Did I Give Up My Rights When I Bought an Airline Ticket?

According to the TSA I did!!!

I am posting a link to John Tyner's blog and videos. You may have heard of him, he is the man who blatantly told the TSA if they touch his junk he will have them arrested.  Mr. Tyner turned his video on for the whole ordeal when he refused the AIT Scanners. There is not much in the way of pictures, but the audio is excellent.  The thing that stood out the most to me in the audio was the TSA agent telling Mr. Tyner that he gave up some of his rights when he bought an airline ticket. http://johnnyedge.blogspot.com/2010/11/these-events-took-place-roughly-between.html

Being a pilot's wife I truly understand the need to have safer skies.  I want my husband protected when he is at work.  Being and American, I do not want another 9/11.  But also, being an American, I have a huge issue with someone telling me I gave up my rights when I purchased my airline ticket.  There was nothing written out stating that I forfeited my dignity by choosing to fly.  No one should be subjected to this sort of invasion of privacy.  I agree with Mr. Tyner, it would be illegal if they weren't the government.

Another thing I would like to point out, as a mother I strongly oppose these AIT Scanners and enhanced pat downs. I admit, at first I did not take notice, then when I saw the pictures of the "naked body scanner" my thoughts immediately turned toward my children. At what point, since still pictures can be taken, does this become child pornography? Is that my choice? Subject my children to child pornography or sexual molestation? Then if I take a stand and say no, will they threaten me like they did Mr. Tyner with a $10,000 fine. That is money that would go to my childrens' college fund. The government has crossed the line. 

Lets talked about one more thing.  People abusing the AIT Scanners.  We want to believe that because a person is in a roll of authority that this will not happen.  That is naive!  It has already happened at London Heathrow Airport back in March of 2010. An employee at the airport was been given a police warning after allegedly making a lewd remark about a female co-worker while she stood in a full body scanner by mistake.  You can see that article here: http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-25/world/uk.heathrow.scanner_1_body-scanners-airports-full-body?_s=PM:WORLD

Naked In The Airport

So, my husband is a pilot and I have always said whatever keeps him safe at his job is ok by me. I have even said it to my group of pilot wife friends. But that was until I saw a picture of exactly what the TSA will see when I pass through one of those new AIT scanners. In my opinion it is without a doubt an invasion of privacy, and I wonder, at what point does this become pornography? So my other options is to Opt-Out.

Wednesday November 24, 2010 is National Opt-Out Day. It is a protest, so to speak, against this invasion of our privacy. It has been planned for the busiest travel day of the year to send a clear message to lawmakers that we will not allow them to strip us down! You can Opt-Out any day and request an "enhanced manual pat down", but what exactly does that mean? I went to the TSA blog for answers, but of course I could not find a definitive answer from them on what an enhanced manual pat down is. But from what I gather, to put it bluntly, I can have naked pictures of me taken, or I can get felt up! I am not ok with this, and furthermore, what about my children? How do I explain this to them?

Please visit the Opt-Out day website http://www.optoutday.com/ and the American Traveler Dignity Act website http://paul.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1796&Itemid=60 and educate yourselves on what is happening, see for yourselves what TSA agents will be seeing when you pass through security, then if you are traveling November 24, 2010, send a message and Opt-Out. It's your body, it's your dignity, have a say in it!!!

Article on radiation danger below:
http://www.infowars.com/worlds-pilots-reject-naked-body-scanners-over-radiation-danger-privacy-breach/

Also, Be sure to write Congress to let them know how you feel! 

To write your Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, please visit: 

House of Representatives

To write your U.S. Senator, please visit:

Your U.S. Senator

Ryanair Passengers Revolt

So I was reading an article about Ryanair today and how passengers decided to protest against the airline.  Basically from what I read, and I included a link to the article, Ryanair took off after the destination airport was closed and then diverted without telling the passengers until they landed. I am just thinking, if the airport was closed before Ryanair took off, or they knew that the airport would be closing before they were able to reach it, are they not obligated to tell the passengers they are going somewhere else? Wouldn't them not telling the passengers equate to kidnapping? Don't get me wrong, I understand the need to divert, but if you know before you leave, where is the social responsibility?

 

Furthermore, it reads as if the in-flight crew all left the plane, as well as the pilot. My next thought, the crew abandoned the plane, isn't that some sort of MAJOR TSA issue. Here is the link to the article. Leave me a comment and tell me what you think...

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101117/wl_afp/belgiumirelandprotestairlinecompanyryanair