Tired of airport abuse? Tell off Napolitano

CHICAGO - MARCH 15: A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) volunteer demonstrates a full-body scanner at O'Hare International Airport on March 15, 2010 in Chicago, Illinois. The Backscatter Advanced Imaging Technology scanners are scheduled to be put into use at the airport today. Twenty airports nationwide are now using full-body scanners. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON – Just one day after establishing an e-mail hotline address for travelers to report first-hand the abuse they suffer at the hands of Transportation Security Administration personnel, a petition has been launched to tell President Obama, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and members of Congress all about the problem.

The petition targets the decision-makers in Washington who could bring the invasive procedures to a screeching halt.

"We, the undersigned, call for the immediate suspension of the enhanced security screening procedures and an apology to the American public by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano for directing the implementation of this ill-advised program," says the petition.

It's reasons are clear:

Whereas, the Transportation Security Administration recently commenced "enhanced" airport screening procedures that include invasive and humiliating full-body scans that result in the display of a graphic image of each passenger's naked body to be scrutinized by a TSA agent – a virtual strip search;

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Whereas, the Transportation Security Administration also began, at the same time, to subject all who choose not to undergo the indignity of the full-body scan, new and more aggressive ("enhanced") open-hand pat-down procedures to be used on men, women and children, which include manual contact with their breasts and genitalia;

Whereas, requiring such a degrading and invasive search of passengers and flight crews utterly ignores the Fourth Amendment, which says, "'The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated";

Whereas, full-body scans produced by backscatter X-ray machines create radiation potentially harmful to frequent fliers and airline crew members, prompting the world's largest independent airline pilot association – the American Pilots Association, representing about 12,000 pilots – to strongly warn its members to avoid the new screening;

Whereas, generating naked images of minor passengers arguably amounts to the creation of illegal child pornography;

Whereas, these new procedures, being massively unpopular, humiliating, immoral and subject to horrific abuse, are certain to result in an increased aversion to flying on the public's part, which in turn will further hurt the airline industry and cause the country as a whole even more economic difficulties:

"What is happening around the country is a national embarrassment," said Joseph Farah, editor and chief executive officer of WND in an announcement about the [email protected] hotline e-mail.

Sign the petition now!

"I personally canceled family travel plans this week as a result of widespread reports of groping, voyeurism and humiliation techniques. The American people will not be treated like cattle. The policies of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano must be reversed, and they must be reversed before Thanksgiving. Those forced to travel under these conditions can help stop it by making the rest of America aware of the abuse," he said.

"WND has had great success with these petition campaigns – most notably resulting in the release from prison of Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. In addition, a similar petition led to the historic success of the 'Send Congress a Pink Slip' campaign that generated 9 million notices delivered to Congress heralding the results of the mid-term election in which a record number of incumbents were turned out of office," he said.

"One thing for certain is that Washington knows it cannot afford to ignore the grievance letters we generate to our elected and appointed officials," he said.

The new screening protocols subject passengers to a virtual "strip search" by being required to undergo a humiliating full-body scan, resulting in the display of a graphic image of their naked body to be scrutinized by a TSA agent.

If they choose to "opt out" of the full-body scan, they are forced instead to undergo the same kind of aggressive pat-down that criminals and drug-dealers get, including direct manual contact with their breasts and genitalia. Children are not exempt.

Commentators have argued such degrading and invasive searches violate passengers' Fourth Amendment guarantee to be "secure in their persons … against unreasonable searches and seizures." Further, there have been raised questions about whether such images of children amount to the creation of illegal child pornography. In the U.K. children were exempt from a test of the technology.

Sign the petition now!