Feb 10 Worth The Cost Of Freedom?

Last Sunday, in another one of her DFL (MN Democrats for the rest of you) talking points based column, Star Tribune columnist Lori Sturdevant took Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz to task for his opposition to whole body imaging scans.

But here's what the news coverage didn't mention. Chaffetz is the guy who led the legislative charge against full-body scanners, the technology that could have potentially detected the explosive material that almost brought down a Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas Day. Even after the attempted terrorist attack, Chaffetz defended his bill, which would ban the scanners as a primary and mandatory security screening. His concern? He believes it's an invasion of privacy and says the technology would allow transportation officials to see his wife and children naked. He has referred to the images as "TSA porn."

Obama didn't demand an explanation from Chaffetz about this during their exchange, but he should have. The Christmas Day near-tragedy showed the nation is still vulnerable to terrorists. Full-body scanners are an effective, much-needed line of defense. Chaffetz's bill is not only obstructionism, it's dangerous.

Never mind the fact that the Underwear Bomber boarded his plane in an airport that ALREADY HAD the whole body imaging scanners in place (as we discussed earlier).  Lori has never been one to let something as inconsequential as facts get in the way of a good slam on a Republican.  But facts (and human nature) are funny things - they have a habit of popping up at just the wrong time.  Because you see folks, it turns out that Rep. Chaffetz was absolutely correct about the possibilty of abuse.

Claims on behalf of authorities that naked body scanner images are immediately destroyed after passengers pass through new x-ray backscatter devices have been proven fraudulent after it was revealed that naked images of Indian film star Shahrukh Khan were printed out and circulated by airport staff at Heathrow in London.

UK Transport Secretary Lord Adonis said last week that the images produced by the scanners were deleted “immediately” and airport staff carrying out the procedure are fully trained and supervised...

However, the Transport Secretary’s assurances were demolished after it was revealed on the BBC’s Jonathan Ross show Friday that Indian actor Shahrukh Khan had passed through a body scan and later had the image of his naked body printed out and circulated by Heathrow security staff.

Oh snap I hate it when that happens.

Khan even was a little taken aback at just how much detail was in the whole body image scans...

'I was in London recently going through the airport and these new machines have come up, the body scans. You've got to see them. It makes you embarrassed - if you're not well endowed.

'You walk into the machine and everything - the whole outline of your body - comes out.'

Khan said he did not know that the body-scans - installed in the wake of last year's abortive Christmas Day bombing of a transatlantic flight over Detroit - showed up every little detail of one's body.

'I was a little scared. Something happens [inside the scans], and I came out.

'Then I saw these girls - they had these printouts. I looked at them. I thought they were some forms you had to fill. I said 'give them to me' - and you could see everything inside. So I autographed them for them.'

...and that is saying a lot considering he is an actor (you have to get confortable making quick costume changes in front of others backstage).  

Now I know that Congressman Chaffetz won't say it, but someone needs to.  Congressman Chaffetz was ABSOLUTELY CORRECT to raise the alarm about the possible abuses of thes whole body image scans. It is nothing more than human nature.

Founding Father Benjamin Franklin once said "Those who are willing to give up essential liberty for temporary security, deserve neither liberty or security."  This is a quote that was thrown out often (and rightly I now add in 20/20 hindsight) by those who were opposed to the Patriot Act.  I think that it is still a valid quote to ponder as we continue to work toward keeping America and Americans safe.  But there will eventually come a time when no matter what we do this determined enemy will attack.  Knowing that, is temporary security really worth giving up our freedoms and privacy for?