Logan International Airport is packed today and most travelers appear to be lining up for naked body scans over the touchy pat-downs, so far shunning a national call to "opt out" of the electronic sweep.
"I don’t want anyone to touch me," said 20-year-old Onie Momoh, a Dartmouth College student flying home today.
She was one of hundreds of people lined up for the scans as the Thanksgiving rush begins. But it may be too early to call the "opt out" a dud.
“I was going to opt out because I was concerned about radiation, but then I heard it was less than what you’re exposed to with a dental X-ray,” said Holly LeCraw, 44, of Newton. “I’m more concerned about pat-downs for my kids.”
Others said the scan just appears the lesser of two evils.
“I’ve gone through the screening before, and it feels a little weird, having to hold your hands up and knowing someone can see an image of your body,” Michelle McGrath, 29, of Boston said on her way to Annapolis today. “I’m not crazy about it, but I’m not overly concerned.”
A national movement to “opt out” of the head-to-toe sweeps did have a few travelers mulling pat-downs last night.
“This is me taking my own stance,” said Boston University freshman Kira Cole, who said she was “creeped out” by the full-body scanners when she went through them in July. “I’d rather take my chances with a pat-down.”
Dorchester activist Mark O’Connor said he’ll be at Logan today urging travelers to get the “lesser of two evils” pat-down and warning them of the “dangers” of full-body scans.
“If it’s powerful enough to see through your clothes, it couldn’t be healthy,” said O’Connor, who hopes Hub travelers “stand up” for themselves.
O’Connor, 33, said he plans to take his video camera to the Hub airport and ask people whether they prefer to be “radiated” or “groped.” The video blogger will post reactions to his YouTube channel, WeAreChangeBoston.
Massport spokesman Phil Orlandella said Logan officials have been preparing for today’s national “opt out” day since rumblings of it began over a week ago.
“We’re ready for it. There’s additional manpower on. We’re prepared for anything that can happen. We don’t think anything serious is going to happen,” Orlandella said.
U.S. Sen. John Kerry said he wants to review the security changes.
“I refuse to accept the notion that we can’t keep people safe without undermining our civil liberties,’’ Kerry said.
Rebecca Colby, an MIT sophomore, has no issues with scanners being an invasion of privacy. “I’m more concerned with other civil liberties than this whole thing,” Colby said.
“It’s not like we’re cutting back civil liberties on the war on terror — it’s just reaching a new level of inconvenience for people who are normal citizens of America,” Colby said.
Carie Lemack, who lost her mom, Judy Larocque, of Framingham in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, said she’s traveling to Boston today and will gladly be scanned or patted down.
“It’s not comfortable, but necessary,” said Lemack, whose mother died on Flight 11 that took off out of Logan. “Anybody who says this is pornographic is insulting.
“Everybody in the airport needs to keep their eyes and ears open,” she added. “I think the opt-out people have forgotten 9-11."
It should be obvious that the opt out fizzled primarily because this is Thanksgiving (and it will also fizzle on Christmas Week). People bought their airline tickets well in advance, maybe without even an option to cancel and get a refund. They have only a very limited amount of time to get where they want to go, so making last-minute transfers from air to rail or to Greyhound is simply out of the question.
They want to get onboard the plane and they want the plane to leave on time, so they are not going to do anything that could get them benched or cause them to miss their flight. I bet at this point (Wednesday afternoon), the airports could persuade many of them to get in line stark naked if they want to get on the plane promptly.
It should be obvious that the opt out fizzled primarily because this is Thanksgiving...
I disagree with your premise. And we shall see what the future holds, of course.
I travel a lot, I mean ... I place upwards of 250,000 miles/year on air flights; this past year not so many, maybe about 70,000. But my experience since October 11, 2001 is that USA passengers go through all the required motions despite the event and without a whimper. And through the years, TSA has been increasing most of the security points such that you must remove, belts, shoes, coats, hats, jackets, sweaters and so forth for the already pre-existing metal detectors; in effect, you walk through the metal detectors with a minimum of clothing on else, you must have TSA personal attention.
Now, in the past, the personal attention did not include these new TSA methods of procedure. So, it is different BUT.... most have already been exposed to some sort of harassment in the past by TSA and if they haven't then they clearly don't fly often or perhaps its their first jet.
I want to point out something. No other country has these methods in force. Only the USA does... but, this may be changing as well.
That's a good link. Still, I disagree with the report. Air traffic was up this year (from last year) and what was seen was a better or improved set of methods about security via the TSA.
Now, just because I state the facts about these AIT methods and the obviously silly "opt-out" rumour doesn't mean I am pro/con about the policies and procedures.
I think it all stinks to high heaven. The US government wasn't on duty before 9/11 and it can hire all the goons and stuff them into a uniform all they want... it still won't protect Americans.
#24. To: Original_Intent, Buckmonster Fullofit, Nostradumbass, RickyJ, TwentyTwelve, James Deffenbach, wudidiz, all (#23)(Edited)
I think it all stinks to high heaven. The US government wasn't on duty before 9/11 and it can hire all the goons and stuff them into a uniform all they want... it still won't protect Americans.
Here is the real problem with the TSA and Homeland Security:
Here is the real problem with the TSA and Homeland Security
I don't like your link.... it is rehashed spin that does not introduce any new ideas.
Remember, the TSA was nationalized after 9/11. DHS was a reformation of various bureaucracies (to include TSA) forming a cohesive method of inter-communications within government concerning national security because of CIA data creating the Iraqi War.
It hasn't changed a thing. The federal government still allows all the illegal aliens over the border (while watching them) without so much as a peep. It is akin to the way Rome fell about 900 years ago....
I don't like your link.... it is rehashed spin that does not introduce any new ideas.
Remember, the TSA was nationalized after 9/11. DHS was a reformation of various bureaucracies (to include TSA) forming a cohesive method of inter-communications within government concerning national security because of CIA data creating the Iraqi War.
Because TSA is "reactive" they will always be one step behind.