[ RadSafe ] RE:New Airport X-Rays Scan Bodies, Not Just

[Efforrer at aol.com]

Just my humble 2 cents worth.  First these units have  been available since 
the late 1980's when I worked as an xray unit inspector for  the state of 
Oregon.  Not only was a booth type unit developed but a  handheld unit that law 
enforcement could use to determine if the person they  were approaching was 
carrying a weapon.  The whole privacy issue killed  implementing the use of these 
devices.  Personally when you VOLUNTARILY  choose to fly you waive some of your 
rights to privacy.  Your feelings that  your privacy is somehow being 
violated is secondary to the safety of the other  100 some odd people on the plane.  
When the ACLU prevent those who would  protect us from doing their job they 
make it easier for those who would harm us  to do so.  Imagine if a police 
officer knew that you did not have a weapon  on you when he approached.  Don't you 
suppose it would put the encounter on  a whole different level than one where 
he had to assume you were armed.   Perhaps some of those folks who found 
themselves tasered would not have been had  the officers known they had no weapons. 
 Of course I feel the ACLU and  their brethren who take tools such as 
profiling (common pulling a 72 year old  white gray haired woman with two fake knees 
out of line just so they can say  they aren't profiling is nuts) out of the 
hands of screeners are putting those  who travel at risk.  I guess my point is 
that while I agree we all have a  right to privacy, the level of privacy is 
determined by the activities we choose  to engage in.  If you choose to fly or 
hang out on a street corner in a  high crime area your rights decreased  
substantially.
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