This was sent to me by a person who asked to remain anonymous…
I really enjoy your blog and usually visit at least a couple of times a day to see what's new.
You often post comments on politics and current events. As a conservative I usually see things very differently than you do but I try to keep an open mind when hearing your side. You strike me as a very level-headed and thoughtful person. One thing I think both liberals and conservatives can agree upon is that the new "nudity scanners" and alternate full-body pat downs that are being put in place by the TSA are at the very least degrading and at the most a violation of our fourth amendment rights. They certainly don't seem to serve their intended purpose which is ostensibly to make us safer. I for one would rather take my chances with the terrorists.
I was wondering if you have any thoughts on the matter and (assuming you agree with me), any suggestion about what a person can do to fight this invasion of privacy?
I was subjected to two full-body pat downs — one on the trip up, one on the way back — on my recent overnighter to San Francisco. The delays annoyed me…and would have annoyed me a lot if I'd hadn't been there so early. In both cases, the gents doing the patting seemed very nervous that they would do something questionable that would cause me to complain. Possibly because the TSA officials were so timid and overly polite, I did not have a feeling of being personally violated…though I could see how a person might, especially with a less sensitive patter-person.
I agree with you that it's an invasion of privacy. How to fight it? I'm afraid I see that battle as hopeless. We lost it some time on 9/11 when a supermajority of this nation surrendered to the concept that there was no right that couldn't be sacrificed in the name of Keeping Us Safe. There were sure a lot of politicians and leaders who lost their nerve about opposing civil rights violations if doing so would enable their opponents to accuse them of being soft on terror or unserious about National Defense. The public also does not seem to be yelling too much about this. I'm of the opinion that about 70% of what we go through at the airport (like taking off our shoes) is just for show…to make travellers think everything possible is being done. But I also think most folks want to believe that all that stuff is effective and is saving our lives so it's worth the hassle and infringement.
So no, I have no suggestions about what should be done to end this kind of thing. The A.C.L.U. seems to be the only group with even a smidgen of clout that's objecting to this and it isn't a high priority issue for them. According to Nate Silver, polls show strong public approval of the full-body scanners, though I assume the respondents are responding on the dubious assumption that the machines actually function as described. I don't like it any more than you do but I think we just have to get to the airport early, take off our shoes and put up with it. Oh, and when you go through the "nudity scanner," suck in your gut, arch your back and wet your lips.