Therapy Soup: New TSA Security Theater Can Traumatize

by George Donnelly on November 17, 2010

Over at Therapy Soup, Richard Zwolinski weighs in on the question of whether this new scanning and groping can actually traumatize people. Yes, it can! No surprise there but good to see someone qualified on this topic with the courage and integrity to speak up.

Can these scans or the very invasive pat-searches that are given to those who opt out of the scan, traumatize people?

Can these scans and pat downs retraumatize those who have been the victims of rape or other abuse?

Can these scans or pat downs trigger strong emotional reactions that may be dangerous (either to the person who is enduring these invasive procedures or to the one giving them)?

Our guesses? Yes, to all of the above. Flying is stressful enough for most people (long lines, delays, rudeness of some-not all-airport personnel, claustrophobia and other flying-related phobias, bad food, dirty bathrooms, and so forth).

Also, experts from Ralph Nader to Israeli security experts say the scanners will not prevent the vast majority of terrorist attacks–if any at all. For financial and legal reasons, here in the U.S., we cannot screen each and every flyer or do searches based on ethnicity, religion, or nationality, but we can learn from the Israelis (who have the best record of airport security in the world). They use advanced techniques of studying behavioral patterns, travel information and previous intelligence. They also interview flyers personally–their airport security interviewers are highly trained terrorism experts.

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{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }

bad bob November 17, 2010 at 9:58 pm

If thay patted down John Holmes—-they would lock down the airport, then again maybe jest keep patting, and everyone would have a smile on there face !!!!

Reply

Bob November 17, 2010 at 10:15 pm

Yep, if I were all of you I would boycott flying over the Thanksgiving weekend. That will leave more room for me and I won’t have to put up with all you stupid sh*ts.

Reply

Paul Diggger November 18, 2010 at 8:33 am

One thing I haven’t seen or heard about this so called pat down is how often do these TSA guys change their gloves? What if the last person they patted down had some veneral disease or something and now they want to pat you down using the same gloves? Would you want to take the chance? Would you want your son or daughter to take the chance? Or your wife? I think we should be asking these questions as well.

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Curt November 18, 2010 at 12:05 pm

On Wednesday, every passenger should strip to underwear in TSA line, and insist on patdown. This will send a message.

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justicemsb November 18, 2010 at 1:02 pm

No offense, but your plan hasn’t a chance of working. Do you really believe the TSA won’t be prepared for this? They will. All you are doing with your so-called protest is making others angry by trying to make them miss their flights. Your “protest” is nothing more than an attack. That ALMOST makes you no better than a terrorist.

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nicolae dimitriu November 18, 2010 at 1:37 pm

First and foremost scans are actually scams. They make some people reach offering, for all we know, zero benefit.

1. The chance of dying in a terrorist attack is way smaller than being hit by lightning

2. If government would ask us to submit to this kind of indignity in order for it to “protect” us from lightning, would we do it? Of course not, we know they can’t protect us. If they could, 9/11 would have never happened

3. This is an ever more thinly disguised way of turning this country into a police state

4. I’d rather take my chances with the terrorists than being “protected” like that. With terrorists at least i can fight back

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normal person November 18, 2010 at 1:38 pm

bunch of whiners.

you complain about the tsa situation but don’t offer an alternative, better solution. when a terrorist bomber brings down a plane you’ll be among the first to launch a new website complaining about how air travel isn’t safe enough from people smuggling weapons on board.

do all the normal people a favor and drive or take the train or better yet, just stay home and peek out the curtains.

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