This video is here to demonstrate that the TSA’s insistence that the nude body scanner program is effective and necessary is nothing but a fraud, just like their claims that the program is safe (radiation what?) and non-invasive (nude pictures who?). The scanners are now effectively worthless, as anyone can beat them with virtually no effort. The TSA has been provided this video in advance of it being made public to give them an opportunity to turn off the scanners and revert to the metal detectors. I personally believe they now have no choice but to turn them off.
Please share this video with your family, friends, and most importantly, elected officials in federal government. Make sure they understand that your vote is contingent on them fixing the abuse that 200,000 passengers face from the TSA on a daily basis.
My legal battle against the TSA’s nude body scanner and pat-down molestation program continues in court, soon with a petition to the U.S. Supreme Court. If you’d like to donate to this effort, send PayPal to: jon [at] fourtentech.com
I’d like to thank:
Travel Underground – http://www.travelunderground.org/
Freedom to Travel USA – http://fttusa.org/
Legislators who have stood up to the TSA – especially Dr. Ron Paul & Sen. Rand Paul
…and all those who have both publicly and privately stood up to the TSA.
Add me on Twitter: @tsaoutourpants (no “of”)
Transcript:
I’m publishing this video because I want the world to know how much danger the American Transportation Security Administration is putting all us all in with their haste to deploy the expensive, invasive nude body scanner program. When the machines came out, we were told that the invasion on our privacy, doses of radiation, and trashing of our Constitution were necessary because the old metal detectors weren’t good enough. That “non-metallic explosives” were a threat, even though no one has boarded a plane in the US with any type of explosive in nearly 40 years. But while America was testing these devices, Rafi Sela, who ran security for Ben Gurion airport in Israel, which is known for being one of the most secure airports in the world, was quoted saying he could “overcome the body scanners with enough explosives to take down a Boeing 747,” and Ben Gurion therefore refused to buy scanners. The US ignored this warning, and Mr. Sela never publicly explained his statement. But it stuck with me.
As a scientist, engineer, and frequent traveler, as well as the first person to sue the TSA when they rolled out the scanners as primary in Nov. 2010, I studied and learned about both kinds of scanners currently in use by the TSA. Here are several images produced by TSA nude body scanners. You’ll see that the search victim is drawn with light colors and placed on a black background in both images. In these samples, the individuals are concealing metallic objects that you can see as a black shape on their light figure. Again that’s light figure, black background, and BLACK threat items. Yes that’s right, if you have a metallic object on your side, it will be the same color as the background and therefore completely invisible to both visual and automated inspection.
It can’t possibly be that easy to beat the TSA’s billion dollar fleet of nude body scanners, right? The TSA can’t be that stupid, can they?
Unfortunately, they can, and they are. To put it to the test, I bought a sewing kit from the dollar store, broke out my 8th grade home ec skills, and sewed a pocket directly on the side of a shirt. Then I took a random metallic object, in this case a heavy metal carrying case that would easily alarm any of the “old” metal detectors, and walked through a backscatter x-ray at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. On video, of course. While I’m not about to win any videography awards for my hidden camera footage, you can watch as I walk through the security line with the metal object in my new side pocket. My camera gets placed on the conveyer belt and goes through its own x-ray, and when it comes out, I’m through, and the object never left my pocket.
Maybe a fluke? Ok, let’s try again at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport through one of the TSA’s newest machines: a millimeter wave scanner with automated threat detection built-in. With the metallic object in my side pocket, I enter the security line, my device goes through its own x-ray, I pass through, and exit with the object without any complaints from the TSA.
While I carried the metal case empty, by one with mal-intent, it could easily have been filled with razor blades, explosives, or one of Charlie Sheen’s infamous 7 gram rocks of cocaine. With a bigger pocket, perhaps sewn on the inside of the shirt, even a firearm could get through. It’s important to note that any metal object of any size can use this technique. …and I don’t urge you to try to bring contraband through security, as the nude body scanners often have false positives: so while the metal on your side might get through, a button on your shirt or a sweaty armpit might “look suspicious” and earn you a pat down anyway.
