TSA, GOP Rep. Square Off in Airport Over Body Scanners

[Louisiana1976]

A Republican congressman who recently had an unpleasant run-in with the Transportation Security Administration in a Utah airport is denying allegations that he acted out over being ushered into a line for a full body scanning machine.

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), a longtime opponent of the security technology witch effectively performs a strip search on its subjects, told a Salt Lake City NBC affiliate that a TSA agent claimed to know “exactly” who he is, causing the congressman to wonder if the whole incident was direct harassment.

He added that while the body scanner is optional, agents tried to force him through it.

“They did not make it optional; and when I told them I didn’t want to do it, they started treating me as though I was some sort of criminal or something, giving me the third degree,” he told KSL NBC 5.

<snip>

more...http://rawstory.com/2009/09/tsa-gop-rep-square-airport-body-scanners/

[donco6]

1. LOL!!!

Where the hell has this dumbass been? Fly much?

[babylonsister]

2. Ha! He sounds like an asshole! Misdirection or attention? nt

[DebbieCDC]

3. "Don't you know who I am????"

:rofl:

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. Tell him to contact Cynthia McKinney

She can relate to being in Congress and being treated like a criminal.

[Ian David]

5. Why do Republicans keep insisting on disrupting airports and airplanes when they travel? n/t

[ljm2002]

6. In other words...

...they treated him pretty much like they'd treat anyone else in that situation.

Oh, the humanity!

[anigbrowl]

7. 'Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), a *longtime opponent* of the security technology'

http://chaffetz.house.gov/2009/04/congressman-chaffetz-seeks-to-ban-whole-body-imaging-at-airports.shtml

Even though he's a Utah Republican, I actually agree that such scanners are unnecessary and undesirable.

[baldguy]

8. +1

All the Bush-era security enhancements are over the top & unnecessary. They actually HELP the terrorists in that their main purpose is to keep the populace terrorized.

[seabeyond]

9. well,... i will say it. good for him. and more visible people yell and shout no to it.

i appreciate he is making a ruckus.

oh, and will sya now and not answer every post.... ya ya ya i know who casued adn created this and who is responsible ect...

[PM Martin]

10. But it's alright to use on Democrats/Liberals/Minorities though.

[ixion]

11. the TSA goons are Anti-American, and need to go.

Period.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

12. They really are Luddites as well.

I was carrying a small Luneburg lens in my carry on bag and they just about wet their pants. They were sure it was explosive or something, since they had never seen one before. Its basically nested styrofoam balls with coatings on it. They could not believe it was causing what the scanner saw (looked like a fireball). I got the full treatment and then they started interrogating me. It was almost amusing, but they soon got frustrated. Their last approach was to tell me it was not allowed since it gave false readings on their scanners. By that time I was up to the head TSA bubba at the airport. He allowed me to fire up my laptop and show him the link below. He said he would make a full report and that it would be banned in TSA rules shortly. Its still not.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luneburg_lens