Trust me.

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

2002: An 86 yr. old veteran is held for 45 minutes by several TSA employees while they contemplate "whut is this potenshully dangerous object in his pocket?" - requiring that he remove his belt, hat, and shoes multiple times for the inquiring minds. It turned out to be a Congressional Medal of Honor.
http://www.snopes.com/military/medal.asp

Granted, that incident took place long before the quality, common sense, and level of courtesy TSA employees exhibit today:

2010: TSA pats down a screaming toddler
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfmoms/detail?entry_id=77140

Well damn, AT LEAST we can discard worries about health issues over the x-ray scans:

"If you think of the entire population of, shall we say a billion people per year going through these scanners, it's very likely that some number of those will develop cancer from the radiation from these scanners," said David Brenner (Director of the Center of Radiological Research, Columbia University, professor of radiation biophysics)
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/11/12/body.scanning.radiation/index.html?hpt=T2

To be fair and balanced, Dr. Alexander Garza, the assistant secretary for health affairs and CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER FOR TSA, said he travels often with his wife and three boys and has no fear about putting his family through the airport scanners.

"The risk is so low it's ALMOST negligible," he said.

---

I trust my government to tell the truth. In the 1960s, I was told there was no danger from Agent Orange. Take pictures of my fabulous body; pat me down.

But answer me this, omnipotent protectors: in view of the Madrid railway bombings, why don't we have these scanners at all the AMTRAC stations?

Comments

[retrofire.livejournal.com]

"Airport security has always been compromised by corporate interests. When it comes to high-tech screening methods, the TSA has a dismal record of enriching private corporations with failed technologies, and there are signs that the latest miracle device may just bring more of the same."

It's just a money maker - manufacturers pay lobbyists, lobbyists pay congressman - $25 million gets allocated to the scanner manufacturers - and we are the dupes caught in the middle. It's business as usual.

Last time I was at Newark Airport some passengers had a pass that allowed them to go right through security with no questions asked. It involved pre-screening and cost just under $200 a year.

cha-ching.

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

I assume they were sitting in First Class, not steerage.

[retrofire.livejournal.com]

I don't know what became of them - they were whisked through security and I was left behind with the rest of the rabble taking off our shoes and sweaters, hoping we would not get picked for more intense screening.

I think I would be embarrassed to fly now.

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

I used to worry slightly about the remote possibility of a terrorist on board my flight. Now I dread going through security more than that. I feel like someone trying to quietly walk pass a group of brownshirts - hoping they won't notice me.