Now, I’m sure the TSA will accuse me of aiding the terrorists by releasing this video, but it’s beyond belief that the terrorists haven’t already figured this out and are already plotting to use this against us. It’s also beyond belief that the TSA did not already know everything I just told you, and arrogantly decided to disregard our safety: anything to force Americans to give up our liberty to the federal government and our tax dollars to companies that are in bed with that government. The nude body scanner program is nothing but a giant fraud, which should come as no surprise after the Fast & Furious scandal that sent thousands of guns to Mexican drug cartels and cost a Customs and Border Patrol agent his life. THIS is a disgrace. So let’s fix this problem — now — before the terrorists take this opportunity to hurt us: the TSA must immediately end the nude body scanner program, and return to the tried-and-true metal detectors that actually work, and work without invading our privacy, as well as implement better solutions for non-metallic explosives, such as bomb-sniffing dogs and trace detection machines.
The TSA is worse than ineffective: they are an epic fail placing us all in danger. Beyond the scanners, Demand of your legislators and presidential candidates that they get rid of this $8B a year waste known as the TSA and privatize airport security. Ask for their commitment to our rights in exchange for your vote. And no matter which party is in the White House or holds on to Capital Hill, the issue of ending TSA abuse is of interest to all Americans; it’s NOT a partisan issue. We must all stand together and demand an end to the organization that molests our families while placing us in danger by directly ignoring blatant security flaws.
Thank you.
Professional Troublemaker ® 
thank you so much for being so creative and dilligent as to do this!!!! i hope it makes people rethink a blind trust in this inherently flawed system.
ya know what pal, you can complain about TSA all you want. However, there was a picture produced of the twin towers that had the faces of everybody that lost their life. i bet they would be glad to go threw the so called invasive pat downs every day for the rest of their life.
Are you trying to miss the point of what he did?
He exposed a major flaw in the screening process.
I imagine many of those people would be grateful for someone pointing it out so better, more effective methods could be used.
Dude your a pussy
your an extreme pussy if your bitching about getting patted down
No bigger of a pussy than people like you so afraid of getting on a plane you beg government agents to rub your balls.
¡Excelente trabajo: ahora todos saben como burlar los controles! Solo que, en vez de perder el tiempo en demostrar el error, DEBIO HABER AYUDADO A SUBSANARLO, y de esta forma cooperar con la seguridad de todos. Lastima de esfuerzo, y de articulo para publicitarlo….y encima se muestra pudoroso por lo “invasivo” del proceso!!!
It seems that privatizing is actually the problem in this situation, if political elites are able to capitalize by selling airport security to their financiers. Fine activism though
Because there may not be video at those checkpoints? He stated that he is a scientist. So he sets up a “experiment” using one “hidden” camera that covers the inside of a x-ray machine. You can go ahead and fill his PayPal account, I want real proof.
Maybe you haven’t been paying attention.
There is video surveillance at every single checkpoint at every single airport in the entire US. If TSA wants to prove he didn’t go through as advertised, all they’d have to do is release the video. They won’t. That’s interesting.
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How about we stop trying to make a bigger deal out of this than it is and just have the TSA do side profile scans in addition to the front and back ones?
Here’s a better idea: how’s about TSA get a system that actually works as advertised?
Your idealism is blinding you! These security precautions have their basic merit in that, yes, there are valid threats to be monitored 24/7, but the real truth is that corporations, and companies, are grossing, didn’t you say the scanners alone cost us billions, well, that’s where the truth is! Billions of dollars = government + the blessed rich corporations, and manufactures, are in bed together. Does it matter if the machines work or not? Hell no, the bidders already got paid thank you very much… The same is true for the war against terror. Yes it does exist and we need to say alert, but the troops alone need underwear, uniforms, socks, boots, helmets, bullet proof vests, weapons, transportation, communication equipment, food, shelter, etc, for ‘each & every’ troop. At it’s peak there were over 150,000 troops in Iraq alone. Hello! That’s a lot of STUFF! Somebody has to make and provide all that STUFF, and get the STUFFover there, and that doesn’t even include 165,000 contractors STUFF. Don’t you see where I’m going with this? Can you say ‘no-bid’ Haliburton for one of hundreds, if not thousands, who are making more money than God to keep us safe? In today’s world, “It’s all about the f’in money!”
