Full body scans and pat downs: Do they cross the line?
- Thread starter Saucycarpdog
- Start date
To the best of my knowledge, the pre-flight security measures have never foiled a terrorist attempt. It was either due to intelligence agencies arresting the suspect well in advance, or by some passengers with balls the size of elephants disabling any would-be terrorists on the flight. So to put it bluntly, all of this security stuff has been a total waste of money. The chances of dying in a car crash are several orders of magnitude higher than perishing in any way involving airplanes. Even in the pre and post 9/11 world, how many terrorist attacks were attempted or carried out with planes compared to other methods? Statistically speaking, it's a non-threat. But I get it, people are idiots. Stupid, scared imbeciles, who sacrifice their dignity and time for an illusion of safety. Feel free to disagree, o morons who don't know what you are talking about...
To be honest, I'd rather trust the FBI to arrest somebody before they could make trouble than trust the TSA to do the same at the airport. Cuz ya know, at least they be competent...
EDIT:
Just to be clear, I really don't mind metal detectors, just the unnecessary other stuff like full body scanners, random pat-downs (which I once had to endure for, I kid you not, wearing a baggy hoodie), and removal of shoes.
To be honest, I'd rather trust the FBI to arrest somebody before they could make trouble than trust the TSA to do the same at the airport. Cuz ya know, at least they be competent...
EDIT:
Just to be clear, I really don't mind metal detectors, just the unnecessary other stuff like full body scanners, random pat-downs (which I once had to endure for, I kid you not, wearing a baggy hoodie), and removal of shoes.
thethingthatlurks you are absolutely right pre-flight security has never caught a terrorist in the past 10 or so years. Terrorist who make it to the airport have no trouble getting on a plane, screening is a nice show for the cameras nothing more!thethingthatlurks said:
in the hopes 1 person will read these
CDC report [http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe/reports/pdfs/2003-0206-3067.pdf]
UCSF news article [http://news.ucsf.edu/news-briefs/details/ucsf-scientists-speak-out-against-airport-full-body-scans/]
UCSF letter [http://www.npr.org/assets/news/2010/05/17/concern.pdf]
or here if npr bugs out on you
UCSF letter Google doc [http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:RpteglBatgcJ:www.npr.org/assets/news/2010/05/17/concern.pdf+ucsf+letter+of+concern&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESi67LRsaEOQep8bd1s-23ZwuN9-J9DC-TfW0bhWurDD_NJHKdhywjLiU0gObaxcIxMgOE9dqVDK7uifQ3AJh5SN97T0qKlt9ZMJlX1W8PFYjti-bRXfcldJZ_qXOvM5lmK2LfCd&sig=AHIEtbTJQVimysgOLWVfR2bumlLHqivE3g]
I vote we just give everyone a knife as they pass through security. That way, anyone who wants to try and take over the plane has to deal with a hundred armed people that don't want to die.
Sure, it wouldn't protect you from someone who just wanted to blow up the plane with a bomb, but, as other people have said, they could do that anywhere, even in line to get on the plane in the first place.
Sure, it wouldn't protect you from someone who just wanted to blow up the plane with a bomb, but, as other people have said, they could do that anywhere, even in line to get on the plane in the first place.
Both are way too much! It seems a little rape-y to me, I would never let a stranger touch me like that. What I`m wondering is if they are going to feel up children too? Cause they have to either feel up children too or the drug runners and terrorist will just use them.
You can't go too far with precautions like this! Terrorism is, without a doubt, the number threat to everybody. It kills millions of people every day and isn't afraid of anything.
But no seriously. I always find it interesting how people can somehow be more scared of something that is, statistically speaking, so unlikely to happen to them. Cancer, diabetes, heart disease, suicide, poverty, starvation, drunk driving, non-terrorism related homicide, medical mistakes and lack of health care each kill Americans on their own then terrorism has. Yet despite this truth, we aren't nearly as scared of cigarettes and cheeseburgers then we are of terrorist. Ultimately, the enemy isn't some convenient, devious group of antagonists that we can crush with simple force, the enemy is going to be ourselves, and our tendency to blame other people for our problems.
