I traveled from Tucson to Kansas City and back this past week. I did everything I was asked to do, no liquids, removed shoes, emptied my pockets and went though the scanner. There was no beeping of the scanner to indicate I carried anything suspicious, yet, I was subjected to a pat down just because I was wearing a skirt. I saw others patted down from top to bottom - which I considered unnecessary and abusive. These were older people in wheel chairs barely able to move. I agree with security measures to keep us safe but it seems all of this has gone way too far. Do people in authority have to go through this also? Do they have any idea what it feels like? If they did, things might change. Thank you.
Jack - 13 years ago
I flew between Atlanta and Amsterdam over the last 3 weeks and I had no problem with the pat-down. I felt more assured by their professionism and welcome it to insure my safe passage.
GCC - 13 years ago
My husband and I traveled from Raleigh, NC to Orange County, California. At the RDU airport I was subjected to a pat down because of my underwire bra. The scan showed that it was my bra but they said they still had to do the pat down. Like you it was totally invasive they put their hands on my breast and up my legs into my groin. I'm an American born in this country and I am no threat to my country or fellow Americans. I broke down at the Burbank airport when I was subjected to another pat down. I was given a card to submit a complaint and when I arrived home I called and talked to them about my experience. I explained that I was treated like a criminal and that they needed to engage their brain and look at each situation. Don’t treat me like a criminal until you can prove that I am one. As far as I'm concerned I was molested and what they did was an invasion it was to my body.
Anonymous - 13 years ago
This is madness. I haven't flown since before these procedures, and I don't plan to unless it's mandatory. I'm still a minor, and I would be incredibly uncomfortable with either of these. Especially the pat-down. It would feel like, well, sexual assault. Mum always told me, "Don't let a stranger touch you like that" and now it's mandatory in order to go anywhere on an airplane. Does the TSA have any sense? I think not. Just because one guy had a bomb in his underwear doesn't mean they can overreact and pull this.
William Reno - 13 years ago
Millions are being spent to support this charade. At many secure facilities, access is given to the proper people through identification and proof of security clearance. If members of congress were required to submit to this type of treatment each time they entered any government facility, they too would be upset. If people who travel were to be required to, at thier own expense, aquire security documents that are designed to be secure from forgery, then it would reduce the costs without reducing security. And if you fear that this would be a national id, then make it be used only to enter secure areas, and voluntary. We have this technology and it would be far preferable to throwing away the constitution and the bill of rights. It would also help to cut a large amount from the budgets everyone is crying about.
Noah - 13 years ago
You can tell that that majority of responses are from the right.
Sharon Drader - 13 years ago
At Tampa airport I was required to go through the full body scan. Afterward, I was "treated" to a patdown by a TSA agent. I failed to see the point of the patdown. After all, I understand that the full body scan leaves nothing to the imagination. I felt the patdown was totally unnecessary and totally intrusive.
Cautious - 13 years ago
What's the long term health effects of these body scanners? Especially for frequent fliers? Remember, for many years, cigarette smoking was believed to be good for you!
Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve N - 13 years ago
Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.
Usually Quiet - 13 years ago
I see no reason why American Citizens, on domestic flights, should be treated as suspected terrorists. I also see no reason why non-citizens should NOT be treated as suspected terrorists. American citizenship should actually mean something!
This may make it necessary for me to show my passport in order to bypass the extra security, and since I have a US passport, that wouldn't offend me. If a citizen cannot prove their citizenship, then they have to be subjected to the extra security.
I do agree, that since our southern border is now a superhighway for illegal immigrants, Americans should be prepared to prove their citizenship....but once it's proven, we should not be treated like criminals. Such behavior makes the US government no better than the communist governments that we've been taught to dislike or distrust.
As the quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin says.... "Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither."
Hack - 13 years ago
Shepard Smith; I am completely willing to allow a temporary surrender of my privacy rights to ensure a safe flight for myself and others. I believe that if you want safety and security you must tolerate some inconvenience and intrusion in your privacy. I am in favor of the enhanced security screening, and advocate mandatory sniffer chambers and full body scans, but I am a confident person secure in my body with no concerns about somebody seeing me naked. My concern is that this should be required of ALL AIR TRAVELERS not to exclude certain people because of political correctness, regardless of age or gender or religion or handicap. Lets face it air travel is an option you select to use not a requirement, you can drive a car, take a train, or ship you have other options for travel. As far as the comment about inmates being searched, I have 24+ years experience in civilian corrections and I can search an inmate and their quarters and belongings any time I feel the need to for security to include a strip search if I deem the need. By the way if (W) had proposed this as part of the patriot act you would swallow your words.
