Major Victory: TSA to Remove Naked Body Scanners from ALL US Airports
Anthony Gucciardi
Mass activism combined with a number of successful public awareness campaigns regarding the TSA and its naked body scanners have finally paid off, forcing the agency to remove all of its naked body scanners after its software partner OSI Systems Inc. couldn’t find a less invasive form of naked body scanner software that didn’t save such a detailed image of the naked body. A change that Congress required under a near deadline, reports Bloomberg.
In other words, the famous body scanners that are known to actually save images of your naked body (many of which leaked on to the net) are actually so majorly intrusive that even the software company itself is saying that despite modifications the scanner system will still capture a naked body in detail. Amazingly, they could not even re-code their software sufficiently enough to even reduce the obscene nature of the scanners. The conclusion ended the $5 million contract between OSI and the TSA.
All 174 Rapiscan machines, which remain after an initial reduction of 76 scanners last year, will now be removed. The TSA will also be absorbing the costs. The agency will also still be using other ‘less invasive’ scanners throughout some airports that should be crusaded against as well. It is unfortunate that the TSA will attempt to pull a fast one here, but with any luck the momentum from the naked body scanners will carry over.
Scanners Banished Due to Activism and Spreading the Word
It is thanks to individuals like you spreading the word and a number of great alternative news outlets that this announcement has been made, as the TSA’s scanners have been targeted by mass activism on such a grand scale that their PR rescue mission simply could not perform adequate damage control required to squelch the voice of reason. Through mass campaigns of opting out, awareness over the serious health concerns surrounding the TSA’s naked body scanners, and grassroots activism, this great feat has been accomplished.
I have personally been speaking out against the TSA body scanners for years, and we have been covering the concerning facts behind the scanners every step of the way. From the 1998 report that found naked body scanners were causing an unknown but considerable amount of cancers each year, to the disturbing cases in which pedophile TSA agents have been caught with porn on their work computers. And of course it’s also important to remember the amateur engineer who managed to get by the scanners with metal objects.
Overall, the scanners have proven to be not only ineffective but downright dangerous. Outside of the serious health effects which include cancer and a host of other conditions, they are actually not even able to pick up potential ‘weapons’ as proficiently as a simple metal detector. Opting out of the machines, which can be done legally by merely telling the TSA ‘agent’ (who is really supposed to be a public ‘servant’), also sparks an absurd amount of concern and paranoia from the TSA staff.
I have personally waited over 30 minutes to be patted down after opting out of the radiation scanners and was watched closely by nearby staff as if I was a criminal arrested on multiple charges — all for opting out of a cancer-causing machine that even top radiation experts decades ago admitted was churning out yearly cancer cases.
Activism Works
The bottom line here is that activism works, and spreading awareness through sharing essential information far and wide really can result in major changes. Sounding the alarm across the nation has led to an intensely watchful group of informed citizens that hound the TSA on every possible occasion into submission, leading to the Congressional decision that has now led to the removal of 174 naked body scanners. It’s essential that we understand the power of truth and continue to spread the word about issues like this one. After all, it may make the largest difference at an entirely unexpected time.
This article first appeared at Natural Society.
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Anthony is an accomplished investigative journalist whose articles have appeared on top news sites and have been read by millions worldwide.