[ RadSafe ] Airport Body Scanners

[Brennan, Mike (DOH)]

Hi, Franz.

There are several issues that should be kept in mind:

(1)  Air travel is a privilege, not a right.  Part of getting that privilege is helping secure the safety of others who travel with you, by cooperating with reasonable security measures ("reasonable" being subject to change with changing circumstances).  Given that there is an undeniable threat to safety from people who wish to destroy airplanes and kill people, it is incumbent upon any who wish to fly to help thwart them.  This includes things like positively identifying yourself.  It includes having your luggage checked to make sure that no one knowingly or unknowingly brings explosives onto the plane.  It includes, should you be asked, to stand in front of a scanner that can detect things that can get past current systems.  If you can't agree to these things in exchange for flying in an airplane with other people; walk.

(2)  People should get over themselves.  Anyone who is ogle-worthy in the image on one of these scanners will be ogle-worthy while fully dressed, and will be looked at with more appreciation by others in the terminal than by the poor schmuck watching the screens.  These machines make people no more, and no less, naked under their clothes than they were before.  

(3)  People REALLY should get over themselves (I know I said it once, but it deserves repeating).  Yes, clothes serve several useful purposes in a variety of situations, but so what?  That doesn't make them holy.  Indeed, if you read Genesis, the sin wasn't nakedness, but feeling compelled to do something about it when it wasn't necessary (I recognize that this is not the most popular interpretation, just the most reasonable one).  

As members of the rad community, I believe that our message should be clear:  The risk from these scanners is non-existent, especially when compared to the risk posed by people smuggling things onto airplanes.  The conditions that make this so will likely pertain for some time, so live with it.   

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Franz Schönhofer
Sent: Sunday, March 07, 2010 11:50 AM
To: 'Franz Schönhofer'; HOWARD.LONG at comcast.net; 'Ed Hiserodt'
Cc: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Airport Body Scanners

RADSAFERs,

I want to add for clarification, that I am by far not afraid of any
radiation exposure (why should I!), but I oppose the trend to cut down the
privacy of people by forcing them to parade "naked" in front of some
whatever persons and however these pictures deleted later on. This is
against any human dignity.

What I understand least of all, is that this humiliating concept originated
from the USA - the "land of the free", the land claiming to be a spearhead
to indiviudual rights. Come on, don't tell me about "bla, bla, bla". It is a
political concept, it is discrimination of foreigners. Having been dozens of
times in the USA I do not really plan to visit the USA again within the next
few years. I have the feeling that I am not welcome unless I can prove that
I am not a Taliban or any other islamic organisation etc. I suppose that
after sending this message I am registered in the USA because of using
"Taliban".  
 
Every scientist is welcome to Austria by me and the other authorities
without having to parade at a naked-scanner at the Vienna Airport. I cannot
pay any costs for visiting!

Seriously: I had several participants of RADSAFE already as guests in Vienna
and I think we mutually enjoyed the guided VIP tour I provided. I encourage
everybody to contact me for a visit, though I am most of the time not in
Vienna.

Franz Schoenhofer, PhD
MinRat i.R.
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Wien/Vienna
AUSTRIA