New Jersey Moves to Ban TSA Scanners and Sexually Invasive Frisks

Is that a Pistole in your pocket, Nappy, or are you just happy to see us? Opt Out!”

In response to public and pilot outrage at sexual assault by transportation security authorities and to the carcinogenic x-ray machines used to scan flyers, New Jersey lawmakers announced on Monday the introduction of several resolutions banning such practices. Additionally, the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security is holding a Transportation Security Administration Oversight Hearing today (10 AM Wednesday).

Deborah Jacobs, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, noted:

In England where they spent about a third of all [their] security budget on video surveillance, there is study after study after study that shows that those who observe the surveillance are tracked to look at pretty girls’ special parts, and to use those kinds of technologies to essentially violate women’s privacy, or children’s or boys’ or whoever we might be looking at.

The same danger exists here, and that’s something we should be aware of. It’s been absolutely consistent in the tests. Some jurisdictions have even stopped using these technologies.

Assembly member Valerie Vanieri Huttle noted, “England repealed these procedures after four years.”

New Jersey’s bills SR91 and AR127 urge the Transportation Security Administration to terminate recent changes to its procedure for conducting pat down searches at airport checkpoints.

Huttle acknowledged what many people understand: These pat down procedures cause psychological trauma, as we saw in the video of three-year-old Mandy Simon who screamed in terror, “Stop touching me!” (That video has since been pulled by CW-39.com, a Houston, Texas news station. Mandy’s father, Steve Simon, works as a reporter for CW-39.)

Midwives believe that trauma can cause a baby to turn breach. In 2002, Nicholas Monahan recounted the traumatic experience he and his pregnant wife endured at the hands of airport security in Portland, Oregon. His wife burst into tears after TSA agents exposed and fondled her breasts. He was then arrested when he reacted in anger, and later convicted of a misdemeanor and fined. He concludes:

I can never prove that my child went breech because of what happened to us at the airport. But I’ll always believe it. Wrongly or rightly, I’ll forever think of how this man, the personification of this system, has affected the lives of my family and me. When my wife is sliced open, I’ll be thinking of him. When they remove her uterus from her abdomen and lay it on her stomach, I’ll be thinking of him. When I visit her and my child in the hospital instead of having them with me here in our home, I’ll be thinking of him. When I assist her to the bathroom while the incision heals internally, I’ll be thinking of him.

… There is now a division between the citizenry and the state. When that state is used as a tool against me, there is no longer any reason why I should owe any allegiance to that state. And that’s the first thing that child of ours is going to learn.

Huttle, along with Assembly Members, Alison Little McHose, John DiMaio and Erik Peterson, also introduced SCR135 and ACR160, which call on Congress and the President to address concerns raised by advanced imaging technology employed at airports or to discontinue their use.

At the press conference, Senator Diane Allen focused on the dangers of radiation. “Certain Americans, including cancer patients and survivors who are being treated or have been treated with radiation therapy are told by their doctors to avoid unnecessary exposure to additional radiation. As a cancer survivor myself, the new imaging equipment used for full body scans concerns me greatly. The U.S. government has not provided adequate information on the potential health impacts of these machines- to say nothing of the invasive nature of the alternative presented to passengers.”

She emphasized that “David Brenner, director of the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University has in fact said it is likely that at least some people who are exposed to the new scanners will develop cancer as a result, with frequent fliers and children among the most susceptible.”

Several lawsuits have already been filed, as Paul Joseph Watson reported today. One case involves “a woman who had her blouse pulled down in full public view by TSA goons who then proceeded to laugh and joke about her exposed breasts.”

Watson uncovered that 2002 report, as well other lawsuits: one in Miami and one by pilots. John Tyner, of “don’t touch my junk” fame, told Alex Jones he will countersue TSA if they pursue their $10,000 fine against him.

At a Monday press conference, Federal Security Director Mike Aguilar, TSA director for San Diego, promised to prosecute Tyner for his refusal to submit to the carcinogenic body scanner as well as  sexual assault.

TSA chief John Pistole would only say, “If somebody doesn’t go through proper security screening, they’re not going to go on the flight.”

Janet Napolitano, head of Homeland Security, so far has refused to hear the public outrage at her invasive and perverted procedures.

On November 24, flyers are urged to Opt Out of the body scan.

Rady Ananda began blogging in 2004. Her work has appeared in several online and print publications, including three books on election fraud. Most of her career was spent working for lawyers in research, investigations and as a paralegal. She graduated from The Ohio State University’s School of Agriculture with a B.S. in Natural Resources. Read other articles by Rady.

19 comments on this article so far ...

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  1. rosemarie jackowski said on November 19th, 2010 at 9:15am #

    Info needed – what companies are manufacturing these machines? How much did they lobby? Did those companies contribute to the campaign funds of any elected official? Let’s follow the money…

    The best way to cut down the chances of a terrorist attack is to immediately stop all drone attacks, close all USA bases on foreign soil, apologize for past aggression, and promise to never again attack any foreign country. (Bill Blum says something like that.)

