TSA to test X-ray vision at airports

The TSA plans on testing new technology in airports around the country, that will allow screeners to see beneath a person's clothing. These new backscatting machines display body parts in detail, including genitalial.

Get ready for electronic portals known as backscatters, expected to be tested at a handful of airports this year, that use X-ray imaging technology to allow a screener to scan a body. And yes, the body image is detailed. Let's not be coy here, ladies and gentlemen:

"Well, you'll see basically everything," said Bill Scannell, a privacy advocate and technology consultant. "It shows nipples. It shows the clear outline of genitals."
Backscatters

I am not sure what other's feelings are on these boards but I do not like this at all. It is bad enough being a woman and going through a intensive pat-down in front of everyone, but what conditions make a strip search acceptable. I understand the need for security, but in my opinion this just goes to far.

Scannell, a privacy advocate, states "They'll be paid to go to a peep show," he said. "They won't even need to bring any change."

I must say, I have to agree.

You'd think a good lock on the pilots door and some undercover security is enough to secure a plane.

What are they trying to stop exactly? People getting hurt or killed on a plane or a plane being flown into a building being used as a bomb?

Since when do people in planes all of a sudden become so important that extreeme measures must be implace to protect their saftey? They'd be more likely to be shot or stabbed on the way to the airport.

In that essence, it's only the pilots, ie. the ones who controll the plane (or bomb as it's now feared) that are the important lives on this vessel. Secure their space and you've secured the planes flight and all this is becomes pointless. Even if terrorsists decided to shoot or stab 50 people on the plane, as long as they can't get into the cockpit then their efforts are in vein and more than likely, not going to bother 'flogging a dead horse'.

Thou, this is a great way to desensitise a public into accepting population control.

Since 9/11 we've seen biometric databasing, new passport and license measures, intrusive security and now full blown loss of privacy just to keep us safe from a threat which is 55 million times less likely to kill you than cancer.

Next they'll be insisting that the only way to protect the skies is to have everyone spend 48 hours in a holding cell without contact to outsiders before flight... just so it's not a shock when the FEMA camps open.





[edit on 27-5-2005 by TheShroudOfMemphis]

Making the cabin airtight, and venting the plane with knockout gas in the event of a terrorist problem would be to difficult i guess...