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Body Scanners: Did The Left & The Right Just Agree?

There is a growing resistance to the highly debated body scanners that the right and left actually seem to agree seem to agree on. And they said it could never happen!


The TSA is being judged by the public court of opinion over the body scanners and pat downs especially after the “don’t touch my junk” guy, John Tyner, made headlines.


For me, I think the scanners and pat downs are imperative at this point. As the anchor person on CNN said, “remember the underwear bomber?” The underwear bomber also became a political debate with the right saying ‘President Obama isn’t keeping us safe.’


So, what’s the President to do if we delay the use of scanners or throw out the idea all together and we don’t want pat downs from some creepy TSA worker as well?  Backup is needed in keeping us safe at the airport before we disregard the scanners and the pat downs.


[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3lbnSLalWQ[/youtube]


Scientists at John Hopkins University show a realistic concern over them, however minimal it may be, so is our alternative to be blown to bits? Homeland Security which overseas the TSA, has not terminated the scanners as of yet.


Websites and newspapers are demonizing the screening methods by calling them, perverted, but isn’t it more of a perversion of justice to allow terrorists to blow us out of the sky? A recent boycott is in effect:

We Won’t Fly:


Grassroots airline boycott effort We Won’t Fly is organizing mass x-ray scanner opt outs at airports around the nation for National Opt Out of the Airport Scanners Day, November 24 in order to highlight the health and privacy dangers of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) backscatter x-ray airport scanners.


If you have to fly on November 24, opt out of the porno-scanners for your own health and privacy. Say “I opt out!” Tell your friends, family and community so they know how to protect themselves, too. Be prepared for delays and intimate TSA groping. But at least your skin and eyes will be safe.


Their passion is to be commended however, in my opinion, it’s misplaced. Our major concern should be in arriving at our destination in one piece and not a thousand. But, that’s just me.


Join We Won’t Fly, in their boycott here.


Since the left and the right are finally in agreement (except for me), then perhaps we can unite in other issues. I have a list:


1) Let tax cuts for the wealthy expire, just as they were supposed to.

2) Let’s get that public option going after all!


I’m pushing it, aren’t I?  I’ll stop now.


Cartoon by Politico Mafioso with our thanks


Posted in Politics.

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11 comments

By Anomaly – November 17, 2010

  • http://twitter.com/the_world_news/status/5705676605095936 Daily Breaking News
  • http://twitter.com/sharon59/status/5292677360787456 Sharon59

    RT @uncajoe: Body Scanners: Did The Left & The Right Just Agree? http://su.pr/2SC0sn #p2 #du1 #njp #p2b #digg?

  • http://twitter.com/uncajoe/status/5274514657116161 Unca Joe

    Body Scanners: Did The Left & The Right Just Agree? http://su.pr/2SC0sn #p2 #du1 #njp #p2b #digg?

  • http://twitter.com/crewislife/status/5219187651772416 Bret

    Body Scanners: Did The Left & The Right Just Agree? http://bit.ly/aoP3Kp (via @FreakOutNation) #p2

  • http://realmentefunciona.com Ana Cristina Merino

    I hope I am wrong as well, but that seems to be the established pattern over the last decade. Even when Democrats take positions formerly held by conservatives, those are labeled “liberal’ and thoroughly demonized.

  • http://twitter.com/p2blogs/status/5035402603794432 P2 Blogs

    From @FreakOutNation Body Scanners: Did The Left & The Right Just Agree?: There a growing res… http://bit.ly/aPoHZt #p2 #du1 #njp #p2b

  • http://twitter.com/sindad1/status/5035075179646976 Robert Hill

    RT @FreakOutNation: New Blog Post: Body Scanners: Did The Right & The Left Just Agree On Something? http://su.pr/28MrFr #p2 #topprog #dn …

  • jacksmith

    REALITY!!

    ( Health Care Budget Deficit Calculator — http://www.cepr.net/calculators/hc/hc-calculator.html )

    ( Briefing: Dean Baker on Boosting the Economy by Saving Healthcare http://t.co/fmVz8nM )

    START NOW!

    As you all know. Had congress passed a government-run robust Public Option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one, our economy and jobs would have taken off like a rocket. And still will.

    The message from these midterm elections is clear. The American people want real healthcare reform. They want that individual mandate requiring them to buy private health insurance abolished. And they want a government-run robust public option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one. And they want it now.

    They want Drug re-importation, and abolishment or strong restrictions on patents for biologic and prescription drugs. And government controlled and negotiated drug and medical cost. They want back control of their healthcare system from the Medical Industrial Complex. And they want it NOW!

    THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WILL NOT AND MUST NOT ALLOW AN INDIVIDUAL MANDATE TO STAND WITHOUT A STRONG GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.

    For profit health insurance is extremely unethical, and morally repugnant. It’s as morally repugnant as slavery was. And few if any decent Americans are going to allow them-self to be compelled to support such an unethical and immoral crime against humanity.

    This is a matter of National and Global security. There can be NO MORE EXCUSES.

    Further, we want that corrupt, undemocratic filibuster abolished. Whats the point of an election if one corrupt member of congress can block the will of the people, and any legislation the majority wants. And do it in secret. Give me a break people.

    Also, unemployment healthcare benefits are critically needed. But they should be provided through the Medicare program at cost, less the 65% government premium subsidy provided now to private for profit health insurance.

