Full Body Scanners

There has been a ton of foofarah surrounding airport security procedures this last week. The TSA has rolled out the new full body scanners at terminals across the country. These are the machines that use a low level of backscatter x-rays to produce a picture that looks like a shadowy outline of you without any clothes on. Installing the scanners was put on a crash basis after last Christmas' underwear bomber. He only managed to set his own genitals on fire, but his aborted attack revealed a weakness in the current security system.

People are complaining that it is too invasive, that the new scans violate privacy. Others claim that it is an unwarranted government intrusion into our lives. I have read some people urge that we boycott the air travel system until these scanners are pulled.

Worse, because there is a low level of x-ray exposure that is cumulative, frequent fliers may choose to opt out of the scans. If they do, the alternative is a "pat down" inspection. I've got to admit, I have no desire to have a TSA representative prod my genital area, checking to see if I have strapped explosives to my inner thigh.

But you know who I really feel sorry for? The TSA employees.

You want to see what I look like with no clothes on? Bring it, but I can't promise you'll be able to sleep at night. You need to "touch my junk?" Go ahead. You'll be the one to wake up screaming, not me.

It's not just me. A third of all Americans are obese, with another third in the category of overweight. I can just imagine the daily meeting at the airport where jobs for the day are assigned. "Joe, you'll be working the body scanner today." "Oh geez, no! Can't I x-ray bags instead, please!"

Seriously, I can't imagine a more thankless task than trying to stop terrorists from blowing up random flights.