But no seriously. I always find it interesting how people can somehow be more scared of something that is, statistically speaking, so unlikely to happen to them. Cancer, diabetes, heart disease, suicide, poverty, starvation, drunk driving, non-terrorism related homicide, medical mistakes and lack of health care each kill Americans on their own then terrorism has. Yet despite this truth, we aren't nearly as scared of cigarettes and cheeseburgers then we are of terrorist. Ultimately, the enemy isn't some convenient, devious group of antagonists that we can crush with simple force, the enemy is going to be ourselves, and our tendency to blame other people for our problems.
Thanks, I'm glad some other people share a similar opinion. I'll see if I can get around to reading those articles later.Svoboda4zizn said:
Didn't various airports and agencies in different parts of Europe prove that the new TSA guidlines do approx. fuck-all to improve safety?
While I understand the need for better methods, how about they think up ones that work instead of waste money.
While I understand the need for better methods, how about they think up ones that work instead of waste money.
January 2011: A terrorist attempts to blow up a plane using anally inserted explosives, which are not detected by enhanced pat-downs, nor by body-scanners.
Februari 2011: All passengers are now to submit to a full cavity search before each flight. Waiting lines quadruple as security checks take even longer. 'REMEMBER THE BUTTBOMBER!!!'
March 2011: A terrorist stops just in front of the security and blows up the entire damn line, killing the equivalent of about 40 airplanes. GG.
Februari 2011: All passengers are now to submit to a full cavity search before each flight. Waiting lines quadruple as security checks take even longer. 'REMEMBER THE BUTTBOMBER!!!'
March 2011: A terrorist stops just in front of the security and blows up the entire damn line, killing the equivalent of about 40 airplanes. GG.
These really feth up my plans to travel to the US to see friends of mine.
I'd end up hurting anyone who tried to touch me without my permission.
And that includes any security who want a legalised grope.
Of course, with a few words, I could have them on the floor, retching and emptying the contents of their stomach everywhere... they wouldn't want to touch one who is "corrupted by the devil", after all...
I'd end up hurting anyone who tried to touch me without my permission.
And that includes any security who want a legalised grope.
Of course, with a few words, I could have them on the floor, retching and emptying the contents of their stomach everywhere... they wouldn't want to touch one who is "corrupted by the devil", after all...
*slaps on the latex gloves* We're going to need you to come with us. Just a standard screening procedure. We promise it won't hurt too much.Julianking93 said:
OT: I haven't flown anywhere in well over a year, so I've yet to deal with these scans or pat downs. But, if I have to get one, then I don't really mind. Heck, I'll go for the scan. Seems less time-consuming. Also, as an added bonus, I'll go through the scan with a boner just to troll whoever's at the monitor.
I find it a little ridiculous, but it's not something to complain about if you ask me. I'm a very physical person, I don't mind a bit of a feel up every time I fly. And for the full body scam, whatever. Mesa be no mindins.
Mate, properly tailored, you can hide enough C4 inside your clothes/shoes to bring a plane down easily. And I mean INSIDE, not in a pocket. It's a very powerful explosive and you don't need much to bring a plane down, hell, a simple gunshot is quite a danger in a plane, any amount of explosive has a good chance of causing a crash.Lilani said:
Besides, when's the last time a plane was actually brought down? The whole fear in American airlines stems from the 9/11 and those weren't brought down, they were hijacked, two completely different things. You don't need explosive to hijack a plane.
I think you need to find a dictionary and look up the word "attack", my friend, because my post did not in any way qualify as one.Tohron said:
Just because they aren't catching terrorists red-handed doesn't mean it's not stopping them. Think of all the attacks that have been stopped simply because the terrorists found out about our security. They won't even attempt it anymore, and that should comfort us. I'm glad to get searched. It's worth the inconvienience if somebody's life is saved. Because if they slip up even once, that's a lot of people dead, helpless, with no chance.
my post at the top of the page and my post on page three contain information that renders your position moot. The documents linked expose major questions about the safety of the scanners, and they are quite credible sources(CDC and UCSF).ElTigreSantiago said:
Also attempts occur regularly plotted by both domestic and foreign terrorists, most are foiled by a three letter agency that isn't the TSA.
*you misspelled inconvenience i fixed it
