TSA Body Scanner Encounter at the San Diego International Airport

Ever since the creation of the Transportation Security Administration in 2001, there have been a lot of changes in internet security. There has been a tremendous amount of controversy over body scanners that have been installed at US airports. The TSA is designed to safeguard our transportation system and ensure safe air travel for Americans, yet the new regulations and policies the agency has put in place seem to take away many of the freedoms we have become accustomed to.

A few months ago TSA installed body scanners at the San Diego International airport. On Saturday morning November 13, 2010 at the San Diego airport a San Diegan, John Tyner of Oceanside, became the most recent subject of the body scanner controversy.

As explained on his blog, John was well informed of the regulations at the San Diego International Airport and had heard about the usage of backup security measures such as the millimeter wave and backscatter x-ray machines. These machines have been reported to cause health problems, which is exactly why John wanted to avoid them.

John says that The San Diego International Airport’s website explained that they did not use the scanners. Unfortunately for him, the website was out of date.

As John went through the security check in he was chosen to go through the backscatter machine. John was not willing to go through this machine, so they said they would have to do a pat down. John had heard stories about these “pat downs” and in his own words he didn’t want the security guard to “touch his junk.”

This caused much disruption among the airport security. John felt that the measures the airport security were taking were out of hand and unnecessary because they deprived him of his rights. The TSA officer reportedly told him “a lot of your rights were taken away when you bought your ticket” and John replied that “the government took them away after 9/11.”

In the end, because John did not want to comply with the security measures he was not allowed to get on his flight and was not allowed to leave the airport.

TSA reportedly told John, since he had already started a part of the screening in a secure area that he needed to finish it or be subject to a $10,000  fine. John proceeded to walk out of the airport despite the warnings from TSA officers and was threatened with the law suit.

See for yourself. The videos are long, but take a look:

This event is one of many occurring around the country. Citizens are upset about the invasion of privacy and the health risks associated with new body scanners. What do you think about the new security measures at the airport?