ANCHORAGE — A state representative is spending more than $2,000 in leftover campaign money to tell Alaskans they can avoid airport body scanners if the devices make them uncomfortable.
The ads featuring Rep. Chris Tuck, D-Anchorage, say travelers can opt for pat-downs instead of body scans and can call state airport police if that alternative is too aggressive.
A spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration told the Anchorage Daily News that Tuck is not putting out accurate information. The agency installed body scanners in Anchorage and Fairbanks this month, said Lorie Dankers, but images of individual travelers are neither recorded nor stored.
“The technology does not take a picture; it’s bouncing electromagnetic waves off the body ... there is no image to store,” she said.
The advertisement first appeared Sunday. Tuck said air time cost $2,060 and was paid from an account that legislators are allowed to put surplus campaign cash after winning an election.
“I’m hoping to be able to properly inform people of their rights going through security,” Tuck said. “I think that people who don’t fly frequently don’t know what their rights are. ... During the holiday season, sometimes that’s the only time that people get a chance to fly.”
Older scanners raised privacy concerns, but those installed so far in Alaska and machines planned for Juneau and Ketchikan show a gray form. Hidden objects are indicated on screen by yellow squares.
Tuck’s 30-second ad identifies him as a representative.
“These machines still allow TSA screeners to see through your clothes. ... If you don’t want inappropriate pictures of you or your children taken and stored, or if you’re concerned with the possible health effects, all you have to do is say, ‘I opt out.’ It is your right,” Tuck says in the ad.
“Instead, they will pat you down. And if they touch you inappropriately, call the airport police,” he says.
Tuck said Monday a CNN reporter had “just informed” him that the Alaska scanners cannot store traveler images.
“Might be my mistake on that one,” Tuck said. He said he had not confirmed that and said he remains skeptical that Alaska scanners could not store the images.
“I would like to have TSA prove to me that these machines are incapable of storing it,” Tuck said.
Tuck said he chooses a private pat-down over a scanner when he travels, because “as a political official, I don’t want there to be a picture of me, because everybody has a phone and cameras, a picture of me with my arms up being frisked as if I’m a criminal.”
“All we’re doing is creating security theater, giving Americans the belief that they are safer. But the real question is, ‘Are we safer?’” he said.
Anchorage travel analyst Scott McMurren said he believes TSA does store the images. “They have to store them; how else would they go back and see them if there is an issue?” he said.
Body scanners are “invasive, degrading, ineffective and expensive,” McMurren said.
Comments (18)
Add commentThank You, Rep Tuck!
Its nice to see somebody with clout pushing back against the TSA. Lord knows nothing changes when I do.
As far as I can tell, the real job of the TSA is get Americans used to the idea of being compliant with authorities. You know, pretty much the same way the Germans were softened up, back in the early part of the 20th century, when the Communists, Nazis, and Social Democrats were still sparring for control.
Trust us. Would we steer you wrong?
Its for your own good, my citizens! Don't think too much about it, you don't know the whole story here. Just comply and everything will be okay...
If TSA...
...would just hire better looking agents, I'd opt for the pat-down every time.
Airport Insecurity
Looks to like the TSA is really 'Airport Insecurity'. Call it what it is. If you want the planes to remain secure, issue all passengers with tasers. In the long run each of us is responsible for our own security. When the trouble starts at 35,000 feet the TSA agents are nowhere in sight. Passengers armed and realizing they are on their own will choose life and with the proper tools in hand take control of those out of control.
Just say'n...
Kudos to Tuck
It is about time that more elected representatives stood against government intrusion. Thank you Tuck. If all travelers would opt for a private screening, TSA would change its conduct. TSA is hoping that the sheeple will go along with this new gadget. TSA should be privitized and the clown show ended. Elected officials like Tuck are rare. Take for instance Senators Mooskowsky and Baggage recently voting for the military appropriations bill. Obviously they did it to bring pork barrel money to Alaska. Contained in that bill is a provision where US citizens can be detained indefinitely and turned over to the military if they are believed to be associated with a terrorist group. Constitutional rights denied, no lawyer, no trial. This what your senators did to your rights.
What an excellent idea. I'm
What an excellent idea. I'm sure there wouldn't be any tasing incidents at all. No sirree.
Who cares.
PP. Getting back to the ground is the goal after going up in the air. Trick is to get down alive. If alive and you've been tased you could then file complaint. If dead? Well, you figure it out.
