So today being September 11th, I remember why I hate those al qaeda bastards more than ever. When we flew from Atlanta last week they had the full body image scanners going but we did not have to pass through one and went through a regular metal detector.

Today in Ft. Lauderdale was different. Laila went to the right, through a regular detector and I was directed to the full body image scanning machine on the left. It was a completely random thing that I was sent to that line. If these machines are the cure all to security issues, then why is every passenger not required to go through one.?  I believe these machines are a violation of my right to privacy and do not add to the safety of aviation in America today. I was asked to empty my pockets.

It was at this time I asked to be manually searched in private. The lady asked me if I was “opting out”.  I repeated my request to be searched privately. The lady asked me again if I was “opting out”.  I guess I wasn’t using the proper secret words so I told her if requesting a manual search was opting out, then yes I was. She got on her little radio and requested a supervisor.

The supervisor came over and started to question me sharply on what my issue was. He wanted to know if I was scared of radiation because my personal cell phone put out 60,000 times more radiation. I told him that was not the issue. He then asked if it was because it might be due to it being new technology. I told him it might be. He then informed that any manual search would be many times more invasive than the body scan. I don’t know why it mattered why I was requesting a manual search. I have the right to request it and they have the duty to honor it. I asked the officer if it was an unusual request to not be body scanned and he informed me it was.  I believe it is a rare occurrence, because most people do not know what these machines do and are not informed that they have a right to request an alternative screening method.

So after all that I was not taken to be privately screened as requested. I was patted down in a wide open area. When I was done they were going through my carry on luggage because I had forgotten I had a collectible bottle of Coca-Cola in it.

It seems the TSA wants to threaten, harass and embarrass people in to these machines. Read this story on how a pregnant passenger was coerced in to a screening.

And no I am not shy,  I am not all the concerned if some stranger sees my nuts and berries, I just don’t think they have the right to demand it.

UPDATE: Some good information here from my comments section.