Putting the TSA issue into perspective: A much needed reminder.

this article is mostly an expose on 'security theater' as it is currently utilized by the TSA, which is a subject already covered extensively here on ATS. For the purposes of this thread i will be focusing on a portion of the source that deals directly with putting the TSA body scanner issue into proper perspective relative to our current privacy rights issues.

that being said I recommend reading the entire sourced article and discussion on both security theater and privacy rights is encouraged.

In the 21st century world of shrinking personal privacy/space, there are many things that are genuinely scary in a Big Brother doom and gloom sense. Scary in the sense that privacy violations will lead to a loss of control in society and diminished freedom. Things that will leave us as a country open to tyranny if left unchecked and unguarded. In other words, things that make having a TSA clown/actor catch a peek on your pecker look pretty Mickey Mouse in comparison.

You are showing, purposefully and to way more people, plenty more than your junk everyday via Facebook and other social media. Google has lassoed your identity in a way that shames the NSA. What you’re buying, what you’re doing, who your friends are, where you work, how much you make – the list is endless.

And you, friend, have no control over that information. You have an illusion of it, but you do not actually have control. That is not ridiculous; it is actually scary. And making it even more scary is the fact that how it’s controlled, its market, is a whole lot more opaque than the market governing airport security.

The opposition to it comes from a comparative handful of people savvy enough to understand at least some of the machinations of what’s going on. It does actually take some effort. Whereas, “no way some stranger is looking at my d***” takes no effort. Dare I say, the Americans naturally gravitate toward the latter?

SOURCE

"I’m going to take an unpopular position right now and say that, past outrage (about lying) and consternation (about free-market security), I don’t think scans and searches are terribly nefarious."

When some ex-homeland security guy, whose primary allegiance is to another country (as evidenced by his dubious handling of certain Israeli suspects after 9/11), is making millions off of these machines due to a conflict of interest, they are nefarious. When you are being bombarded with radiation without knowing the long term negative health effects, they are nefarious. When the TSA/Corporate Controlled Government can accumulate a database of everyone's junk, they are nefarious.

"You are showing, purposefully and to way more people, plenty more than your junk everyday via Facebook and other social media."

Sorry, I don't use Facebook or social media, since those sites are controlled by the scum of the earth.

"Google has lassoed your identity in a way that shames the NSA. What you’re buying, what you’re doing, who your friends are, where you work, how much you make – the list is endless."

So Google knows that I visited NFL.com, the Weather Channel and a couple of porn sites today. Watch out they're coming to get me! Is Google also bombarding us with radiation, grabbing our junk and taking and retaining nude photos of little kiddies? In addition, I don't have any friends and I don't work, so that takes care of that.

"And you, friend, have no control over that information. You have an illusion of it, but you do not actually have control. That is not ridiculous; it is actually scary."

Spare us the fear mongering pal because you do have control over it. All you have to do is terminate your internet connection if you're so concerned about Google knowing which porn sites you visit.

"We’ve put a great deal of effort into not thinking about scary things, like the wars we are right now waging or that our rivers and coastlines are toxic or that China owns our debt or that we are running out of oil. . . and water!"

Actually, the corrupt Government puts a lot of effort into shielding us from these scary things so we do not get wind of how despicable and treasonous they really are. As for running out of oil, how is that a bad thing? The faster we run out of oil, the faster the planet will cleanse itself and the faster these hideous petroleum corporations go down. As for running out of water, last time I checked water does not run out since it goes through a cyclical pattern of evaporation. Yeah I know, these revelations must be quite a shock to you.

"Instead, we become hysterical about ridiculous, theatrical things, like grainy airport nudes."

This isn't about grainy airport nudes you moronic donkey, it's about Constitutional rights, the same exact concept this once great nation was founded upon.

reply to post by SphinxMontreal


i am going to try to address your response point by point

When some ex-homeland security guy, whose primary allegiance is to another country (as evidenced by his dubious handling of certain Israeli suspects after 9/11), is making millions off of these machines due to a conflict of interest, they are nefarious. When you are being bombarded with radiation without knowing the long term negative health effects, they are nefarious. When the TSA/Corporate Controlled Government can accumulate a database of everyone's junk, they are nefarious.

yes, incestuous financial relationships are a nefarious, but widespread problem within our government economy and society: these scanners are but one example, and the amount of money involved is par for the course for this type of thing. look at california's mostly privatized prison industry for example. yes, the radiation is an issue but we are fairly aware of the side effects. one could point out that McDonalds will probably prove to have a worse overall effect on the general population's overall health in the next ten years than the scanners will (or would, should we be strong enough to get rid of them.) whether or not they are compiling a national database of junk sizes is speculation.

Sorry, I don't use Facebook or social media, since those sites are controlled by the scum of the earth.

Good for you! I happen to agree, and I believe that your point only reinforces the idea that these sites are a larger privacy concern than the airport scanners.

So Google knows that I visited NFL.com, the Weather Channel and a couple of porn sites today. Watch out they're coming to get me! Is Google also bombarding us with radiation, grabbing our junk and taking and retaining nude photos of little kiddies? In addition, I don't have any friends and I don't work, so that takes care of that.

yes google, and by proxy any government entity they give permission to access their files, know what your tastes are, when you sleep, can activate the camera in your computer to take photos of you when you "visit a couple of porn sites" and are key in marketing/selling/profiting off of devices known to give off radiation. i'm sorry you dont have any friends, i will be your friend if you want, and you are extremely lucky to not work and still be able to get to a computer that accesses the internet.

Spare us the fear mongering pal because you do have control over it. All you have to do is terminate your internet connection if you're so concerned about Google knowing which porn sites you visit.

i think you might be addressing the author of the sourced article here, but regardless it must be said that some of us do more important things on the internet than visit porn sites.

Actually, the corrupt Government puts a lot of effort into shielding us from these scary things so we do not get wind of how despicable and treasonous they really are. As for running out of oil, how is that a bad thing? The faster we run out of oil, the faster the planet will cleanse itself and the faster these hideous petroleum corporations go down. As for running out of water, last time I checked water does not run out since it goes through a cyclical pattern of evaporation. Yeah I know, these revelations must be quite a shock to you.

and yet you are on ATS meaning you are impervious to said "government effort shield"? remember this article was written for the whole internet and not just you. as for oil, yeah if civilization survives us running out of oil it will be a blessing. otherwise the leaders of the hideous petroleum orginizations will be among the only ones wealthy enough to survive such a collapse. if the same happens with water, no one survives mankind is over, which apparently makes no difference to you.

This isn't about grainy airport nudes you moronic donkey, it's about Constitutional rights, the same exact concept this once great nation was founded upon.

i know you are but what am i?