We don’t really know. The new scanners rotate around the body rather than just scan the front and back. So much for hiding something.
Did anyone stop to think how this guy is playing you? Go ahead all you emotional people; keep responding to this guy.
The new scanners do not rotate “around” the body. I know it’s really impressive to watch those big arms swing back and forth, but have you noticed that they ONLY sweep across the front and back? They don’t go around to the sides at all. Which means the sides are totally missed. Completely. Not seen. At.All.
Looks like you just don’t understand.
A) Hundreds of the old flat blue walls scanners are being used this very minute.
B) The trick works on the new scanners also; Jonathan demonstrated that in his video. The arm that swings around doesn’t make a full circle.
You had me until you said “epic fail.” Stop it. Even if this is possibly a valid use of the words “epic failure” you’re only perpetuating this stupid catchphrase.
Down south they call government contracts “rich man’s welfare”. Follow the money.
The people arguing for the TSA, I would bet, are union sympathizers. Same type of cover ups and arguments for everything they are involved in. You can’t fire them and they don’t work hard. Not in every case, but the lion’s share.
Reblogged this on thepursuitofsomething and commented:
wow!
I understand what you are saying, but a lot if not all of that stuff was manufactured by Americans. Americans were paid to make that stuff. But enough is enough. Our borders are wide open and we are trying to bring our way of government to a culture that doesnt want it. They existed for thousands of years just fine. Protect our nation first.
He had to put his camera away just to pass through security, so how do we know for a fact if TSA did tell him to empty everything out of his pockets? We don’t know because his camera wasnt with him. Let’s not forget that 9/11 happened when TSA was not yet employed…it happened when the airports hired private security, who let everything that would kill somebody during the security process. Why would anybody want to jeopardized thousands of people’s lives by posting their own creative images of what they really think the back scatter looks like? Does he work for Al Queda? He reminds me of the news who loves to give they’re own news of control. If he doesn’t like the way how people are becoming more crazy and how the gov’t is spending the money, then he needs to move. I have other things to complain about like the cost food in the grocery stores going up, the gas prices going up, and the cost of living has not gone up enough to pay for the best orange juice. Or how the foreingers who come to this country can jump on welfare or any-other gov’t assistance, they get automatically get it with few questions asked about why the husband is sitting next to her? And what does he do for a living? This guy needs a new hobby. He forgot to mention that the gov’t is a large agency that loves to keep secrets. So who is he to say what TSA or what anybody has found? I do not work for TSA but I do know someone who did die in 9/11 and for this country, so if the gov’t wants to keep they’re secrets then they can do so. They have been doing this for years. I’m black and I know a lot of black people who rather go through the TSA process than to have they’re lives taken by some foreign terroistst or even by some home grown terrorists. If the terroritsts really wanted to do something then they can take out the airport before they even get to the security process. Oh wait someone already shot up the LAX airport a couple of years ago; and the shooter didnt even have to makeit through the TSA screening process. In my opinion the guy who created this is a fool without a cause who has nothing to do but jeopardize millions of the traveling public. I’m a frequent traveller and I have no issues staying alive to see another days and spend time with my family.
The point is that the TSA scanners DO NOT PROTECT US and the government knows this. Government officials have private investments in the scanners – they make money from them. Scanners are a rip-off of tax payer dollars and make us LESS safe.
The student offers alternative security measures that neither violate our civil rights nor expose us to cancer causing radiation.
Kim, we’re losing our Constitutional rights. Not being any safer than before TSA is almost secondary. The TSA is just one of many infringements that cannot be tolerated. Freedom to travel is a hallmark of American freedom. To expand a bit more, the supreme irony is that Bush II, in spite of spending, at that point, the largest amount for “defense,” a large portion of which was, and is, spent on military adventurism (meaning we go around the world pissing people off), and in spite of all manner of intelligence noise indicating that something was imminent…IN SPITE OF ALL THIS, BUSH II failed in his oath to preserve, protect and defend our Constitution and our citizens, when he failed to protect 3,000 NYC citizens on 9-11. Perhaps if he had focused more on defending our country, instead of maintaining military bases around the world, those people might still be alive.
Another point: I’m not afraid of any terrorists, but the terrorists ought properly be afraid of some well-armed, angry Americans. In any real contest, they will lose, and they know it.
We need to restore our Constitution, and roll back all this Progressive crap. It’s a cover for transitioning to Marx’s end state, communism, which doesn’t work.
How long do you think the 9-11 terrorists would have lasted if a few well armed citizens had been on those airplanes?
Kim, the 9/11 terrorists used box cutters which were NOT illegal to carry on an airplane at that time. The private security screeners did their jobs. The TSA is an abortion; just go through any major airport and see how many of them are standing around chit chatting. Of course our government is busy preventing the last murderous act while the terrorist are busy figuring out how to exploit flaws in the current system.
TSA, THOUSANDS STANDING AROUND, The pilots call them THUGS STANDING AROUND or
Tits
Scrotum
Ass
Kim, I am tired of this argument of ‘if you don’t like it here anymore – move’? What happened to our right to free political speech? The whole point of the freedom of speech is to enable changes. Plenty of derogatory adjectives run through my head, but I don’t know you – thus I will refrain. You may be a very nice person, who simply sees the world a lot differently than many other people. This does not mean that I should ask you to move.
Totally agree! To where do we move when there’s no where free left to move to. Freedom needs protecting everywhere!
way to miss the point, you fucking idiot. Thanks for putting your ignorance on display for us all. You’re the same kind of moron who says, “Why do are you worried about laws like the patriot act? It’s not a big deal if you have nothing to hide.”
I’m sorry, how did this become a race issue? What does you being black have to do with anything? Most of the other flaws in your statement have been pointed out, but your race has nothing to do with this, it didn’t bear mentioning and it doesn’t in any way validate anything that you’ve said. Race is immaterial here, you’re an American and should be concerned with the preservation of your constitutional rights, and be willing to vote out those who want to violate them. If you don’t like the rights you have here, perhaps it is in your best interest to leave. In truth your chances of dying in a terror attack are very very low, but the chances the government will take away your rights is great, in fact it’s a recurring theme throughout history worldwide.
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”
HI, I was just reading the coments and thinking people just don’t get it. We aren’t any safer. Then I read your response.
And then I read your post….I thought someone who gets it… Now I hope we aren’t alone… I do believe the government is taking our rights away everyday..
Hi, well you obviously don’t travel often, I travel a lot and I always opt out because those scanners are not good for your health, they weaken the immune system and make you more open to cancer and other disease. Not to mention that you should not be forced to be radiated or have radio waves smashed into your body at such a rate. Anyways, the TSA agent just yesterday felt my crotch, yes she touched it fully, this is not the first time. I was wearing light cotton shorts and she felt all the way up, all the way, touched my boobs, my butt everything. This is a REAL problem, it’s happening to children too, the guy in the video is not exaggerating, this is all about taking our freedoms away and getting people used to being manhandled and pushed around by the govt, it has nothing to do with security and when you see how the TSA people treat you when you OPT OUT, you will understand, they are militant and rude, no human emotion at all, it’s disgusting!
Hi Deanna,
Every time I leave out of the local airport, I get felt of by the TSA. I am 70 years, 5 ft. 2 1/2 and was a flight atendant for 37 years. I have to take anti-hypertensive drugs so frequent urination can be a real problem so I wear sanitary pads. I have NEVER even had a physician feel of me like the last TSA pervert did! Why do we put up with this loss of freedom?
You must still have that Stewardess allure!
TSA SCANNERS and PAT DOWNS are a violation of the U.S. Constitution and will be stopped in its tracks if American Citizens will remind the U.S. GOVERNMENT that they work for the people and not the other way around.
What happened to AMERICAN CITIZENS BALLS?
American Citizens working together can accomplish Anything & EVERYTHING.