    Congress should stop wasting hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money on private for profit health insurance subsidies. Subsidies that cost the taxpayer 10x as much or more than Medicare does. Private for profit health insurance plans cost more. But provide dangerous and poorer quality patient care.

    Republicans: GET RID OF THE INDIVIDUAL MANDATE.

    Democrats: ADD A ROBUST GOVERNMENT-RUN PUBLIC OPTION TO HEALTHCARE REFORM.

    This is what the American people are shouting at you. Both parties have just enough power now to do what the American people want. GET! IT! DONE! NOW!

    If congress does not abolish the individual mandate. And establish a government-run public option CHOICE! before the end of 2011. EVERY! member of congress up for reelection in 2012 will face strong progressive pro public option, and anti-individual mandate replacement candidates.

    Strong progressive pro “PUBLIC OPTION” CHOICE! and anti-individual mandate volunteer candidates should begin now. And start the process of replacing any and all members of congress that obstruct, or fail to add a government-run robust PUBLIC OPTION CHOICE! before the end of 2011.

    We need two or three very strong progressive volunteer candidates for every member of congress that will be up for reelection in 2012. You should be fully prepared to politically EVISCERATE EVERY INCUMBENT that fails or obstructs “THE PUBLIC OPTION”. And you should be willing to step aside and support the strongest pro “PUBLIC OPTION” candidate if the need arises.

    ASSUME CONGRESS WILL FAIL and SELLOUT again. So start preparing now to CUT THEIR POLITICAL THROATS. You can always step aside if they succeed. But only if they succeed. We didn’t have much time to prepare before these midterm elections. So the American people had to use a political shotgun approach. But by 2012 you will have a scalpel.

    Congress you could pass a robust government-run public option now during your lame duck session. You know what the American people want. You already have several bills on record. And the house has already passed a public option. Departing members could leave with a truly great accomplishment. And the rest of you would solidify your job before the 2012 elections.

    President Obama, you promised the American people a strong public option available to everyone. And the American people overwhelmingly supported you for it. Maybe it just wasn’t possible before. But it is now.

    Knock heads. Threaten people. Or do whatever you have to. We will support you. But get us that robust public option CHOICE! available to everyone on day one before the end of 2011. Or We The People Of The United States will make this midterm election look like a cake walk in 2012. And it will include you.

    We still have a healthcare crisis in America. With hundreds of thousands dieing needlessly every year in America. And a for profit medical industrial complex that threatens the security and health of the entire world. They have already attacked the world with H1N1 killing thousands, and injuring millions. And more attacks are planned for profit, and to feed their greed.

    Spread the word people.

    Progressives, prepare the American peoples scalpels. It’s time to remove some politically diseased tissues.

    God Bless You my fellow human beings. I’m proud to be one of you. You did good.

    See you on the battle field.

    Sincerely

    jacksmith – WorkingClass :-)

    • Shivabeach

      @jacksmith, Jack, this post is about body scanners. Please read the post first then respond

  • Shivabeach

    There is one thing you are not being told. Mike Chertoff, the Bush hatchet man is being paid to sell these things to Homeland Security:

    “Poe claimed President George W. Bush’s former DHS secretary had given interviews advocating for the scanners while “getting paid” to sell them.

    “There is no evidence these new body scanners make us more secure. But there is evidence that former Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff made money hawking these full body scanners,” Poe said.

    “[T]he populace is giving up more rights in the name of alleged security. These body scanners are a violation of the Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable searches and seizures … There must be a better way to have security at airports than taking pornographic photographs of our citizens, including children, and then giving apparent kickbacks to political hacks.”

    Since the attempted bombing on Christmas Day of last year, Chertoff has given dozens of interviews promoting the technology. Chertoff admitted to CNN that one of the clients of his consulting agency, The Chertoff Group, is a company that manufactures the scanners.

    In January, an airport passengers’ rights group took on Chertoff.

    “Mr. Chertoff should not be allowed to abuse the trust the public has placed in him as a former public servant to privately gain from the sale of full-body scanners under the pretense that the scanners would have detected this particular type of explosive,” Kate Hanni, founder of FlyersRights.org, told The Washington Post.

    Taking the floor after Poe, Rep. John Duncan (R-TN) also went after Chertoff.

    “A nationwide revolt is developing over the body scanners at the airports and it should,” Duncan said. “Hundreds of thousands of frequent fliers who fly each week are upset of getting these frequent doses of radiation. Parents are upset about being forced to have their children radiated or being touched inappropriately by an unrelated adult.”

    “This is much more about money than it is about security. The former secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, represents Rapid Scan, the company which is selling these scanners to his former department,” Duncan continued.

    “The American people should not have to choose between having full body radiation or a very embarrassing intrusive pat-down every time they fly as if they were criminals. We need a little more balance and common sense on this,” he said.”

    http://t.co/SWdHDQG

    We do have explosive sniffing technology that has been cast aside in favor of putting the US under someones abuse meter. All you have to do is walk by it.

  • http://FreakOutNation.com Anomaly100

    @Shivabeach, Did you ever see the film “Total Recall”? The scanners do remind me of that. It is rather creepy and your comment is far better. I just don’t want us to disregard something, then have a far worse thing happen. That is my only point in this post.

    (Besides that I got to be a sneaky leftist and mention a public option)

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