airport security
the primary screening method at most airports in the country now is a new machine which renders a 3d image of your naked body through your clothes. it’s being met with criticism for concerns over privacy and health alike. you have the option to opt out of being put through it, but the only alternative is a physical “pat down”. the procedure for this is described as follows:
“We are going to be doing a standard pat down on you today, using my hands and going like this on your body. Also, we’re going to be doing a groin check. That means I’m going to place my hand on your hip, my other hand on your inner thigh, slowly go up, and slide down. We are going to do that two times in the front and two times in the back.”
the passenger who recorded the above was then told if he wouldn’t choose between the naked body scan or essentially being molested, he would not be allowed to fly. he decided against flying, and is now being threatened with a $10,000 lawsuit for not completing the security check. you can read this full account of what happened that day here.
the question here is whether the practice itself - being forced to choose between one stranger seeing you naked or another slowly groping you multiple times - is ethical or even constitutional. for perspective: would you consider it appropriate for these full-body image scans to be used on little girls - producing their naked images for some guy to see? how about a slow groin rub, “two times in the front and two times in the back”? it is invasive and excessive to do to them, for the same reason that it is invasive and excessive to do to anybody.
to think, just a few years ago it seemed ridiculous that we had to take our shoes off. now, people all across the country that never read “1984” are willing to justify anything in exchange for safety.
you can sign a petition at flywithdignity.org.
please pass this along.
