Well it finally happened, the SCANNER!

In all of my trips to Dallas to see my son or on vacation to Colorado I had avoided the new scanners until Utah. I attended the Self Reliance Expo for two days and noticed the scanners as I flew into SLC Airport. OK, now I had always vowed that if contronted by these violators of the 4th amendment, I would FIGHT EM! TSA was fine with checking my firearm through and I moved down the cattle line toward the People in Blue… They were friendly enough (must have been a good day) and chatted as I removed my shoes, belt, everything in my pockets, computer, watch, phone…you get the idea into lovely trays. Now I turn and there are two roads…She ushers me toward the scanner, I stop, take a deep breath and ask “what if I refuse the scanner”?

Without missing a beat she says “well sir, we can get a male over here and you will get a patdown, would you like that”? What the hell was I gonna say, “oh sure, that would be great”… yep, that’s pretty much what I said and she asked me to stand against the wall and wait. I had a brief moment when I thought she was going to offer me a blindfold and a last cigarette!

So 5 min later, she ushers me through the metal detector and over to and area and an agent for TSA comes over and explains the search and exactly how he would search, it’s a more extensive pat down, but a pat down nonetheless. He asks if I am confortable in the open or would I prefer an etched glass booth for more privacy, hell I don’t have a privacy option and I WANT this done in public so I give him the go ahead and he starts. During this we are talking and he asks why I didn’t want the scanner, I told him it was a clear violation of unreasonable search and this was to, but I would not be punished farther for what some crazy assed arabs did! He said he understood and finished the search, it was no big deal.

Now for a child, I think it’s might be to much for a lot of kids but for me, been there and done that. I guess I would sum up the experience that at least for once in many years, I was able to say NO to TSA for something….

As a side note, we need to fight and question EVERY encrouchment on our constitutional rights no matter where! In this instance, I made them deal with me personally. Imagine if my line was the only line everybody got into….they would have to reconsider. This is the only way to change this country to what is was…40 years ago.

Yours in the fight!

Vic