Lets get America back prior to 911
Come on America……fight for the U.S. CONSTITUTION & THE BILL OF RIGHTS or there will be no America.
Protest by rallying in the streets, sign petitions, create petitions at change.org, use your social network, CONTACT YOUR CONGRESSMAN, SENATOR etc., etc., etc. ..what ever it takes.
The U.S. Government signed into law something Americans think is wrong………..you can reverse that law by the above.
American Citizens gave their life and limbs to keep America Safe and Free.
Our forefathers knew the Government would try anyway they could to take away any or all of our rights and that is why they added to the U.S. Constitution, The Bill Of Rights.
But if you do not speak up………..you could soon be living in Nazi Germany right here in America.
Our Government is chipping away at our rights and we all can stop that immediately by the above.
YOU……… ARE………. VERY……….. IMPORTANT……….. AND………. YOU……….. CAN…… MAKE……….. IT………. HAPPEN.
The government uses FEAR to make you comply with their chipping away at The U.S. Constitution & The Bill Of Rights.
Do not allow this to continue.
No matter what they do , they can NEVER keep anyone 100% safe.
You are spot on! This gross violation that supports a few wealthy capitalists profiting on the Bush legacy of a war based economy must come to a stop!
Americans have become so wimpy that they (certain percentage-mostly Faux News viewers) have to be scared into feeling safe. Our formerly free nation is vanishibg by the hour!
[Blog Owner’s Note: SneakyPete is a TSA employee. (IP: 216.81.80.134 , gw-dc2-va.tsa.dhs.gov)]
I wanted to address just a few of what he made sound like factual statements made by this post.
1)”…no one has boarded a plane in the US with any type of explosive in nearly 40 years.”
It took me about ten seconds to find this article:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/07/14/arizona.soldier.explosives/
An army private tried to smuggle some C-4 home and was caught by TSA. While he was not a terrorist and was just trying to transport the explosives, saying that no explosve have EVER been taken on board a commercial flight is suggesting it could never happen, this is misleading.
2)”…’overcome the body scanners with enough explosives to take down a Boeing 747,’ and Ben Gurion therefore refused to buy scanners.”
You have a good point about the easy exploit with the full body scanner. However, suggesting that a weakness in a technology makes it completely useless is not a very good argument. Ask Ben Gurion how much non metallic explosives he could get through a walk through metal detector. By your argument on this point, we should not be using ANY of the security technology we currently are using as they all have some way of defeating them. Is it your position that there should be no screening at all? How many people would want to fly then?
3)”I’m sure the TSA will accuse me of aiding the terrorists by releasing this video, but it’s beyond belief that the terrorists haven’t already figured this out and are already plotting to use this against us.”
You are admitting that there are terrorists actively trying to attack the U.S. in this statement. And in other parts of your post, you imply that walk through metal detectors can’t detect “non-metallic explosives” (which is pretty obvious). So if we have terrorists who are actively trying to figure out ways to attack our aviation industry, what is your solution to finding “non-metallic” threats? All politics and corruption in the government aside, I am sure there are people who are in the field of security who would be interested in exploring any solutions you had to this difficult problem.
That person was caught before they boarded the plane.
Well yes, but the point is just because it didn’t MAKE IT ON TO the plane doesn’t mean that someone didn’t try. Do you see the difference? People have tried, but been caught. That is what SneakyPete says. Now as much as I agree with the original post, it is a misleading way to say things. And I don’t like it when people try to be sly with their wording, even when we’re on the same ‘side.’
1) More specifically, it was a US soldier – a class of traveler for which they are looking to potentially decrease screening (such as leaving shoes on) – and the C4 was found in the carry-on baggage x-ray machine.
2) You are right – metal detectors ARE easily defeated with non-metallic devices and materials.
3) You draw the wrong conclusion though. I think if we got rid of metal detectors on passengers, some people might not fly, but many of us would continue to do so. The CORRECT CONCLUSION is to use LEGAL screening techniques IF they provide a valid security purpose.
