Lots of people will tolerate the loss of privacy under the mistaken assumption that giving it up will help increase their safety. It's been a useful ploy for police states from the dawn of civilization.

People never learn.

Lenore,

You might want to think about travelling by car, boat, train, or bus. I say that because you won't get on a plane unless you abide by the screening process in place at the airport. Personally, I think my safety and the safety of others is well worth you being searched or x-rayed. The people who will view your x-ray image will never see the person associated with that image. To them you'll be basically a skeleton and tissue.

But I'm not in favor of stopping safety precautions there. I think the airline companies and airports should be forced to cough up the money to provide onboard security on every flight that takes place in this country. Because even without weapons, a few determined people could cause the deaths of hundreds or thousands of people. I think it is worth being safe rather than sorry. Or have we already forgotten watching people jump to their deaths to escape death by fire on September 11th?

This seems ridiculous to me. If people complain about hands-on searches, they have to expect something along the lines of X-ray (I actually hope it isn't really radiation, by the way!). The results, as is said, leave you looking like a skeleton/basic greenish-toned form with shadows. It's damned abstract art! Why should you be upset by that? Unless the real fear is someone sees your rolls...? Comeon! Be real. No one is getting erotically excited looking at green-glowing you as a baggy blob with breast-like blobs and such. I teach figure drawing, and have had students queasy at first who quickly learn it's just an arrangement of shapes.

Funny, I don't remember the First Amendment stating that you couldn't be searched by the TSA. The writer complains about having carry on luggage x-rayed as well. News flash, 19 Islamic murderers killed 3000 people on 9/11/01 with simple box cutters and would like to do it again!! The rules have changed.

I fly all the time. What is more of a hassle are the flight delays for no apparent reason, the 350 lb guy next to me who is taking up half my seat, or the guy behind me on his cell phone (prior to departure or on landing) talking so loud to someone about his toe bunions that dozens around can hear him.

So either go braless or drive.

I apologize for the d**ned word above. I will be more careful.

But it is still just an abstraction, even beyond the kind of abstraction a photograph represents. Think of it as you as a Green Globlin from Spideyman.

Lenore,
I am sure there are others who feel as you do. Perhaps you could start a movement for scan free
flights where you sign a waiver of personal damages from terrorist activities. If enough people agree,VOILA! The cost may be very high but think of the pilot and crew and their risks.Your
personal freedom and convenience is still worth ir.Right?

At least forty-four trees were cut next to the Country Club Apartments site. I checked it out yesterday to see what was going on and today. One of those trees had a diameter greater than 36" - in some places it too would be protected. It was a grandfather tree. Guess that doesn't matter around here.

Do we really NEED more luxury apartments? Wouldn't it have added more charm and character (and couldn't the owner have charged MORE) to have big beautiful trees and a park? Gordon Gecko exists... and well... greed, apparently, is still good.

Anyone who loves natural areas - please please please support the Natural Area (Audubon) across the creek from the devastation. The local chapter is T.G. Pearson Audubon.... Google it and help!

Nancy O. Poole

Lenore, I fly often, mostly to the Middle East. Because my flights either originate or terminate in a war zone, I'm searched thoroughly at every point, even leaving Greensboro.
I consider the inconvenience of searches by TSA to be insignificant in light of the potential for disaster without them.
Paying for a service provided by an airline is not a right, it's a privilege. It's a contract between you and the air carrier that requires you to comply with certain restrictions--luggage size and weight, being on time for the flight, consent to security screening, etc.
If you find you aren't willing to comply with the restrictions, you might want to travel by other means.