Here's some advice for all the Badgers out there getting on a plane to head home for Thanksgiving: Get ready to abandon your civil rights at the security line. The Transportation Security Administration has gone just a little bit too far this time by implementing security measures that obviously infringe on our Fourth Amendment rights.
Any passenger in a U.S. airport can now randomly be selected to go through a full-body scanner to search for concealed weapons or explosives. In addition to unsettling concerns over the radiation they emit, they produce near-naked pictures that leave little to the imagination of the TSA agents monitoring the screens. Anyone concerned about their privacy or potential health risks can opt-out of the scanning, but will consequently be subjected to a new kind of ""pat-down"" to check for potential threats concealed under clothing.
I'm all for preventing terrorist attacks, but when the government decides air travelers should be forced to give up their civil liberties in the name of perceived safety, we've gone too far. The Fourth Amendment protects all citizens against ""unreasonable search or seizure without probable cause,"" and even under the loosest interpretation it's tough to see how these new security measures fit within those boundaries. Since when does trying to get to grandma's for the holidays constitute ""probably cause"" for a search?
President Barack Obama finally spoke out about the new regulations this weekend, responding to growing concern and outrage over the procedures. He said though he understands passengers' frustrations, the measures are necessary in order to protect ourselves from the newest terrorist attack methods.
There are two major issues I would like to point out in his statement. First, I find it very hard to believe he ""understands"" at all what the average American goes through in the airport security line. Most members of congressare exempt from the regulations, and are ushered right past throngs of average citizens. And I doubt the President has been through normal airport security in quite a few years.
Secondly, these new procedures are in response to the failed Christmas day bombing of 2009 and not actually based on any new intelligence about terrorist technology. The TSA is at least one step behind the enemy, not leading the way as they would like you to believe.
Aside from assertions that the scanners are ineffective, the new security measures are just downright humiliating. Images from full-body scanners have already been leaked over the Internet. Multiple breast cancer survivors have been forced to remove their prosthetic breasts to allow TSA agents to examine them. A bladder cancer survivor was left covered in his own urine after a pat-down dislodged his urostomy bag, leaking all over his clothing. There's even a YouTube video of a young boy supposedly being strip-searched in the airport.
So far the only response from the TSA has been to say if citizens don't agree with the procedures, then they can choose not to fly. It's a good theory, but something tells me millions of business people, vacationers and people with family on the other side of the country would disagree.
There is something we can do to show the government just what we think about the way they protect our safety, however. This Wednesday—one of the biggest travel days of the year—is National Opt-Out Day. This Internet campaign urges anyone traveling that day to opt-out of the body scanners, and subject yourself to a pat-down. Some are even urging passengers to wear kilts, commando style, or to strip down to their underwear upon entering the security line.
I hope the braver among those of you flying home for the weekend will participate in this movement, and show the government they can at least expect a fight when they take away our rights.
Lydia Statz is a junior majoring in international studies and journalism. Please send all feedback to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