  2. bozh said on November 19th, 2010 at 10:10am #

    yes, rosemarie
    finally object to all wars on a principle: no waging war under any known circumstance.
    yes to any military action on or hunt for every suspected war criminal; saddam, bush, included.
    and plutocrats wld never ever allow it unless ….tnx

  3. hayate said on November 19th, 2010 at 9:49pm #

    rosemarie jackowski said on November 19th, 2010 at 9:15am

    The israeli, chertoff, got his own machines (rape-we-scam….I’m sorry, they erroneously call themselves rapescan, or something to that effect) installed.

    You got sleazy insider corruption along with totalitarian fascist control freaks. What more could zionism, inc. want, eh?

  4. j30 said on November 19th, 2010 at 9:53pm #

    hey, check out these new reports:

    Profit Ties between Phony Terror Alerts, Airport Security and L-3 Communications, by Steve Scheetz
    http://coto2.wordpress.com/2010/11/20/phony-terror-alerts-airport-security-and-l-3-communications/

    and

    Scanners – The Prequel, by Michael Collins
    http://coto2.wordpress.com/2010/11/18/scanners-the-prequel/

    ~ Rady

  5. hayate said on November 21st, 2010 at 7:08pm #

    Both decent, Rady.

    It’s obvious the whole thing is a scam throughout – along with the autocratic fascism it is.

  6. hayate said on November 21st, 2010 at 7:18pm #

    I should add that the zios…er, the guv, and the propaganda corps….er, the media, are going into overdrive now defending scam n grope. Both obama and clinton expressed their backing for the rapes.

  7. hayate said on November 21st, 2010 at 7:25pm #

    Ralph Nader has a good piece in usa today (of all places – probably the first time they ever printed something he wrote without distorting it):

    TSA is Delivering Naked Insecurity

    http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article26886.htm

  8. hayate said on November 21st, 2010 at 7:34pm #

    Welcome to america:

    Airport staff ‘exposed woman’s breasts, laughed’

    November 18, 2010 8:27AM

    A WOMAN is suing over an incident where airport staff allegedly pulled down her top and joked about her breasts in public view.

    Read more: [http://www.news.com.au/travel/news/airport-staff-exposed-womans-breasts-laughed/story-e6frfq80-1225955345734#ixzz15yUq43bE]

    This happened 2008, things have not changed, have they.

  9. hayate said on November 21st, 2010 at 7:52pm #

    Don’t want to be oogled or raped? Well it’s off to jail for you….

    PBSO Prepared To Detain TSA Security Defiers
    Deputies Could Be Called Upon For Those Who Resist Body Scanners, Pat Downs

    [http://www.wpbf.com/r/25855931/detail.html]

    But that’s west palm beach in florida….

  10. j30 said on November 21st, 2010 at 8:24pm #

    nice to know the local police will not arrest those who opt out of both the scanners and the sexual assault

  11. Hue Longer said on November 21st, 2010 at 10:16pm #

    hayate said on November 21st, 2010 at 7:52pm #

    Frightening seeing the media do its real job of telling us how to feel and behave….great example. I see this as a microcosm of other things we are trained not to notice and think that though the significance pales to other things, the truth is is that it’s a great spark. The amount of propaganda being used to to quell it, is proof that it’s a wedge worth riding—no matter how clueless many of the outraged may be regarding bigger pictures

  12. j30 said on November 21st, 2010 at 10:42pm #

    hayate, you may have already seen this video interview by Alex Jones with Mike Adams… i just came across it and posted it at my blog.

    they speak to all these issues

    Alex Jones and Mike Adams on GMOs, vaccines, farm raids, FDA, more (VIDEO)
    http://foodfreedom.wordpress.com/2010/11/22/alex-jones-and-mike-adams-on-gmos-vaccines-farm-raids-fda-more-video/

  13. hayate said on November 22nd, 2010 at 12:02am #

    J30

    “nice to know the local police will not arrest those who opt out of both the scanners and the sexual assault”

    Yeah, exactly. Just a ticket, perhaps, like a traffic ticket. I wonder if it’s like traffic tickets issued in the banana republic’s banana republic (that’s the usa, BTW) – you fight ’em and the goatbuggers double the fine. That’s not an exaggeration, but literally true.

    $500 for a an airline ticket to vegas. $25 for a cab to the airport. $50 for a niknak at the airport. A first class “massage” while standing in line, in front of 100s of people waiting to get on the plane….PRICELESS.

    Hue Longer said on November 21st, 2010 at 10:16pm

    “Frightening seeing the media do its real job of telling us how to feel and behave….great example.”

    Initially, there was that flush of “we can get ratings”, “we got rebellion, let’s cash in on it” attitude in the zio-media fronts. That’s changing fast to the “oh, oh, we need to diffuse this situation, like pronto, give the goys a voice about one thing, they’ll be demanding who knows what horrors next” attitude. Hence the “I know this is difficult, but we all need to submit together” attitude now in the zio-media. Unfortunately it’s not just a failing of the zionist corporate media, but a failingof certain zionist [cough] left media, as well, though, applied more subtly.

