.
Update: On Wednesday, November 24, 2010, the day before Thanksgiving, there will be an Opt-Out day, for people to either not fly, or to opt-out of the full body scanners. More information and ideas at www.wewontfly.com
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Glad to see the outrage on both left and right about the TSA’s full body scanners, and the option that travelers undergo the x-ray machine OR submit to an aggressive pat down (including guards touching people’s breasts and genitalia with their fingers. Yes, they are told to check in a women’s bras.)
The full story at rightpundit.com is worth reading. Excerpt below:
And finally, like most government scandals, follow the money*. Guess which company owns a large manufacturer of backscatter x-ray devices? Give up? The Chertoff Group which is a security consulting agency run by former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. That’s right, in the wake of the Christmas Day bomber Chertoff has been pushing for more and more of these full body image scanners and it’s no wonder considering that this is going to put a large chunk of money in his pocket. Go figure!…
Below is an excerpt from the “follow the money” link above, a detailed article about Michael Chertoff at Boston.com:
Since the attempted bombing of a US airliner on Christmas Day, former Homeland Security secretary Michael Chertoff has given dozens of media interviews touting the need for the federal government to buy more full-body scanners for airports.
What he has made little mention of is that the Chertoff Group, his security consulting agency, includes a client that manufactures the machines…
Two pilots’ unions are protesting the use of full body scanners and aggressive patdowns on pilots. Excerpt from an ABC News story. The link includes an article and a video. (with commercial).
Pilot Rebellion: Pilots Refusing to Use Full Body Scanners or Submit to Patdown
One Pilot Union compares Patdown to ‘Sexual Molestation’
by Sharyan Alfonsi and Jessica Hopper / Nov. 9, 2010Two of the largest pilots’ unions in the nation are urging commercial pilots to rebel against current airport screening rules…
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Some ways to learn more and/or take action on this issue:
There is a FACEBOOK page that EPIC recommends which is a coalition of people working against the full body scanner program.
You can go to:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=239458517874
EPIC has a lawsuit to stop the body scanners.
Click on the EPIC report form below to report body scanner incidents you have encountered:
http://epic.org/bodyscanner/incident_report/
Also, the ACLU/American Civil Liberties Union is looking into the matter. They have a questionnaire (which reveals possible concerns), and a way for you to contact them with your incident reports at:
https://secure.aclu.org/site/SSurvey?&ACTION_REQUIRED=URI_ACTION_USER_REQUESTS&SURVEY_ID=1440
Filed under: News, politics, progressive politics, US Politics Tagged: | airport security, Chertoff group, civil rights, follow the money, Full body scanner, government accountability, Homeland Security, Human Rights, Michael Chertoff, naked scanner, pat down, Pilots' union, TSA
Ending the TSA Insanity thru Boycott
The Congress and Senate are doing nothing to end this trespass on our Constitutional rights. The only way we can get them to listen is to strike back at them through their financiers. As it appears they want to restrict our travel, it would not be wise to boycott airlines as the government will just further subsidize them. I am suggesting that other companies are boycotted to the point their stock prices drop until their CEO’s and Board members tell their owned assets in congress to stop the bleeding. I am suggesting a boycott that each quarter grows with another company name on the list. Within 2 consecutive quarters, the impact will be felt, and those companies listed next will be panic’d to realize the slaves have awoken. Since our congress is not listening to us, let them listen to the executives of:
1. GM- Buy No new vehicles till scanners are removed
2. Chrysler- Buy No new vehicles till scanners are removed
3. Disney- Buy no products or visit the parks or see the movies
4. New York Times- Buy no papers (Perhaps we can identify another advertiser in their paper boycott)
5. FOX news- Stop watching- lowering their Neilsen ratings and thus their price for advertizing on air
After 2 consecutive quarters, let We the people add more to the list- this time we add more companies
6. Bank of America- Close all accounts
7. Citigroup- Close all accounts
8. Walmart- No more shopping at ChinaCo
9. Exxon (buy gas but not from here, this will force them to have a surplus and drive their share down)
in 30 days if the machines are still at the airports- add:
10. BP (buy gas but not from here, this will force them to have a surplus and drive their share down)
11. Chevron (buy gas but not from here, this will force them to have a surplus and drive their share down)
Once these companies start seeing their profits disappear they will end the boycott by removing the machines from all airports. IMHO, Cronyism is what led to these machines being put in place, and Cronyism means profit. Take the profits from others in their circles, and those people will clean their own house.
If our votes are not being heard, our Boycott will drive the powers that be into doing the right thing, or our elected officials will lose their campaign contributions
Ghost of Franklin
[…] satan) is all about making money off of the exploitation of the public’s fear of terrorism: http://www.onthewilderside.com/2010/11/09/updates-on-the-full-body-scanner-issue-michael-chertoff-f… When are people going to wake up to the fact that they are being had? If you don’t want to […]
[…] Updates on the full body scanner issue: Michael Chertoff; Follow the money; pilots revolt (www.onthewilderside.com) […]