TSA Body Scanners: The New Wave of Privacy Invasion

No one's private parts are safe from airport security, now! Our friends at the TSA chose Boston's airport to install body scanners as a security measure.

The X-Ray machines will see right through clothing and can detect if a traveler is hiding a concealed weapon under their clothes or in their private areas. The Boston Globe writes, "The scanners produce three-dimensional images of people's naked bodies, but the agency says procedures have been modified to protect passenger privacy." The machine blurs the face of the passenger.

The article also goes on to explain that the X-Ray machine can gather detailed images like muscle definition on a person's body. So if you can see my muscles, you must also be able to see my lady bits, and I don't know if I'm OK with that, TSA.

Do you feel like this is an invasion of your privacy? Good news! You can refuse to walk through the X-Rays. Instead, you'll be treated to a pat down and screening with a handheld metal detector. Choose your evil, travelers! You can have your insides shown on a screen for all to see or you can get a full body pat down and a metal detector up your yahoo.

Let me clear the air, though. I'm not opposed to better security practices. I think they are necessary, but unfortunate. You want to scan my shoes? Fine. You want me to remove liquids from my bags? Fine. You want to scan my jewelry? Fine. You want to capture a digital image of my insides? I'm not so fine. Furthermore, what is the TSA saying about radiation issues? Pregnant women shouldn't be exposed to radiation, so in order for them to fly they are now subject to pat downs and wands?

I'm going to say it, and I expect I'll be bashed up one side and down the other for saying it, but I'm going to say it: What are the chances a TSA officer gets a good laugh during the day at these photos? How many of these digital images end up in files for future viewing?

The TSA will say their employees are trained professionals who adhere to the strictest rules and regulations. Well, TSA, if that's so then why are we in this position to begin with? The following is what I don't want to hear:

• TSA officials don't make any money.
• TSA officials are overworked.
• TSA officials have to lot to deal with during the security process.

We can all file these same complaints about our jobs. My sister just graduated from her medical assistance program. She doesn't make any money, yet she works all day with cancer patients. We're all overworked and overtired -- it's the American way -- but I'm not going into people's desks, bags and medicine cabinets.

So, yes, I do have a problem with these scanners. As a "professional traveler," so to say, I'm used to just about every glitch in the system. I can easily go with flow and honestly, I don't mind rules - they are necessary to keep order and I'm all for them.

At this point, however, we might at well just strip naked and walk our bodies through security, no?