Backlash Over New Body Scanners

November 15, 2010 11:30 PM

Filed under

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Just say no to flying. That’s the message resonating with a grass roots organization that disapproves of new full body scanners and pat-downs from Transportation Security Administration officials.

Founder of wewontfly.com, James Babb of Philadelphia says TSA officials are taking things too.

And he’s not the only one.

Last week Babb says he had 200 friends and supporters on Facebook, now that number has grown to more than 5,000.

“They’re feeling up old ladies and children and they’re calling it security, but it’s not security,” said Babb.

So how does Babb suggests keeping our airports safe?

“One thing we could do is respect everyone’s right to bear arms,” said Babbs.

“But the short term solution for me and my family is just not to fly,” said Babbs.

The verdict is still out on whether these new security measures are necessary.

“I think it’s for everyone’s safety. I don’t think it’s a bad idea to make sure everyone’s safe on the airplane,” said Patricia Conte of Newtown.

“As unpopular as it is, I think they need to start profiling people somewhat,” said Randall Hemenway of Houston.

The American Civil Liberties Union, along with some New Jersey lawmakers, are calling on federal officials to reconsider some of their security methods.

Most Popular On CBSPhilly.com:

Moms Sue School Over ‘Boobies’-Bracelet Ban

Credit Card Issue Delays Entry To Justin Bieber Concert

NFL Cheerleaders

Deal Of The Day!

Beau

Follow the money. Someone has to be making a ton of money on these scanners. Politicians pockets must be getting deep from lobbyists pushing scanners. TSA uses intrusive pat-down to keep scanners as best choice for security.Something this idiotic must have a money trail of corruption.

MKEgal

“Someone has to be making a ton of money on these scanners”
Michael Chertoff now works & lobbies for one of the (?2) companies that makes these scanners. The other company’s scanner projects any potential contraband onto a person-shaped blob, rather than showing the porno-scan of the person herself.

Willey

The porno-scanners can’t see through human skin, so a terrorist with a bomb up his butt would blow you out of the sky even if he were scanned. Moron.

Sheep like you are the problem.
Just Me

Exactly! The person behind the screen can’t even see you, they are looking for specifics..I think it’s a great idea…and would feel 100% safer flying with 100 people who went thru the scan than 10 people who didn’t.

Angry American

Sheeple like you should not be allowed to call themselves American!
BAAA! BAAA!
Angry American

BAAAA! BAAAAA! Move along!
Nothing to see here!
You, sir, are a fool.

Mike Jones

Our government is bankrupt. Liberty is dead. Just stay where you are. Rome has at least 200 years before it is dead forever.
dave

TSA has always been staffed with incompetent twits….now they attract pervs too.

Zeig Heil, Frau Incompetano!
Mark

What if I like to travel with a banana in my pants? Is that illegal?

Diane

Its not liquid…should be ok LOL

gbjames

Train more bomb sniffing dogs, Do the metal detector thing and then sniff sniff and be done with it.

cudmaster

The funny thing is, many people are more than capable of killing with their hands, and airliner walkways are set up such that there isn’t really any way you can be attacked (effectively) by more than one person at a time.

While there is no scanner for “hand to hand training” these backscatter things should pick up stuff like shivs made of plastic, however I since they are really weak they probably wouldn’t pick up an object hidden in a body cavity, even a metal one, so in some ways they are a step backwards.

I mean I could easily see a terrorist having plastique (with a density close to human tissue it probably would be missed even on a full power x-ray) surgically implanted, perhaps with the detonator disguised as a pacemaker set to go off if his heart stops, and a poison pill to make sure that it does (if that is the intent).

Of course a skilled interview at the terminal would probably pick that guy up where as scanners fail completely.

Ben Franklin

Those willing to give up essential liberties in order to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin
http://borntobepolitical.wordpress.com borntobepolitical

Give Me Liberty Or Give Me Death
Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775.
It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace– but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
Willey

The porno-scanners can’t see through human skin, so a terrorist with a bomb up his butt would blow you out of the sky even if he were scanned. Moron.
Darrel

You sheep who are ok with irradiating your children, and ok with the groping of your children have fun flying. The 50% of us that will boycott flying will kill the airline industry and reduce the flights to anywhere to a pitance of current flights.

Money talks and your BS ….
Nikki

what about Muslim women? I bet they won’t have to submit to either due to their religion. I’m sure one day there will be a huge thing relating to that. And it’s not American’s that are “terrorizing” the air. It’s the Muslims. I don’t care if you don’t like hearing that or not, it’s the truth and if people weren’t afraid to be called racist a lot of problems would be settled.
miker5

The politicos tell us if we don’t keep fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan, that al-Qaeda will take over these countries and turn them into training grounds for terrorists. They would then presumably come here and kill more of us like they did on 9/11. That’s why we have to subject ourselves to assault by the TSA.
A more sensible solution might be to simply stop granting visas to al-Qaeda operatives to come to America in the first place. All nineteen of the 9/11 terrorists and the underwear bomber had government-issued visas. How would they have gotten here without them? Our east and west coasts are protected by vast oceans, and we can protect our north and south by bringing the troops home and stationing them on those borders.
Some concerns with this plan are:
1) How do we know who to refuse visas to?
The answer is anyone that is an Arab Muslim. This will involve some racial and ethnic profiling, which members of some political groups (that aren’t on their way to a war in the Middle East) may find more horrific than war. This moratorium on Arab Muslim visas can be lifted just as soon as the jihad is over.
2) If our troops secure the borders, how will nannies and gardeners from Mexico be able to come to America?
They will have to enter the U.S. legally by filling out an immigration application. This policy change will upset the political groups that fail to understand that there is nothing wrong with Mexico that the Mexicans can’t fix.
3) What about terror cells already in the United States?
Sending more troops to the Middle East won’t get rid of them. Homeland Security will have to do its job.
4) If we pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan, won’t it be taken over by al-Qaeda?
Maybe, but since the President announced our withdrawal timeline, al-Qaeda operatives will just hide in the mountains or get some R&R in Iran until we leave and then take over anyway. We can’t save Iraq and Afghanistan unless we’re prepared to stay there indefinitely, or to neutralize Iran.
5) Americans want Osama bin Laden’s head. What about our revenge?
Give it up. Osama’s head isn’t worth the life of one more American soldier. Besides, the spread of Islam along with its militant faction is a numbers game we can’t win. We should cut our losses now and concentrate on protecting our homeland.

Please consider this politically incorrect but more cost-effective and practical alternative to war, and bring it up with your congressman.
Gone too far……

The picture (on Drudge) of the masked TSA agent ‘patting down’ a Nun is the most offensive thing I think I’ve ever seen in my life. Is the TSA agent a Muslim? Is that why her face is covered? This is beyond surreal. It has gone waaaaay too far.
rain

You folks do realize that the TSA has people leaving pro-TSA comments, right?
“Just Me” is an Idiot

We need to start profiling passengers. Old ladies and children are not and have not been the terrorists. AIT and the TSA (Touch Sexual Appendages) grope-fests are just “security theater.” Neither makes us safer because the real terrorists will either hide contraband in body cavities or they will cite “religious” reasons for not going through the scanners/gropers.
Aunt Bee

Just stop flying unless you have to and tell the airlines that unless they start behaving like civilized humans you will not be using their services.

http://911essentials.com

Jim M

Dear Aunt Bee, It is not the airlines that is behaving this way it is the TSA, your government!

JT

El AL in Israel has security down to a science. We need to use their model. Single out and question those that appear to pose a threat. This country is so caught up in political correctness and not wanting to offend anyone, that we are treating everyone as a criminal. Time for Americans to rise up and take our country back from the TSA and politicians enabling them,.

JohnF

Spot on JT. The Israeli security has specifically said these body scanners DO NOTHING FOR SECURITY and are easily defeated. Body cavities are easily used to hide a bomb, should we submit to cavity searches too? The Israelis have it right!!!
Alexander Moon

This post is right on the nose. TSA and Big Sis are holding every flying American citizen to ransom in the name of political correctness. Start PROFILING .. immediately !!! X-Ray and pat-down ONLY those who obviously might be the threat. Innocents that happen to look like muslims ought to feel privileged while realizing there is a reason.

Cristy

There’s nothing the government would love more than for us to voluntarily surrender our right to travel freely. The answer is to protest and fight these intrusive affronts on our liberty, not to give up and refuse to fly. Despite what many say, it IS our right to be able to travel within our country freely with a reasonable expectation of privacy, and we need to defend that right or it will be taken away quicker than you can say Janet Napolitano.
Jerry Mac

What if your are in a committed gay relationship? Could you request an opposite sex TSA Agent to frisk you?
DON

If I can DRIVE there I WILL NOT fly there. END OF SENTENCE
Tony Johnson

I’d be happy to comply with the TSA invasive searches, as soon as the Congress and all the officials of the TSA and Homeland Security do so. Maybe then they would change this nonsense.
Jim Callicott

I guarantee many people will not fly because of the unreasonable searches!
Marvin

It doesn’t have to be take away my personal libertys or protect me. What we need is more competentant government officals.
Bob

Flying will be like watching a black and white TV, it don’t happen no more.