    “the truth is is that it’s a great spark. The amount of propaganda being used to to quell it, is proof that it’s a wedge worth riding—no matter how clueless many of the outraged may be regarding bigger pictures”

    Definitely. I took another look at the zionist [cough] left znetters and nothing. Absolutely nothing there about this. Why? As you point out above, it’s a good spark. It’s also very important in the sense that this is something that is obviously beyond the pales and totally inexcusable that the ziofascists/fascists are imposing. Opposition is across the board. Do they not think guv sanctioned rape and voyeurism is something not worth covering? I guess the unity of zionism is thicker than rational thinking or integrity.

    Took another look at democracy now, they finally deemed it worthwhile to cover the subject. But the show they did covered the scanner aspect, but other than one line, ignored the groping. They then polished up, whitewashed and praised the israeli methods used at tel aviv. Then they went into a very general discussion about internet privacy. Not particularly useful, or informative. But still better than znet, who so far seem to be the only people to completely ignore the outrage against this zionist crime wave.

    Well, that’s zionism for ya.

  14. Deadbeat said on November 22nd, 2010 at 2:31am #

    hayate writes …

    Unfortunately it’s not just a failing of the zionist corporate media, but a failingof certain zionist [cough] left media, as well, though, applied more subtly.

    This is absolutely the case. Amy Goodman’s reporting of the story was pathetic. Chertoff was IMPROPERLY identified as a lobbyist and there was no follow-up. Notice there was a lot of “follow the money” when it came to the Tea Party but none whatsoever regarding the fact of Chertoff dual citizenship and the fact that he OWNS the company that makes the scanners. Gotta keep the focus in Chomskyite fashion away from the Jewish Zionists.

  15. Deadbeat said on November 22nd, 2010 at 2:41am #

    hayate writes …

    Definitely. I took another look at the zionist [cough] left znetters and nothing.

    The Z-netters are full of sh.. That was proven in 2004 when Howard Zinn & Michael Albert exposed themselves as the Zionist hypocrites they are. That is why that Parecon stuff from Albert is disguised and really designed to keep people from considering Socialism. Albert is a Zionist stooge disguised as a “radical”.

  16. hayate said on November 22nd, 2010 at 12:10pm #

    Rada

    “you may have already seen this video interview by Alex Jones with Mike Adams… i just came across it and posted it at my blog.”

    No, I have not seen it. I’ll have to check it out tonight. Thanks.

    Deadbeat

    Agree completely.

  17. hayate said on November 23rd, 2010 at 12:13pm #

    TSA Admits to Keeping ‘Enhanced Screening’ Plans Secret
    Also Declines to Provide Evidence of Effectiveness of Screening
    by Jason Ditz, November 22, 2010

    [http://news.antiwar.com/2010/11/22/tsa-admits-to-keeping-enhanced-screening-plans-secret]

    The more these freaks open their mouths, the more obvious it is that they are nothing but fascist pervs totally run amok.

    On another not, znet has finally joined the civilised world and posted an article on these crimes:

    When Scanners and Body Searches Become a Civil Liberties Issue
    By Falguni A. Sheth

    Tuesday, November 23, 2010

    [http://www.zcommunications.org/when-scanners-and-body-searches-become-a-civil-liberties-issue-by-falguni-a-sheth]

    It’s actually a good article worth reading as it covers some aspects of these crimes not so far gone into very much in other material I’ve read. Namely the racial profiling involved and how this has been going on for years. The author discusses this and their own personal experiences with the tsa pervs.

  18. hayate said on November 24th, 2010 at 12:32am #

    P. C. Roberts does a very good job of connecting the dots here – one of his best efforts:

    Police State USA: TSA Gestapo Empire

    by Dr. Paul Craig Roberts

    [http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=22047]

    I swear, this guy must be a stealth leftie. ;D

  19. mary said on November 30th, 2010 at 2:27am #

    Monday, November 22, 2010
    Review of the TSA X-ray backscatter body scanner safety report: hide your kids, hide your wife

    I am a biochemist working in the field of biophysics. Specifically, the lab I work in (as well as many others) has spent the better part of the last decade working on the molecular mechanism of how mutations in the breast cancer susceptibility gene, BRCA2, result in cancer. The result of that work is that we now better understand that people who have a deficient BRCA2 gene are hypersensitive to DNA damage, which can be caused by a number of factors including: UV exposure, oxidative stress, improper chromosomal replication and segregation, and radiation exposure. The image below shows what happens to a chromosome of a normal cell when it is exposed to radiation. It most cases, this damage is repaired; however, at high doses or when there is a genetic defect, the cells either die or become cancerous.

    /….

    myhelicaltryst.blogspot.com/2010/11/tsa-x-ray-backscatter-body-scanner.html

    November 22, 2010