Congressman to re-introduce American Traveler Dignity Act this week

Steve Watson
Prisonplanet.com
July 4, 2011

In the wake of last week’s demise of the effort on behalf of Texas lawmakers to criminalize TSA transgressions, Congressman Ron Paul has taken up the cause, once again proving he is the only serious presidential candidate when it comes to protecting the liberties of Americans.

Paul announced today, on Independence Day, that he will introduce legislation into the House this week that will directly target not only grossly invasive TSA pat downs, but also the use of harmful radiation emitting body scanners.

“This week I am introducing the American Traveler Dignity Act, which establishes that airport security screeners are not immune from any US law regarding physical contact with another person, making images of another person, or causing physical harm through the use of radiation emitting from machinery on another person.” The Congressman stated in his weekly Texas Straight Talk update.

“They are not above laws the rest of us must obey.” Paul urged. “As we continue to see more and more outrageous stories of TSA abuses and failures, I hope that my colleagues within the House will listen to their constituents and join with me to support this legislation. ” The Congressman added.

“The press reports are horrifying. 95 year old women humiliated, children molested, disabled people abused. Men and women subjected to unwarranted groping and touching of their most private areas, and involuntary radiation exposure.” Paul stated.

“If the perpetrators were a gang of criminals, their headquarters would be raided by SWAT teams and armed federal agents. Unfortunately in this case, the perpetrators are armed federal agents.” he continued.

The Congressman previously introduced the legislation, H.R. 6416, last November, however it did not pass committee.

The bill contains just a short section that reads:

No law of the United States shall be construed to confer any immunity for a Federal employee or agency or any individual or entity that receives Federal funds, who subjects an individual to any physical contact (including contact with any clothing the individual is wearing), x-rays, or millimeter waves, or aids in the creation of or views a representation of any part of a individual’s body covered by clothing as a condition for such individual to be in an airport or to fly in an aircraft. The preceding sentence shall apply even if the individual or the individual’s parent, guardian, or any other individual gives consent.

Listen to Congressman Paul’s update in full:

(ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW)

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The Congressman’s commentary is presented in written form below:

The press reports are horrifying. 95 year old women humiliated, children molested, disabled people abused. Men and women subjected to unwarranted groping and touching of their most private areas, and involuntary radiation exposure.

If the perpetrators were a gang of criminals, their headquarters would be raided by SWAT teams and armed federal agents. Unfortunately in this case, the perpetrators are armed federal agents.

This is the sorry situation ten years after the creation of the Transportation Security Agency. The requirement that Americans be forced to undergo this appalling treatment, simply for the privilege of traveling in their own country reveals much about how the federal government feels about our liberties.

The unfortunate fact that we put up with this does not speak well for our willingness to stand up to an abusive government.

Many Americans continue to fool themselves into accepting TSA abuse by saying ‘I don’t mind giving up my freedoms for security. In fact though, they are giving up their liberties and NOT receiving security in return.

Last week, for example, just days after an elderly cancer victim was forced to submit to a cruel and pointless TSA search, including removal of an adult diaper, a Nigerian immigrant somehow managed to stroll through TSA security checks and board a flight from New York to LA with a stolen expired boarding pass and an out of date student ID as his sole identification. He was detained and questioned, only to be released and do it again five days later.

We should not be surprised to find this government ineptitude and indifference at the TSA.

At the time the TSA was being created, I strongly opposed the federalization of airline security. As I wrote, in an article back in 2001,

“Congress should be privatizing rather than nationalizing airport security. The free market can and does produce excellent security and many industries. Many security-intensive industries do an outstanding job of maintaining safety without depending on federal agencies.

Nuclear power plants, chemical plants, oil refineries, and armored money transport companies all employ private security forces that operate very effectively. No government agency will ever care about the bottom-line security and profitability of the airlines more than the airlines themselves. Airlines cannot make money if travelers and flight crews are afraid to fly, and in a free market they would drastically change security measures to prevent future tragedies.

In the current regulatory environment, however, the airlines prefer to relinquish all responsibility for security to the government, so that they cannot be held accountable for lapses in the future.”

What we need is real privatization of security, but not phony privatization with the same TSA security screeners in private security uniforms, still operating under the guidance of the federal government.

Real security will be achieved when the airlines are once again in charge of protecting their property and their passengers.

In the mean time, this week I am introducing the American Traveler Dignity Act, which establishes that airport security screeners are not immune from any US law regarding physical contact with another person, making images of another person, or causing physical harm through the use of radiation emitting from machinery on another person.

It means they are not above laws the rest of us must obey. As we continue to see more and more outrageous stories of TSA abuses and failures, I hope that my colleagues within the House will listen to their constituents and join with me to support this legislation.

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Steve Watson is the London based writer and editor for Alex Jones’ Infowars.net, and Prisonplanet.com. He has a Masters Degree in International Relations from the School of Politics at The University of Nottingham in England.

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