Take Your Chertoff, Soros I Don’t Have to Pat You Down
Posted by MichaelGroff on December 13, 2010 | Filed under Podcasts
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With the recent implementation of body scanners and aggressive pat-downs at America’s airports it seems rather obvious that we are abandoning the fourth amendment. While body scanners leave nothing to the imagination and put ostensible visual exhibitionism on display for the TSA, this digital assault on our privacy is trumped only by the alternative of a full pat-down. Naturally, travelers have a choice: violate my personal space visually or physically.
One of the fundamental principles upon which our laws are based in the United States revolves around the notion of “innocent until proven guilty”. Also from this same paradigm of justice comes the idea of requiring reasonable suspicion before a search and seizure can be performed. Is it reasonable then for the TSA—agents of the federal government operating under the umbrella of Homeland Security—to be able to search everyone that goes through a security checkpoint? Bear in mind that these searches are far more revealing and invasive than a standard search conducted by a police officer on a traffic stop. What happened to the presumption of innocence? As usual there are two answers to that question, the “official” answer and the “real” answer.
Officially, the Department of Homeland Security’s position is that airline passengers should anticipate more thorough screenings, including (but not limited to) back-scanners/body scanners, pat downs and more careful inspection of belongings (carry on and checked bags). This is being done in an effort to keep up with potential and “credible” threats and techniques that terrorists may implement.
Of course for the “real” reason described above one has to ask a few questions, most notably though is, why now? Terror plots against the U.S. have been known since well before 9/11 and subsequent threats and attacks have come and gone. Oddly here we are over nine years after the deadliest terrorist attack in history and the Department of Homeland Security is suddenly overwhelmed with concern for travelers’ safety? Don’t believe it and instead follow the money.
According to various reports, including a very in-depth investigation conducted by The Examiner, It seems former Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff and billionaire George Soros are garnering significant profits from Rapiscan, the company that manufactures the body scanners. The Rapiscan contract is worth $173 million and is bolstered by lobbyists such as Susan Carr who is a former legislative aide to North Carolina Democrat rep. David Price. More interesting to note is that rep. Price is chairman of the Homeland Security subcommittee. Now it’s no secret that Chertoff used the Christmas 2009 underwear bomber incident as a springboard to hype the body scanner technology, but I think we could all see it wasn’t for altruistic purposes. What Chertoff didn’t tell you was that he was getting paid by Rapiscan. George Soros owns more than 11,000 shares of stock in OSI Systems Inc, which is the parent company that owns Rapiscan. The money trail is getting hotter by the second.
It should be noted that Soros sold his 11,000+ shares of stock in OSI Systems once media reports revealed his ownership in the company, but by then the share price had increased substantially enough so that Soros made a healthy profit.
There’s plenty more evidence that the fourth amendment’s sacrifice was for the almighty dollar, including Rapiscans involvement with L-3 communications, a major contractor used by Homeland Security. Or perhaps the fact that Rapiscan hired a lobbying firm and relocated their offices to Washington D.C. But of course the official word given is that it’s all about safety.
There are less obvious ramifications to these new security measures also, such as the health and safety of the TSA employees themselves. While the dosage of radiation is quite varied depending upon the report you read, it would appear that the average adult traveler isn’t in any danger from one scan, but that may not be true for young children, the elderly or those who have sensitive conditions such as cancer. Fortunately, there are the more aggressive pat downs so that whether you’re 2-years-old, 82 or have cancer you may all get an equal groping. What about the TSA workers who perform hundreds of scans every day, eight hours a day for years? Maybe after they each develop cancer, George Soros, Michael Chertoff or Rapiscan will pay for their treatment.
I also cannot imagine that it’s very sanitary to touch crotch-after-crotch and not even consider spreading germs and possible viruses. Have you ever noticed the hygiene of your typical traveler?
Perhaps the old adage applies though, Ye reap what ye sow. We, the citizens of the United States have been and continue to allow our personal liberties to be eroded. What’s worse is that many people truly believe that such measures employed by Homeland Security are making them safer. P.T. Barnum never sounded so smart, there really is a sucker born every minute. Based upon our representation in government on both sides of the isle, it would seem that the suckers outnumber the wise by a fair margin in both the elected and the general populous.
The plainly blatant reality that I have chosen to omit until this point is that the body scanning technology doesn’t detect much more than a standard metal detector. That’s right! While it may see through your clothes, it most certainly won’t see any chemicals (such as explosive powders or liquids) that are even remotely concealed within your body. Not to mention that we’re operating this entire discussion under the presupposition that every TSA employee is properly trained, isn’t unscrupulous, some type of pedophile and/or has a perfect work ethic to detect even the smallest trace of a potential threat. Feeling safer yet?
Undoubtedly we should pay no attention to reports over the last several years that terrorists may use shoulder mounted surface-to-air missiles to shoot down planes from miles away so as to not even have to worry about being caught by Homeland Security. Under that scenario the terrorist lives to kill another day and all the while passengers will be further scrutinized, fear mongered and inconvenienced while all the time having their rights stripped away much in the same manner that x-rays and probing hands physically do the same.
If we’re asking pertinent questions here than let’s really ask the most loaded question of all: Why is Homeland Security stopping at planes/airports? Why not go all out—the full monty, if you will—and institute body scanners on trains, light rail systems and buses. Certainly a terrorist could strike in those locations or at a federal building (it’s happened before). “Welcome to Applebees, the wait will be approximately one hour and before I can put you on the list, we’ll need you to step through this scanner”. Where does it stop?
The possibilities are endless and unless the people of the United States remember that it’s a government by the people, of the people and FOR the people, such heinous violations of humanity and constitutional infringement shall continue unabated.
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Today, a eulogy for the forth amendment, we hardly knew ye.
Also in this Episode: The state of Illinois has a law that requires citizens to pay sales tax on purchases made online, but has no way to enforce this law—so they’re giving you a chance to come forward without penalty and pay the sales tax for any purchases made from 2004-2009… yeah, let us know how that works out for you.
The pop chart reveals the worst song of 2010, Ke$ha somehow knocked Nicki Minaj off that most dubious of pedestals.
Listener email, mostly good except for one incredibly negative piece of hilarious hate mail.