The Controversy Over Full Body Scans at Airports

Should Traveler's Have the Right to Refuse the Full Body Scan?

CardiffWriter
CardiffWriter, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Nov 19, 2010 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
Just recently, a man by the name of John Tyner refused to undergo the newly released, and widely used, fully body scan at San Diego International Airport. The controversy began when Tyner refused to undergo the full body scan and was instructed to undergo a pat down. Of course, this is when Tyner turned his cell phone video on and recorded the video that has now gone viral all over the internet and has given him celebrity-like status. In Tyner's words to the security official, "If you touch my junk, I'll have you arrested!", he sparked a huge debate over whether or not the TSA has gone too far with pat down searches and full body scans. However, does Tyner present a valid argument or not? To me, it seems as if he is just your typical disgruntled airline traveler and does not want to wait 5 minutes to undergo a search. Tyner has no right to complain about security measures at the airport and if you are subjected to a pat down, you must comply, it's that simple. This is not about a man undergoing an inappropriate pat down, this is about a man that does not like the idea of a full body scan or a pat down and simply does not want to be held up by this additional security measure. This is a matter of security people! If you do not want pat downs or full body scans performed at airports and you make a big enough fuss to where these methods are banned, then the next time you fly maybe you should tell the terrorist that is sitting next to you on the plane with C4 strapped to his chest how you feel...

It is policy for these full body scans that the scanner and the person being scanned never come face to face. So what does it matter if you are never going to see the scanner and he/she never gets to see you? Like I said, this is a matter of security and keeping everyone else safe. I am more than happy to undergo a full body scan and I've had numerous pat downs before and no TSA official has ever gone "too far" with a search performed on me. However, the new form of pat down does involve patting in the genital region. So many people think that this is way too much for a search, however, because this area was never patted down before, many individuals got away with hiding objects in their genitalia region. So again, I defend this and say that the new form of pat down is in no way violating anyone's rights, it becomes simply a means of keeping passengers safe. Everyone needs to comply, especially since 9/11 and the rise in terrorist threats.

Then there is the executive director of FlyersRights.org, Kate Hanni, that stated that the airport security officials "went over the line" in an attempt to detain John Tyner after he refused to fly and decided to leave. I think that this is ridiculous and in no way did the TSA officials go "overboard". They were simply doing what they are there to do, keeping passengers safe. What if Tyner was a terrorist and was carrying bomb materials? What if the security officials had let him refuse all search methods and let him through and once he was through, he set the bomb off? This whole controversy has blown way out of proportion and I think that Tyner's name should have never entered the media headlines. This is simply an attempt at gaining internet celebrity-like status and recognition in the media. Especially since Tyner is an avid blogger, this has flooded his blog with many visitors, which is definitely a positive for the blogger. I anticipate that this controversy will continue for quite sometime and hopefully airports do not withdraw the full body scans because of this one guy and his viral cellphone video, which never should have even been taken. Did Tyner get permission to record the voices of the individuals on his video? Is it not a coincidence that Tyner decided to record the video and spark his heated argument with the security official? Most people set their cell phone to record when going through security, right??? Hmmmmm, sounds like a pretty good way to get visitors to your blog and get your name out there...

Published by CardiffWriter

I received my Bachelor's in Life Science in 2007 and am currently attending Cardiff University and working to attain my journalism degree.  View profile

5 Comments

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  • Jack11/29/2010

    I would personally rather be patted down or body scanned than have even the smallest chance of being killed by a terrorist, but that is just my opinion. several people have been sexually abused, and it may bring back some VERY bad memories, and they have the right to not get patted down or anything, but I think that everyone should get some form of scanning, even if an alternitive must be found.

  • Dan Fonza11/23/2010

    Also, the dose of radiation from these machines is very small. I worked in a veterinary clinic for 6 years taking x-rays every day and wore a badge that detected how much radiation I was being exposed to. Even then, when I was standing under the x-ray machine itself taking radiographs of patients, I never came close to approaching the amount of exposure that is considered "dangerous". The x-rays omitted by these machines is also well collimated to the subject entering the machine, which means that there is little scatter from these x-rays to people standing outside of the machine. Do a little research on the Compton Effect and it's effects on x-ray beams. Matter of fact, you have probably had more harm done to you by a dental x-ray or body x-ray at a hospital than these machines will ever do. Should x-rays be banned in hospitals then because they are cancer causing? Again, the dose of x-rays is cumulative and there is a safe dosage that people can be exposed to before DNA

  • Dan Fonza11/23/2010

    Cassandra,
    I am not a scared American, I am simply an American who wishes to travel safely. Ok, so we remove all body scanning, metal detectors and pat down techniques, then what happens? Why don't you make the suggestion to airports that they should get rid of metal detectors and x-ray scanners? Most likely, they would laugh at you. You laugh at America, how about the next time a terrorist goes into your country and attacks your city? What do you think your country will do? I'm sure they will beef up their security too. Before you go bashing how Americans are scared, remember what happened on September 11, 2001 and remember that we are trying to prevent this from occurring a second time. Gordon Brown in the UK is also preparing for full body scans to be delivered to UK airports, so it's not just America that is implementing the use of these scanning systems. Pretty soon they will be in most major airports across the world.

  • Cassandra11/22/2010

    Your one of those scared Americans who will subject yourself to cancer causing radiation before you'll stand up for your rights.

    Outside America, we laugh at you guys. You're all so frightened.

    And do some research on Michael Chertoff, former Hoomeland Security secretary. HE'S the reason the US has these machines - he's a lobbyist who's making millions by persuading the American govt to buy them

  • Anon11/21/2010

    Mr Fonza

    This article is completely ridiculous. Mr Tyner has every right to not want to be felt up by someone he does not know. He should not have to be subjected to such perversion in order to simply ride a plane.

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