me down and strip search me if they want. As long as they do it to everyone else. I know I am not a terrorist but I do not trust anyone else. Profiling is a great idea in a homogeneous society but will not work in America. Half of the people on airplanes look like foreigners and the terrorists are recruting Americans - even lilly white Americans. Everybody is a suspect and everybody needs to be checked. No need to check out pilots since they are driving the plane and can do anything they want anyhow. However, the rest of the flight crew are also suspects. When they stop the strict security measures at airports, I will stop flying.

[RKD]

What choice do we have from where we live? (Iowa) Driving would be a long ways! (Although we have driven that distance many times for a vacation, but not for a cruise)

I went through the whole "pat down" in Vancouver a couple years ago when my belt set off the alarm. Instead of letting me take it off, I got the full treatment. They felt my bra underwire,etc., my waistband and below and whatever else. Didn't find a thing!:D;)

Guess we don't have a choice if we want to travel. Don't know if it really keeps us any safer, though!!! I would rather have the scan than the pat down though! Keep your #^@$*&$ hands off me!!!!! :(:mad::eek:

[philipsw285]

I wish that they could have two queues at the airport; one for those who almost never fly and one for those who have flown often. let the people who know what they are doing get through security quickly by being prepared, and the people who take 10 minutes to get their shoes off and put everything on the belt can go to the other lines.

 

I haven't been to the us yet im looking to do a TA from miami in april 2012.

The uk is just as bad i get dressed in the right flat shoes or trainer trousers with no belt and a fleece i can put my wallet change an passport in. Once in line i get my laptop out and take my fleece of through the scanners in no time with no bleeps and end up going past the people who arn't prepared. But i do wish they would have some way of separating the prepared and unprepared....

[Room Service!]

Pat me, scan me! Whatever it takes.

[TMLAalum]

It's my understanding that if one refuses the see-thru-all x-ray, then the invasive exterior body handling is mandatory. If this is the case, couldn't terrorists plant explosives in their body cavities, refuse the x-ray, go thru the rub-down and still not be discovered?

 

These new procedures offer no greater peace of mind to me. I'm just grateful that if I'm selected for a more intensive search after going thru the body scan that I'm too old for Kotex/Tampax and too young for Depends...

[momoftwinteens]

When an agent of the TSA, the government, subjects a three year old to this:

 

 

I call out someone who works for the TSA to say ENOUGH is ENOUGH. If you don't I hold those people in just as much contempt as I did for the citizens of Munich who let the attrocities at Dachau occur right under their nose and did nothing to stop it. At least you won't be executed if someone working for the TSA says this is going too far.

 

Think about this thought: I cannot find one single instance where the TSA has actually stopped anyone at any airport screening station who was attempting to board a flight with the intent of harming the flight or any person on the flight. All of the metal detectors, all of the groping, all of the full body scanners ... and throughout all this the TSA has never stopped one single terrorist at any screening station at any airport in the United States. Now you may say ... and accurately so ... that the very presence of the TSA has kept the MUSLIM terrorists away .. and you are undoubtedly right. But if that's the case, and if the screening procedures used thus far were doing that job ... why the sudden intensification? Why the groping? Why the hands in the pants?

 

Most of the people who are not outraged are those who it does not affect..the DAM people. When it does start with shopping malls, grocery stores and to this extent...more will step up and say NO!

First of all, I have had to pat down infants before. Before you go off on me, even in my little home town, drug runners have loaded their babies diapers with drugs to escape detection. If they will do that with drugs, what's to stop a terrorist from doing the same with some c-4? Remember those liquid explosive terrorists? Some of them had their wives and children with them. They were perfectly willing to sacrafice their families for their goal! As for patting down old people, you don't get the briefings I do. You don't know what you are talking about or you would never leave your house! There have been several instances of elderly people being taken advantage of by their travel companions and being caught trying to bring MAJOR dangerous things through checkpoints! I cannot and will not go into detail but, you have a computer. Use it. Look up the Russian widows, middle age and graying who blew up 2 Russian airliners a few years back. They hardly look like middle eastern young men but look how many people they killed!!! You armchair generals sit back and complain about what we do and don't give any concrete realistic solutions. You would be the first to point a finger if a plane fell out of the sky! BTW, I hold you in as much contempt as you seem to hold me. You only know what you see and make snap judgements on something you really know very little of. Thanks for your support!

[estofon]

"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."

[Spanky My]

If you do not like the rules set forth to fly which is not a right it is a CHOICE, Dont do it! Then those that are complaining about folks attempting to keep all folks safe while flying can have some other cause to complain about!!!

[librarylady19]

I wish that they could have two queues at the airport; one for those who almost never fly and one for those who have flown often. let the people who know what they are doing get through security quickly by being prepared, and the people who take 10 minutes to get their shoes off and put everything on the belt can go to the other lines.

Actually, they do at Midway in Chicago. Not sure what they call it, maybe frequent travelers or business travelers. I'm sure they appreciate not getting stuck behind the family with 2 kids in strollers, etc....

[Giorgi-one]

First of all, I have had to pat down infants before. Before you go off on me, even in my little home town, drug runners have loaded their babies diapers with drugs to escape detection. If they will do that with drugs, what's to stop a terrorist from doing the same with some c-4? Remember those liquid explosive terrorists? Some of them had their wives and children with them. They were perfectly willing to sacrafice their families for their goal! As for patting down old people, you don't get the briefings I do. You don't know what you are talking about or you would never leave your house! There have been several instances of elderly people being taken advantage of by their travel companions and being caught trying to bring MAJOR dangerous things through checkpoints! I cannot and will not go into detail but, you have a computer. Use it. Look up the Russian widows, middle age and graying who blew up 2 Russian airliners a few years back. They hardly look like middle eastern young men but look how many people they killed!!! You armchair generals sit back and complain about what we do and don't give any concrete realistic solutions. You would be the first to point a finger if a plane fell out of the sky! BTW, I hold you in as much contempt as you seem to hold me. You only know what you see and make snap judgements on something you really know very little of. Thanks for your support!

 

Totally agre with you!