Cesco Palo - 13 years ago
Our borders are porous and, those that cross illegally, are given special status. In contrast, Americans are stripped of their dignity and lose their privacy rights at airports even though flying is a necessity for business in today's world.
I traveled from Tucson to Kansas City and back this past week. I did everything I was asked to do, no liquids, removed shoes, emptied my pockets and went though the scanner. There was no beeping of the scanner to indicate I carried anything suspicious, yet, I was subjected to a pat down just because I was wearing a skirt. I saw others patted down from top to bottom - which I considered unnecessary and abusive. These were older people in wheel chairs barely able to move. I agree with security measures to keep us safe but it seems all of this has gone way too far. Do people in authority have to go through this also? Do they have any idea what it feels like? If they did, things might change. Thank you.
I flew between Atlanta and Amsterdam over the last 3 weeks and I had no problem with the pat-down. I felt more assured by their professionism and welcome it to insure my safe passage.
My husband and I traveled from Raleigh, NC to Orange County, California. At the RDU airport I was subjected to a pat down because of my underwire bra. The scan showed that it was my bra but they said they still had to do the pat down. Like you it was totally invasive they put their hands on my breast and up my legs into my groin. I'm an American born in this country and I am no threat to my country or fellow Americans. I broke down at the Burbank airport when I was subjected to another pat down. I was given a card to submit a complaint and when I arrived home I called and talked to them about my experience. I explained that I was treated like a criminal and that they needed to engage their brain and look at each situation. Don’t treat me like a criminal until you can prove that I am one. As far as I'm concerned I was molested and what they did was an invasion it was to my body.
This is madness. I haven't flown since before these procedures, and I don't plan to unless it's mandatory. I'm still a minor, and I would be incredibly uncomfortable with either of these. Especially the pat-down. It would feel like, well, sexual assault. Mum always told me, "Don't let a stranger touch you like that" and now it's mandatory in order to go anywhere on an airplane. Does the TSA have any sense? I think not. Just because one guy had a bomb in his underwear doesn't mean they can overreact and pull this.
Millions are being spent to support this charade. At many secure facilities, access is given to the proper people through identification and proof of security clearance. If members of congress were required to submit to this type of treatment each time they entered any government facility, they too would be upset. If people who travel were to be required to, at thier own expense, aquire security documents that are designed to be secure from forgery, then it would reduce the costs without reducing security. And if you fear that this would be a national id, then make it be used only to enter secure areas, and voluntary. We have this technology and it would be far preferable to throwing away the constitution and the bill of rights. It would also help to cut a large amount from the budgets everyone is crying about.
You can tell that that majority of responses are from the right.
At Tampa airport I was required to go through the full body scan. Afterward, I was "treated" to a patdown by a TSA agent. I failed to see the point of the patdown. After all, I understand that the full body scan leaves nothing to the imagination. I felt the patdown was totally unnecessary and totally intrusive.
What's the long term health effects of these body scanners? Especially for frequent fliers? Remember, for many years, cigarette smoking was believed to be good for you!
Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.
I see no reason why American Citizens, on domestic flights, should be treated as suspected terrorists. I also see no reason why non-citizens should NOT be treated as suspected terrorists. American citizenship should actually mean something!
This may make it necessary for me to show my passport in order to bypass the extra security, and since I have a US passport, that wouldn't offend me. If a citizen cannot prove their citizenship, then they have to be subjected to the extra security.
I do agree, that since our southern border is now a superhighway for illegal immigrants, Americans should be prepared to prove their citizenship....but once it's proven, we should not be treated like criminals. Such behavior makes the US government no better than the communist governments that we've been taught to dislike or distrust.
As the quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin says.... "Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither."
Shepard Smith; I am completely willing to allow a temporary surrender of my privacy rights to ensure a safe flight for myself and others. I believe that if you want safety and security you must tolerate some inconvenience and intrusion in your privacy. I am in favor of the enhanced security screening, and advocate mandatory sniffer chambers and full body scans, but I am a confident person secure in my body with no concerns about somebody seeing me naked. My concern is that this should be required of ALL AIR TRAVELERS not to exclude certain people because of political correctness, regardless of age or gender or religion or handicap. Lets face it air travel is an option you select to use not a requirement, you can drive a car, take a train, or ship you have other options for travel. As far as the comment about inmates being searched, I have 24+ years experience in civilian corrections and I can search an inmate and their quarters and belongings any time I feel the need to for security to include a strip search if I deem the need. By the way if (W) had proposed this as part of the patriot act you would swallow your words.
Our borders are porous and, those that cross illegally, are given special status. In contrast, Americans are stripped of their dignity and lose their privacy rights at airports even though flying is a necessity for business in today's world.
Does anyone else see the contradiction?