About Those Full Body Scanners

Michael Chertoff


I have mixed feelings about those full body scanners that are on the way to an airport near all of us. On the one hand, if they will save lives, great. If they want to do a scan on me-I'm OK with that too. I still question the need to subject everybody-including little old Mrs. Olsen- to this procedure. I still think the Israelis are the model on passenger security. I'm also a little concerned about the involvement of former Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff with Rapiscan, the company that makes the scanners. See the below article by Flyers Rights:

http://strandedpassengers.blogspot.com/2010/01/ex-homeland-security-chief-head-said-to.html

So now it is revealed that Chertoff's company has Rapiscan as one of its clients and Cherthoff is plugging the use of these machines far and wide. But wait! Isn't there a law that says former government officials have to wait two years after they leave government before they can become lobbyists?

Ah, but you see, Chertoff is a consultant-not a lobbyist, right? That's an important distinction-so they say.

There are, of course, other concerns about the full-body scanners. Apparently, the guys in the back room who are monitoring these things could abuse their power to reproduce images and disseminate them. Note to Tiger Woods; you better stay off planes for awhile. You will be a target. But I'm sure our experts back in Washington will get all the kinks out (LOL). Maybe Kevin Jennings can be brought over from the Department of Education to lend his special expertise.

I can't wait until some jokester paints his genitals red before he heads to the airport.