The fact that there have been no suicidal airline passengers with working non-metallic bombs in HALF A CENTURY tells me we shouldn’t be too concerned with this vulnerability. In fact, the two failed attempts that you know about since 1997 were MISERABLE FAILURES, despite 5 years of planning, testing, and refinement of a working non-metallic bomb.
I can make an argument for metal detectors as WORKING BOMBS have been most successful with metal components. Of course, most of them are in Cargo bombs, of which we don’t screen 100% of cargo on passenger planes.
So, despite ALL THESE VULNERABILITIES, what is proven is that capable people, who are suicidal, have a track record not worth throwing away our liberties for.
Suicidal airline pilots have killed more people – about 217 on Egypt Air flight out of NYC airport in 1999 or so – than the threat used to justify illegal scanners.
I, for one, am tired of Americans letting their government abuse them so SOME DEAD ROTTING CORPSE IN THE OCEAN can continue to claim victory.
SneakyPete is a TSA employee.
[ SneakyPete (IP: 216.81.80.134 , gw-dc2-va.tsa.dhs.gov) ]
TSA is comprised of federalized rent-a-cops, some of whom are female muslims in complete muslim garb. A practicing muslim woman, devout enough to wear the burkha will follow orders of any male muslim. I don’t know about you folks, but when such a person is doing the initial scan I don’t feel real safe about any possible terrorist coming on board the plane.
Body scans are wrong, searches are wrong. TSA will strip search an honorably discharged US veteran with steel in their bodies from injuries suffered in the service of their country, despite showing official documentation for such metal in their bodies. I waited in one airport with a fellow vietname vet with steel replacing part of his skull, who handed over the federal ID card stating that fact. He was treated like a criminal by a crew of these phoney rentacops until i finally blew up at them. Not one of those clowns had served a day in the military.
You want security on a plane? Allow anyone and everyone with a CCW to carry on a plane. Citizens aren’t constrained by pc-conscious cops, a bad guy pulls a stunt, he dies, end of hijackings.
Is this true? Anyone? Are devout female muslims really compliant with any orders from any muslim male?
Do you really need to ask? No. The above commenter just made that up out of anti-Muslim prejudice and ignorance.
Yes, its in the koran. Read it, then google honor killings.
ridiculous…. what the fck does mentioning a muslim woman in “muslim garb” have anything to do with this? Are you kidding or a complete imbecile…. who the hell told you a practicing muslim woman “will follow orders of any male”…. ORDERS??? wtf is wrong with you. jesus i cant even type out a sensible response for this idiot
If you don’t like the procedures required to get a on a plane, then DON’T FLY. No one is making you get on an airplane. When you decide to fly somewhere you are agreeing to give up certain rights. I would rather go through some uncomfortable procedures and know I am safe than to pander to the litigious.
Except that going through those procedures don’t at all make you safe.
Isn’t it great that you obviously didn’t watch the video and learn that giving up your rights means TSA has put you in even more danger?
Seriously, are people really this stupid?
The government makes people afraid which is the way the U.S. Government wants its citizens to be as that way the citizens will do anything the government wants.
The Government then takes away our rights because the people do not speak up.
You should remind the government that they work for the people and not the other way around…………………by speaking up.
Since 911 the U.S. GOVERNMENT has taken away many of our rights because the people do not protest.
Soon if the people do not speak up we will have Nazi Germany right here in America….look around…….it’s here and more is coming.
Check out the brown shirts of Nazi Germany…………….our government tried a close formula to that here………..the people protested and the government backed down.
On trains you will hear on the loud speaker that the police are permitted to come on the trains and search anyone’s backpack………….HUH? It is now a law and against the U.S. Constitution.
Perhaps soon they will barge into your house, arrest you for no reason………put you on the train to one of those closed military bases Jesse Ventura talks about……………. the ones with the stackable coffins Jesse states are made just for american citizens.
Jesse Ventura’s show was taken off the air I have read so the american citizens would not be aware of what is yet coming to your worse nightmare…………………unless we Americans fight to keep the U.S. Consiitution/The Bill Of Rights in tact by speaking up.
No one can keep anyone safe 100%
TSA scanners, Patdowns etc. are in violation of the U.S.Constitution.
