(NaturalNews) The
Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) is proceeding with a lawsuit against the TSA over its use of naked body scanners. Filed in the
District of Columbia Court of Appeals, EPIC's lawsuit asks for the courts to halt the US government's use of naked body scanners altogether.
EPIC has brought claims under the Administrative Procedure Act, the Privacy Act, the Video Voyeurism Prevention Act, the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, and the Fourth Amendment. (The TSA's naked body scanners and aggressive pat-down techniques violate all these federal laws and Constitutional protections.)
That effort has now been joined by consumer advocate
Ralph Nader, who agrees that the TSA's use of naked body scanners must be challenged. EPIC's lawsuit against the TSA alleges that the intrusive pat-downs are used by the TSA as
a retaliatory punishment for those passengers who choose to opt out of the body scanners.
The EPIC lawsuit also submits that the capture of naked body scanner images is itself a
violation of federal law. Furthermore, there is concern that once those images are captured, they could be
swapped by TSA employees because the naked body scanner machines are built with image capture and storage capabilities in addition to Ethernet networking.
At the same time, the pilots union
Allied Pilots Association has urged all pilots to reject the naked body scanners and request to opt out, citing health hazards from radiation exposure as well as an assault on the dignity of airline pilots.
Libertarian party endorses EPIC lawsuit against TSA
The Libertarian Party has now officially backed this lawsuit against the TSA. Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle said, "The TSA should end the strip-search machine program immediately. We've reached a point where our government has no qualms about humiliating us. We encourage Americans to call their newly-elected members of Congress and tell them that they don't want this expensive, worthless, intrusive, unconstitutional program."
The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says...
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."What part of "unreasonable searches and seizures" does the
TSA not understand?
As long as these TSA violations of our Constitutional rights continue, I urge you to
avoid traveling by air altogether.
Where to learn more
Read the
opening brief filed in the courts by EPIC at:
http://epic.org/privacy/litigation/EPIC_Body_Scanner_OB_Final.pdfFollow the news on the EPIC lawsuit against the TSA here:
http://epic.org/privacy/body_scanners/epic_v_dhs_suspension_of_body.h...And of course keep reading NaturalNews.com as we continue to cover this important story. Our goal is to
end the use of all naked body scanners and aggressive pat-down techniques in U.S. airports.
About the author: Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate and award-winning journalist with a strong interest in personal health, the environment and the power of nature to help us all heal He has authored and published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guides, and books on topics like health and the environment, and he has published numerous courses on preparedness and survival, including financial preparedness, emergency food supplies, urban survival and tactical self-defense. Adams is an independent journalist with strong ethics who does not get paid to write articles about any product or company. In 2010, Adams co-founded NaturalNews.com, a natural health video sharing site that has now grown in popularity. He also founded an environmentally-friendly online retailer called BetterLifeGoods.com that uses retail profits to help support consumer advocacy programs. He's also a successful software entrepreneur, having founded a well known email marketing software company whose technology currently powers the NaturalNews email newsletters. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and practices nature photography, Capoeira, martial arts and organic gardening. Known by his callsign, the 'Health Ranger,' Adams posts his missions statements, health statistics and health photos at www.HealthRanger.org
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