So, long after the whole TSA hoopla happened last Thanksgiving, I finally got confronted with the decision whether to just go through the backscatter or opt for the pat-down. I opted out. And I'm here to tell about it.
It wasn't that bad. The TSA never intimidated me, it didn't take that long to screen me, and even the pat-down was not that much worse than any other pat-down I've ever had done to me or seen done. And I've been selected for random pat-down before, and that was BEFORE the whole backscatter mess came into play. The same-sex agent put surgical gloves on, he felt up my legs until he felt resistance. Didn't really feel my privates. He felt around the inside of my waistline, but he didn't go down. I did not feel violated, and the whole thing might have added like 5 minutes to my time spent in security.
I did, however, have to know that I could opt out. Because there ain't no way TSA is ever going to tell you. Nobody else was opting out. None. Zero. Nada. An agent motioned me to the backscatter, and I had to specifically say I didn't want to do it. She then radioed somebody and said "Opt out". Then the TSA agent next to her said fairly loudly, "Opt out". I was asked to step aside, and I waited for like 2 minutes for somebody to pat me down. I was asked to point out my stuff on the conveyor belt without actually touching it. He took my stuff to a separate area where it seemed to be watched well.
The biggest reason I opted out was because of the radiation. Even those who say the backscatter machines pose no threat say that "only" 6 people will die every year from cancer as a result of those machines. As opposed to how many(?) who will die of terrorism if we didn't have them? Anyway.... I am glad I opted out. The pat-down was not bad at all. The whole process was fine. I don't think they even recorded my boarding pass (you know, so they could record that it was me who opted out). In fact, I would highly recommend that everyone opt out. Both to protect our freedoms, and not to expose yourself to radiation that you don't have to.
My words of advice to anyone flying:
a) try to fly out of an airport that doesn't have the backscatters, if you can. You can look on the tsa.gov website to see which airports have them.
b) Act calm, and try to follow every command the TSA gives you--EXCEPT the one to go through the backscatter. That command you have to disobey. But it's okay--you're not the first. I praise God for those brave souls who were the first, but thanks to them you don't have to be.
c) To the TSA, everyone who goes through is just a number to them. Try to remain that way. You're a little less a number just because you opted out (and hardly anyone ever does), but you can still opt out and lay low. Your goal is to make the TSA agent who pats you down forget that you were ever there.
Personally I think the tame pat-down process I went through is a telltale sign that our protests are working. I had no problems, but it's because patriots before me had the courage to say "no" and made a sacrifice so I didn't have to. In the end, I am glad that I, too, opted out. It's the least that I could do to continue asserting our rights as free citizens. And besides, I am now assured I will definitely not be one of those 6 people this year who die from the radiation caused by the backscatters.
It wasn't that bad. The TSA never intimidated me, it didn't take that long to screen me, and even the pat-down was not that much worse than any other pat-down I've ever had done to me or seen done. And I've been selected for random pat-down before, and that was BEFORE the whole backscatter mess came into play. The same-sex agent put surgical gloves on, he felt up my legs until he felt resistance. Didn't really feel my privates. He felt around the inside of my waistline, but he didn't go down. I did not feel violated, and the whole thing might have added like 5 minutes to my time spent in security.
I did, however, have to know that I could opt out. Because there ain't no way TSA is ever going to tell you. Nobody else was opting out. None. Zero. Nada. An agent motioned me to the backscatter, and I had to specifically say I didn't want to do it. She then radioed somebody and said "Opt out". Then the TSA agent next to her said fairly loudly, "Opt out". I was asked to step aside, and I waited for like 2 minutes for somebody to pat me down. I was asked to point out my stuff on the conveyor belt without actually touching it. He took my stuff to a separate area where it seemed to be watched well.
The biggest reason I opted out was because of the radiation. Even those who say the backscatter machines pose no threat say that "only" 6 people will die every year from cancer as a result of those machines. As opposed to how many(?) who will die of terrorism if we didn't have them? Anyway.... I am glad I opted out. The pat-down was not bad at all. The whole process was fine. I don't think they even recorded my boarding pass (you know, so they could record that it was me who opted out). In fact, I would highly recommend that everyone opt out. Both to protect our freedoms, and not to expose yourself to radiation that you don't have to.
My words of advice to anyone flying:
a) try to fly out of an airport that doesn't have the backscatters, if you can. You can look on the tsa.gov website to see which airports have them.
b) Act calm, and try to follow every command the TSA gives you--EXCEPT the one to go through the backscatter. That command you have to disobey. But it's okay--you're not the first. I praise God for those brave souls who were the first, but thanks to them you don't have to be.
c) To the TSA, everyone who goes through is just a number to them. Try to remain that way. You're a little less a number just because you opted out (and hardly anyone ever does), but you can still opt out and lay low. Your goal is to make the TSA agent who pats you down forget that you were ever there.
Personally I think the tame pat-down process I went through is a telltale sign that our protests are working. I had no problems, but it's because patriots before me had the courage to say "no" and made a sacrifice so I didn't have to. In the end, I am glad that I, too, opted out. It's the least that I could do to continue asserting our rights as free citizens. And besides, I am now assured I will definitely not be one of those 6 people this year who die from the radiation caused by the backscatters.