Many millions of Americans have died to keep The U.S. Constitution and the Bill Of Rights In tact.
The U.S. Government is in violation of many laws we American people hold so dear…..the people can get them back ..by protesting.
Here, unfortunately, they are. It’s astounding what a bunch of sheep the American public has become. Brainwashed by a government-corporate cabal that is mad for power and profit. We are heading like a runaway train toward complete corporatocracy, and most of the people have no idea, so they do nothing.
As someone who seldom flies anymore because it is such a hassle, I can’t believe Americans have become such SHEEPLE! In less than 25 years, we will be under a military dictatorship. That propaganda channel, FOX NEWS (FIXED NOISE!) is ruining this country.
These scanners are also being deployed on the streets in mobile trucks.
Are you’re suggesting not using streets too ?
Do you think that is okay?
Under what context is it *constitutional* to subject citizens to scanners on the streets?
If you think you’re safe just because you walk through a machine that sees people naked, you’re an idiot. You DO realize that if someone wants to carry through with a terroristic plot they will find a way. Who’s to say that they haven’t researched and have the perfect idea to use something found in a gift shop? Gimme a break, open your eyes.
Since when did flying on an airplane require us to give up our constitutional rights. I read no such thing in the constitution. In fact the founding fathers of the USA would be rolling over in their graves at this very thought.
Scott, you have to be a Repub! You people are sheeple-you have to be scared into feeling “safe.” You really are a big part of the problem!
The whole video was about how the scanners don’t even work and are easy to get around.
Even with successful terrorists attacks you are more likely to die in a car accident than on an airplane. That was true /before 9-11/. 9-11 was a thing that almost never happens – the TSA and TSOs aren’t evidence that our security is working, nothing has successfully happened yet because it simply isn’t very common for something like that to be pulled off successfully and it never was.
A combination of mental detectors and dogs would be more useful than these scanners.
Metal detectors would prevent a lot of unnecessary pat-downs which would be less traumatic for victims of assault, children, etc. People who have gone through the pat-downs have talked about gripping of the genitals, and some women have been forced to go through that for wearing a pad. (Something a dog would probably never – or almost never – mistaken for an explosive.) This is an infringement of rights that go far beyond sensible safety procedures. The government has looked for excuses to encroach on more and more rights as time goes on, and the current TSA system is just another example about how safety is /not/ the primary factor.
They have talked (even experimented) on doing this for trains, other transportation, and even streets as well. I don’t remember the exact details, but searches/pat-downs were approved to be allowed by the police even if they don’t have any reason to suspect you are carrying anything dangerous or illegal. Are you going to suggest people who are afraid of pat-downs and x-rays never, ever leave their house? Because if so I hope you are as supportive of welfare as you are of the TSA (and heck, the police force) and privacy infringements for ‘safety.’
No one is saying law enforcement and security are bad, they are saying useless/abusive security and law enforcement are bad.
Usually I don’t read post on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very compelled me to check out and do so! Your writing style has been amazed me. Thank you, quite nice post.
Might I remind everyone…….flying on a private airlines (Delta, United, etc.) is your choice and a privilege and not a RIGHT in this country. If you don’t like the security then drive to your location but stop bitching about the TSA. Yes the TSA is a government entity but they are in place to ensure the safety of ALL passengers. They were not put in place just to aggravate YOU personally. Get over it or don’t fly.
On the contrary – if you like to fly, then why would you defend the TSA’s decision to waste security dollars on a very expensive yet trivially defeatable machine? Wouldn’t implementing actual security to replace pretend security be important to you?
HELLO…..TSA is in violation of the U.S. CONSTITUTION
Without the U.S. CONSTITUTION/THE BILL OF RIGHTS………………….THERE IS NO AMERICA
The U.S. Government experiments on its American Citizens and if American Citizens do not protest……………………YOU’RE WORSE NIGHTMARE IS COMING .
One does not need weapons to do any kind of damage…………check out your forensic shows…………….so what’s next…………………amputation?
American Citizens rights are being chipped away little by little because of idiots like you who do not speak up.
Rick, you are part of the problem! You have to be scared into thinking you are safe!
