As a nation, we have always had a strong sense that privacy rights are a fundamental part of living in a free society, and although there is no explicit right to privacy in the constitution, it is certainly implicit, with numerous amendments being focused on exactly how far your right to privacy extends.
Throughout most of the last century, we have continually expanded these rights as technological advancements have required it. Photography, film, print, the internet: all examples of technological frontiers which have forced us to reexamine our commitments to individual privacy and until recently, we have almost always chosen to protect an individual’s right to control their identity. We’ve worked hard to protect these rights until now.
What is the most fundamental right a citizen has? It’s simple: It’s the right to live in the country in which they have citizenship. So basically, if you are a citizen of the United States you cannot be denied reentry in to the country. You might say that the second most important right a citizen has is to move about freely within their country. And yet, we have continually placed barriers restricting free travel in the United States, most recently and egregiously in the form of “naked” body scanners.
Government agents (and intellectually bankrupt reporters) describe the picture as a “silhouette” of a passenger’s body. If you’ve never seen the pictures, you might be a bit surprised at how much they really show. They don’t leave much to the imagination.
The airways are publicly owned, like radio waves. The government simply regulates it. I don’t seem to remember giving up my right not to be strip searched while traveling in my own country. Strip searches are only legal in cases where there is a reasonable suspicion that a person is carrying a weapon. Have we surrendered all due process rights in pursuit of an enemy that since 9-11, has had virtually no success?
You may have heard that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is in the process of stepping up the aggressiveness of it’s “pat down” procedures which are an alternative to the scanners. Don’t be fooled though. They’re trying to make the “opt out” option as uncomfortable as possible so you’ll be more willing to use the scanners. In addition to being an affront to a person’s right to privacy, the scanners also unload a questionable amount of radiation.
UPDATE: 3-15-11, TSA To Retest Body Scanners, Emitting 10x Higher Radiation Than Expected, TSA said last November, “You would have to go through scanners more than 1,000 times in one year to even meet the maximum recommended level — and even pilots don’t do that.”
UPDATE: 5-20-11, Scientists in Open Letter To America: There were no conclusive tests done on radiation exposure from the machines. Test that were done were not done with the actual machines used in airports, but rather were conducted with spare parts. Furthermore, there was no peer review on the findings. Even the names of the researchers who conducted the tests at Rapidscan have been kept secret. We don’t even know if the study was conducted by real scientists.
Don’t fly often? Well don’t think the government will limit the use of these machines here. After all, aren’t all government buildings at risk? Museums? Schools? Where does it end? The government’s successful implementation of these scanners here will crack a door open to where they can be used virtually anywhere else.
We’re talking about one of our most fundamental rights being taken away right in front of us and most Americans don’t even understand the severity of the issue.
Further Reading:
Drudge Report Headline: The Terrorist Have Won!
Senate To Hold Meeting
Washington Post Readers Tell Their Stories, TSA Shows Complete Disrespect for the Disabled
