Get Ready for Crotchal Searches at Airports

by Prerna Lal · 2010-11-03 07:00:00 UTC
Topics:

Warning: The Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) is looking for terrorists that carry bombs and other deadly weapons in their vagina and anal passage.

TSA is in the process of implementing new pat-down procedures at checkpoints nationwide, better known as "show us your body or we'll feel you up." Essentially, the new policy is to do a thorough touch-and-feel intrusive search of anyone who does not want a full body-scan.

Just last week, TSA agents at Baltimore airport warned an airline passenger that they would start doing "crotchal searches" at airports. "We have to search up your thighs and between your legs until we meet resistance," the agent explained, identifying resistance as testicles. Testicular-fondling is now part of our national security apparatus and TSA agents can sexually assault people who need to get on commercial airplanes.

Everyday Americans are already feeling the effects of this new policy. After her underwire bra set off an alarm, CNN's Rosemary Fitzpatrick admitted that she was reduced to tears when subjected to the new pat down. "I felt helpless, I felt violated, and I felt humiliated," she said.

Here's the clincher. TSA blogger Bob tells us that all airline travelers can ask for a grope, I mean, pat-down, in a private room because that is somehow supposed to make the gross invasion of privacy so much better.

The new policy does not bode well for anyone. I wonder what would happen first -- guys requesting woman TSA agents to "pat them down" or homophobic attacks on LGBT TSA agents. It also does not make sense for policy reasons. Most terrorist plots are planned way in advance of intrusive airline checks and there is little-to-no evidence that increased airport security has foiled a planned attack.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center is suing DHS to stop the use of full body scanners, arguing that TSA "must comply with relevant law, and it must not be permitted to engage in such a fundamental change in agency practice without providing the public the opportunity to express its views." Tell TSA that neither "crotchal searches" nor full-body scanners are acceptable for protecting our security.

Photo and Video Credit: NewsyVideos / francoiscuccu

Prerna Lal is co-founder and Online Coordinator of DreamActivist and a board member of Immigration Equality. She is currently attending George Washington University Law School.

RELATED PETITION

Tell TSA to Stop Intrusive Body Searches
SIGN PETITION
9,626 People
PREVIOUS STORY:
Republican Coalition Wants to Change the Constitution to Leverage Fear
NEXT STORY:
Community Members Fight Detention of High School Graduate with a Mental Disability

COMMENTS (6)

    Comment Policy

    · All fields are required to comment.

    [X]

    Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the campaign on Change.org. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments which, as determined solely in our discretion: (1) are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; (2) include content solely intended to personally attack the campaign creator, (3) are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them; and/or (4) violate our terms of service and/or privacy policy. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion. Please also be advised that: (A) we do not actively curate and/or monitor in any manner whatsoever the comments made on the Change.org platform, and (B) the creator of each campaign on Change.org may remove any comment at her/his/its discretion.