We Won't Fly" Campaign Organizer Talks TSA Pat-Downs, Body Scanners & Opt-Out Day by Jim Babb and George Donnelly
We Won't Fly" Campaign Organizer Talks TSA Pat-Downs, Body Scanners & Opt-Out Day
Jim Babb and George Donnelly have started a campaign called "We Won't Fly" to encourage people to "act now" and "travel with dignity." They are asking people to understand that Americans should not be "treated like criminals" when going through airports and are opposed to the new full-body backscatter x-ray airport scanner machines that have been put into airports over the past few months.
The two call the new machines "porno-scanners." And, they are terribly upset with the airlines, which have allowed government to violate customers' rights and liberties and effectively turn airports in the country into Fourth Amendment-free zones.
Several news outlets have picked up this story and are covering Americans' reactions to the "porno-scanners" and the new pat-down procedure. The story will only perpetuate as news media do their routine reports about Americans traveling for Thanksgiving.
George Donnelly agreed to talk to me over the phone about the "We Won't Fly" campaign and how he is giving Americans traveling on the Thanksgiving holiday an opportunity to stand up to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and opt-out of being scanned by the "porno-scanners."
On November 24th, the day before Thanksgiving, Donnelly explains, "If you haven't already decided to stop flying to get the airlines on our side in this matter, if you have to fly, if you decided to take that risk, then we urge you to opt-out of the scanners for health and privacy reasons and to take advantage of the meager choice that the government has given us and go through the pat-down."
The main goal of the campaign appears to be going after the control that TSA exacts over airport security. By igniting a consumer revolt, Donnelly hopes those participating in the campaign will push airline companies to ask TSA or the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to break up the government monopoly on security.
"The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that 99% are going through the scanners and so it wouldn't take more than a few opt-outs to slow down these lines significantly," says Donnelly. "If security procedures become slow, this new procedure will not feasible anymore. And the government will be forced to roll them back."
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