I bet you'd care if you were
I bet you'd care if you were tased.
Also, it was my understanding that the point of flying is to get somewhere conveniently. Getting tased en route by a drunk guy or a snot-nosed kid doesn't sound very convenient to me.
And what if the pilot gets tased? A flight attendant? Your son? You do understand that tasing isn't always nonlethal, right? Probably not.
Maybe if you and many other Americans weren't such scared little children you'd realize we can never be 100% safe, and that you're more likely to be struck by lightning than killed in a jet crash--terrorist caused or not.
Well akjustice
You just better hope you're not sitting in front of me and recline your seat. Let's just say I'll be helping you 'return your seatback to its fully upright position' post haste.
pp - don't rise to the bait....
Clearly a comment about Tasing is over the top and meant to shock. Don't dignify such a comment with debate.
I agree with dingdong. After 9-11, and continuing to today, the culture of fear mongering by congress and the last administration has lead to the largest increase in 'big government' (dept of homeland security, TSA) at the cost of trillions and trillions, and the greatest intrusions of government into our personal lives - in recent history, perhaps our entire history. We've spent trillions of dollars and thousands of American lives on wars, and increased hatred and intolerance within our own country - all because of a few extremists.
great campaing ad -- noting more
Paid for with campaign funds make this nothing more than a campaign ad. For anyone can notice Tuck does not provide an actual solution to the security side of the equation. Not the simplest idea on how else the security could be provide is uttered from his mouth. But hey it will get him votes.
Funny tou should mention the sheeple
PP, you are correct on all counts except,
"And what if the pilot gets tased? A flight attendant? Your son? You do understand that tasing isn't always nonlethal, right? Probably not."
1) Pilots locked forward. No access there.
2) Flight attendant and my son, well you said it: Maybe if you and many other Americans weren't such scared little children you'd realize we can never be 100% safe, and that you're more likely to be struck by lightning than killed in a jet crash--terrorist caused or not.
3)Tasing can be lethal; so are terrorist plane crashes.
The point I failed to make and you are more eloquently making for me is we must take responsibility for our own security. This phoney BS that is fed to us about TSA makes flying safer is just too much and over the top.
The taser idea my not be the best or it may need some work. But, you must agree that disarming Americans and subjecting us to the constant 'You Must Comply' routine is more of an indoctrination for obeying their authority than it is about our safety; Not to mention our Liberty and Freedom.
@Islander
No "solution" is required unless like the department of homeland security you believe that the common American Citizen is the biggest threat to the government. In case you had not noticed homeland security spends nearly all of it's time and effort looking inward at the citizens. All of it's measures are designed to control the local citizenry.
Governments are like underwear, they always get dirty and should be changed regularly.
TSA
I travel a lot and I have met real nice TSA who are professional in eveyway. It only seems that people who are TSA are caught in a political gammit, they are just doing their job as anyone of us who work for a living.
Don't blame the people who wear the TSA badge!
No one blames the agents till.....
I'm an ole lady with fake knees and hips so the metal detector is not enough....this pat down is invasive too. I got the 'cooter' bump 4 times in each pat down. One for each time they ran their hands up my legs till they met resistance.
The TSA is a business....or actually soon to be one if some of the GOP have their way. Very nice the infrastructure is paid for by the American Taxpayer.
So let me get this straight....we deregulate the top so the economy comes crashing down around our ears...and we micromanage the people to protect them against the very remote possibility of a terrorist attack. Hmmm.....
We let the likes of Bernie Madoff run amok and we strip search grandma!
Who are the real terrorists here and why the heck can't I get on a plane without getting the undersides of my breasts checked out?
Its getting crazy
Ever see Schindler's List? Thats the way I feel while in line at airport security. Heading to the O'bama;s internment camps. And what the heck is a "cooter"
o-bow
Cooter used to be a troll that posted here regularly. Now we know where he/she/it ended up.
MamaT - keep it down. (they're WATCHING you!)
LOL
I know right?
Latitude58
The seats recline - you just have to deal with that. I agree it's annoying, but everyone in a reclining seat has the right to use it. FYI - the back exit row is a great place to sit if you don't like recliners in front of you. The front exit row seats don't recline, as that would potentially block the back exit row in the case of an emergency.
I have wanted to pop the people behind me, though, for using my seat to heave themselves out of their seat - pulling my hair and yanking me backwards at the same time! Seriously? Use the back of your OWN seat people!