Are we going to seat back and watch the TSA intimidations? If we are, then I can put it in summary that most likely we are not citizens. At least not loyal citizens, we are just cattle who do not know their rights. The last time I traveled, I swear red never to fly again! The TSA lady comfortably placed her hands on my breasts and when she inquired what was there, my mother broadly explained that it was prosthesis, but the lady insisted that she must have a look at it! It has been confirmed by the doctors that frequent access to the X ray machines causes health problems and sometimes may lead to ulcers as it emits harmful radiation to the body. The X- rays are so powerful such that it should not be used frequently.
The use of X- ray body scanners and invasive pat-down interferes with the privacy of the passengers. Strip searches are being performed without any proper reason and this is being done by the government officials (Lundin). We are not even sure if these people keep this as a secret because the search does not care if a woman is in her menstruation period, or underwent an operation, or have some private disabilities that he or she may not want to share it with other people apart from his or her personal doctor. Recently, a certain pilot felt intimidated after his colleague tossed him that he had a small penis. How did he come to know about the private life of his fellow colleague was the question that was left unanswered. Scanning portrays the real image of a person through the clothing and this can be so detailed to an extend that one can detect the gender of the person being scanned or if he or she has internal marks or if he was once operated. This process has led to the increase of women being groped as they may opt to go through a pat- down.
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During the security search, one ends up losing his personal belongings because you cannot carry all your property in your pocket. The process is too long that you cannot really be sure of the safety of your property. The use of these scanners is not effective anyway. These have been proved by the Israel airport security (McCullagh). It beats my understanding when I see the government investing huge money on these expensive and useless machines. Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International airport has the toughest security in the whole world yet they don't use these expensive machines and useless machines. He has been working in the government offices for several years and there has been no incidence of insecurity yet they do not use scanners but security men (Nate). TSA are using pat down process but this has gone too far. Initially, they were to use the back of their palm when performing the process but this is no longer there as they now use the front part of their arm to touch genitals making the passenger to feel sexually assaulted. This apart from being unconstitutional, it is morally not right. A stranger cannot come and start touching your body including private parts! It makes one uncomfortable and these have led to sexual groping and that is why you will see a politician with someone's wife.The government should come up with alternatives like training the dogs to detect dangerous weapons and not performing pat down. Infact these dogs may detect these weapons faster and they may be more effective than the normal pat down process. Apart from it being effective, it is also economical and cost effective and there may be no chances of intimidations hence once dignity is maintained.The trend in body scanning at the airports has attracted a lot of controversy of late, especially where it involves children. The scanning of underage is contravening the privacy of children, especially young adolescents under the age of 18. According to UK's Protection of Children Act (1978), the creation of images or what others may call pseudo-images of nude children is illegal and may attract some legal actions. Several parents have registered their complaints that their young children are being exposed to not-so-decent experience of being searched, at times without their (parents) knowledge. Although no study has been done to link this kind of exposure to any psychological effect on children, it may have long term negative impact beyond our imagination (Carmichael).
The government should join hands and try and listen to the cry of the people. People have been sexually abused, denied their privacy to an extend that one can never hide his private parts so they are never private anyway. If proper alternative are put in place and at least one is given a chance to choose which method he is free to use, then this will automatically be a forgone case. A passenger being harassed and threatened to pay fines if he does not choose to be scanned or pat down should never appear and the constitution should be there to protect that these government officials adhere to this. Committed individuals should work together to ensure there is a positive change. The ability to change is now and people should not get tired while fighting for their rights to curb this dangerous and invasive technology that has not only denied us our privacy but increased immorality.