TSA plans random street electronic strip-searches with no probable cause

[AZRedhawk44]

http://blogs.forbes.com/andygreenberg/2011/03/02/docs-reveal-tsa-plan-to-body-scan-pedestrians-train-passengers/

Just walkin' down the street.

They backscatter you.  With roving vans and special cameras on telephone poles.

In August of last year, Joe Reiss, the vice president of marketing of security contractor American Sciences & Engineering told me in an interview that the company had sold more than 500 of its backscatter x-ray vans to governments around the world, including some deployed in the U.S. Those vans are capable of scanning people, the inside of cars and even  the internals of some buildings while rolling down public streets.

It's like patting you down for your CCW randomly, without having a reason to do so.  Or stopping your wife and rummaging through her purse.

Pedestrians.

Attendees at city festivals.

Bus transfer stations, compelled disembarkation and compelled compliance with a VIPR team that corrals everyone and forces them to go through a search.

[Boomhauer]

GGGGGGRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL...

[RoadKingLarry]

perfect time for clothing with messages to TSA that can only be seen on X-ray.

[erictank]

perfect time for clothing with messages to TSA that can only be seen on X-ray.

Been around for a little bit now, RKL:

http://cargocollective.com/4thamendment

Oh, it'll get you felt up (well, it'll GUARANTEE that you get felt up, as opposed to the merely-good-chance that you'll get groped if you don't wear it) if you wear it through the Nude-O-Scope - but if they're going to be pulling this crap on the STREETS now? Might be time to invest in some 4th Amendment Wear for general everyday use.

I have to wonder what they'll do in places like VA, where it's perfectly legal to carry a weapon openly sans-permit, or concealed with a shall-issue permit?  If I were packing while walking down the street, got passed by one of these vans, and shortly thereafter were surrounded by multiple cops and frisked, I'm pretty sure there'd be hell to pay.  I cannot see how this isn't EXACTLY the same as using IR cameras sans-warrant on someone's house, a practice already deemed an unConstitutional invasion of privacy.

[230RN]

I'm beginning to wonder about the cumulative exposure to this kind of thing and, like, radar from street radar speed limit detectors.

I approached one the other day (no other traffic and I was below the limit) and it started flickering at me, picking me up from 2-250 yards away.

Got me to thinkin'.

Yeah, it's below the danger threshold for one exposure, but between that and radar-operated doors...

Jes' wonderin'.

I'm sure all the authoratays will tell you it's all harmless, but... 

...it's still cumulative.

[BReilley]

I cannot see how this isn't EXACTLY the same as using IR cameras sans-warrant on someone's house, a practice already deemed an unConstitutional invasion of privacy.

I believe the justification is that you have a reasonable expectation of privacy in your house, but not in public.

[makattak]

I believe the justification is that you have a reasonable expectation of privacy in your house, but not in public.

No, I have a reasonable expectation I'm not going to be strip-searched, pretty much everywhere I go.

As I recall, officers need a warrant to search your car, as well, especially if you step outside of it and they can't use the "officer's safety" excuse.

[erictank]

I believe the justification is that you have a reasonable expectation of privacy in your house, but not in public.

You're kidding, right?

I ***ALWAYS*** have a reasonable expectation of privacy UNDER MY FREAKING CLOTHES!!!

There are a select few people who have ANY business getting into or seeing under my clothes, for ANY reason.  My wife, pretty much at will, and my doctor when I go in for a checkup or to ask about a potential medical issue.  PERIOD.  Outside of that - get a damned warrant.

[Boomhauer]

You're kidding, right?

He's not. It's just like the warrentless GPS tracking of your vehicle.

We have GOT to put a stop to this. Better to do it now, peacefully, ASAP. Unfortunately, the f***ing republicans aren't getting the message, they are just nodding and smiling and voting for the renewal of the "Patriot" Act.