Saturday, July 16, 2011

Airport security is about the War on Drugs

Not only in America, but in Australia, too. I was unaware that suspected drug couriers undergo hospital exams to confirm that they have drugs stashed internally. So Australia is going to start installing penetrating x-ray machines at airports so suspects can opt for the x-ray, presumably to clear their name and not miss their flight with a fruitless hospital visit.

Australia doesn't use the naked scanners (if I recall correctly, they have been banned by the parliament there) and plans to have only very limited use of these new x-ray scanners. However, am I the only one who thinks it's crazy that we spend so much time, effort, and money tracking down idiots who swallow heroin balloons but are otherwise not hurting anyone? This drug war stuff is ridiculous and it is good cover for the ballooning power of the TSA.

Taking pictures and video is NOT illegal

In light of Andrea Abbott being prevented from recording the pre-custodial search of her daughter last week, I want to record for posterity what the TSA's own website says about taking pictures and video at airports: