The TSA vs. The Rest Of Us

Those of us who value human dignity and the right to privacy knew that airport body scanners were a bad idea. With multiple documented victims of enhanced security procedures, it is painfully evident that none of us are allowed to protect our bodies, our dignity, or our privacy anymore. A woman who was detained by the TSA because they didn't like her attitude, a sexual assault victim who was forced to endure an intense screening procedure after the TSA thought they detected an anomaly in her bra, and a bladder cancer survivor whose clothes were soaked with urine after the TSA broke the seal on his urostomy appliance during a closed-door pat down, all have no recourse for the injustices they endured. Their only crime was attempting to board an airplane during the 'war on terror' era in America.  

This 2010 poll, published in the Washington Post says most Americans support invasive screening to combat terrorism, rather than support and protect their right to privacy. Screening advocates still voice support of TSA's invasive procedures and often consider those of us who prefer to keep our dignity as: unjustified in our outrage, supportive of terrorists, and people who have something to hide. 

"Taking Sense Away" offers a fly-on-the-wall look at airport screener training as trainees are taught that passengers with nothing to hide have no problem with going through invasive radiation scanners and, most importantly, they are taught that they “can’t trust the general public.” This dehumanization process creates an “Us versus Them” mentality between screeners and passengers which will make the use of full-body scanners a more common practice, body scanner manufacturers richer, the TSA more powerful, and personal privacy obsolete.