The decision to travel by commercial airliner does not constitute probable cause.

[Pacifist Patriot]

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and Warrants shall not be issued, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Personally, I find the odds of a terrorist boarding an airplane so ridiculously low, I am willing to accept the risk in order to preserve my civil rights and basic human dignity.

I've been reading the discussions about the body scan/aggressive pat-down here and elsewhere on-line. I can barely believe we are even having this debate in our country. :(

[Brickbat]

1. I can barely believe we're having this debate on this g.d. board.

But yes, your point stands.

[ixion]

2. spot on. k/r

I can't believe we've let it go this far, either. :(

[Demeter]

3. Absolutely the right argument

for so much of the insanity that passes for "government" these days.

[Individualist]

4. K&R

[TexasObserver]

5. recommend

[spin]

6. The scanners and the intimate pat down ...

will not detect explosives in body cavities or breast implants.

It would make far more sense to train dogs to sniff a line of passengers, but big corporate interests would not make the profit from building the machines.

Our government would rather have high tech that doesn't work and is invasive and humiliating rather than use something as low tech as a dog's nose which does work.