You’re so right Rick. I mean, it isn’t like people have the right to demand improvement from something they pay for! Hah! What a crazy idea. Obviously the TSA has no room for improvement. fucking idiot.
I guess they want to minimize the risks. That must be why even little nail scissors are not allowed in the hand luggage, although those will not cut through cockpit doors either.
The scanners may still be unnecessary, but they do find stuff metal detectors don’t.
I know reading comprehension is hard, so let’s break this down. This post is about why scanners will not keep you safe. Scanners are trivially defeatable. It’s so easy, in fact, to defeat scanners, that you would be more safe if the TSA used only metal detectors which can at least catch some weapons. You see, you are arguing that with scanners you can “know I am safe”, and that is not a true statement. You know, for sure, that if passengers are screened through scanners only then they could have gotten anything at all onto the plane. Why would that make you feel safe?
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well now that TSA knows this, instead of just scanning the front and back they will ask you to place your hand on your head and take a side to side scan. Doesn’t really help your “invasion of privacy” stand. The fact is not that the scanner didn’t detect it but that the background made it difficult to note the object. By taking a side body scan your body is now white and shows the object clearly. Its good that you pointed this flaw out. At least now I’ll feel more safe. Wonder if they’ll post my scans in the next issue of Playgirl? I mean the scans look so much better than a photograph right?
US airport security was NOT private pre-911.
It was a highly government-regulated endeavor, with soft if not hard prohibitions on the kind of profiling that makes Ben Gurion airport security so effective.
The real issue is not scanners vs. no scanners, but profiling vs. no profiling.
Thanks for keeping TSA on their toes and reminding American’s that giving up civil liberties is truly a slippery slope that can lead to situations worse than most of us can imagine. Wake up people and realize what many government officials can achieve through fear tactics. Recently the Republican candidates all but said that if one of them doesn’t get elected so that they can go to war with Iran, they are going to drop a nuclear bomb and kill all of us and our families. Come on!! ANOTHER war to prove American’s are not “pansies”. Take a history class for God’s sake.
Hey nice report. But what you’ve done for the TSA is uncovered a fault. TSA is thanking you. They should pay you. All TSA will do is add side scanner. You only uncovered a fault. They won’t end it. They will only update it. Not that hard
you are a true asshole.
…but I’m fun! 🙂
Great jobs for ex- military and wounded warriors- ONLY! Not a vet, don’t apply!
As a 39 year vet, and cancer patient, I was kept in the secruity room for about 2 hours a few years ago. Radiation that had been injected in the tumor lit up all the scanners when I entered the security area. A doctor’s certificate wasn’t even considered, as “Anyone could have those printed” and urging them to call the hospital concerned by going through the operator instead of using the number on the card only raised the level of instransignance. The agent went through 5 levels of radiation detectors before I convinced him that he couldn’t detect the type of radiation using that type of equipment. when he asked me how I knew, I told him that I had taught Radiation Detection and Evasion in the service. After another 1/2 hour of questions I was allowed on the plane, with NO physical inspection at all. If I hadn’t been a diabetic, with symptoms of sugar problems because of having to miss a breakfast due to the problem, I might have been held longer.
Personally I LIKE the body scanners. I have two metal hips and without the body scanners I have to get patted down EVERY time I travel (I am retired and travel frequently at least once a month). I never feel like my privacy is invaded by the TSA workers. They do their job efficiently and with respect (That is of course unless your main goal that day is to pick a fight with them or otherwise give them a hard time). I treat them with respect and they in return treat me with respect … I say keep the scanners and improve the technique as you go along (works for Apple why shouldn’t it here)
I can respect that for you personally, the body scanners are less invasive. But, the only reason they are “less invasive” is because otherwise the TSA molests you. The TSA set the scheme up this way on purpose as an effort to coax people into their x-ray machines.
We need a solution to aviation security that involves neither digital strip searaches nor genital groping, and while this is totally achievable, it doesn’t involve shiny new toy, so the TSA is not interested.
Well I guess the scanner makers can laugh to the bank..certainly they would have a no return policy..