VH-RMD

there's many good ideas here, and people should consider using all of them in different circumstances. Sort of like the TSA's 'layered' approach...

PhlyingRPh

This is the heart of the matter. Unless a significant number of us take action, nothing will change, and if a couple of acts of aerial mischief happen to take place, it doesn't matter whether or not WBI would have been effective in catching the perpetrators, these things will be mandatory for all of us.

embassy55

Thanks for the inspiration. I've written my congressman, both senators, and mayor. Is there anyone else? Also, what can one do internationally?

doober

Airports are not the only places these leaflets can be distributed. You can put them in your local library, leave one or two in your doctor or dentists' office; in the local supermarket - ask to put up a poster on their bulletin board- Target, WalMart, Home Depot, Lowes, the shopping mall. You can take a supply with you and leave one or two wherever you go. Visit lots and lots of restrooms on your meanderings.

You are much more likely to hit the occasional traveler in these places rather than the airport.

I like MKEBound's wording but I also think that people out to be warned that opting out will probably involve having their genitals manipulated and probed and prodded.

We need to advocate that neither the strip search nor the advanced pat down is acceptable.

At the same time, I acknowledge that you can't put too much information on a flyer 'cause people won't read it.

Another site, not related to TSA but also promoting a cause (in which I don't believe), suggested that business cards be made with your message on it.

VH-RMD

I have written to the US Embassy here, explaining why I will no longer visit the USA.

I don't see that there is much more a non-resident of the US can do.

Wally Bird

Any action which 'disrupts' the checkpoint is going to be counter-productive. We have seen several posters here in high dudgeon about being delayed by someone ahead exercising their rights(sic).

Yes, we could all buy refundable or cheap ($49) tickets and present ourselves en masse at a checkpoint and each opt-out and demand a private screening. Once the TSA figured out what was happening (admittedly that could take a while ), they would either simply line the dissenters up separately or call for the tame airport LEOs to come and threaten us.

Maybe a few other passengers would get the message but most would think us nutters or worse, some kind of al Quaida suicide squad. I'm not kidding.

Protesting outside the terminal or even at the airport entrance (I'm thinking the "LAX" sign for example) seems a better option to me.

pbjag

I think that unfortunately, many occasional fliers tune out "privacy" and "naked" because after all, this is to keep them dsafe!
Specific details of what this means, however, seem to be enlightening and horrifying more occasional flyers.

The sentence below from the ACLU website spells it out:

Passengers...should not be required to display highly personal details of their bodies such as evidence of mastectomies, colostomy appliances, penile implants, catheter tubes and the size of their breasts or genitals as a pre-requisite to boarding a plane.

pbjag

[QUOTE=embassy55;14549737]Thanks for the inspiration. I've written my congressman, both senators, and mayor. Is there anyone else? [QUOTE]

Local columnists, newspaper editors, on-air reporters and news anchors. Especially those who have young children.

InkUnderNails

If public speaking does not terrify you the the following is effective. If you can, put together an effective presentation of factual information that would take about ten minutes to present. Approach the local Kiwanas, Rotary, Lions whatever public service organization meets in your community. Offer to make a presentation on airport security and what to expect. Offer to explain the new technologies. Your expertise and your credibility is as a frequent traveler, X flights per year, x nights on the road, X miles on AA or whatever.

Keep the presentation to the facts and avoid sensationalism. For example, explain the new technology and say that some people are skeptical due to the possibility of radiation exposure even though the government has said the machines are safe. Give a ton of advice that is helpful (like how to get through security without hassle) plus information about the new technology. Open the floor for questions and share your person opinions if the subject is broached.

This is hard work and will take a day or so of prep, but if out fellow FT folks could contribute a list of links to use for info, it will reduce the time needed. If someone could put together a power point presentation that everyone could use that would reduce some of the prep time as well.

Why this? These organizations meet very often and are commonly scratching around for speakers. They look for people that can provide useful but little known information (which we have) and try to avoid sales talks (not us) or sensationalism (we can do this, we really can). If you make a good presentation, you will be asked to make your presentation to others. These groups often contain the local community's leaders and shakers. If you get their attention, you will have the attention of people that can effect change.

Our biggest problem is that we travel a lot and committing midweek time to this will be a sacrifice. We need to make the process as easy as possible. Maybe we could have a thread with tips, links and such. We will need material to pass out, pdfs and printed at home is fine.

This is marketing 101 for consultants, of which I am one. The technique works. And in the end, we are consultants. We have knowledge that we need to share. The knowledge is for the benefit of the listener and they will appreciate it if it is presented in the right way.

INK

tanja

Travelling to USA has dropped quit a bit.
It is so low that money has to be spent in tourism to encourage travelling. Also to give USA a good reputation abroad.

All people that I know in Europe ( quit a lot of them) will not come here.

They have all lost intrest in travelling here. Mostly because of the way they get treated in airports by various workers.

doober

Congress reconvenes on September 13th. When is the best time to write - during the recess or while in session?

MikeMpls

And speaking of catheter tubes, I had one for 3 months earlier this year. How would TSA properly clear it? Before it could be exposed, the nurse & I put on face masks, and it was immediately swabbed with an antiseptic solution.

TSA is not equipped or qualified to deal with these things.

WChou

Any action must be minimally disruptive to the target audience. I've seen many awareness events backfire because the organizers alienated those they were seeking support from. In a campaign to seek reasonable speed limits on a local highway, a bunch of people decided to drive 55MPH during peak traffic times. On a typical day, people drove 65 - 70MPH. In the end, traffic was so backed up that the protesters swayed many with a neutral stance in the direction of the "safety" advocates. A family member told me of a plant where striking workers tied up traffic everyday for months by picketing on the shoulder of a busy highway and even stopping traffic at rush hours with sit-ins on the road. When the plant was shutdown, they received no sympathy from anyone.

Therefore, I would be against any mass action at a checkpoint that would delay people from going through security. The casual traveller is probably ambivalent but any inconvenience would turn them toward the wrong side. If a mass opt-out leads to the shutting down of a checkpoint with flights being missed, the folks will simply walk away mad and not better educated. A good checkpoint would be one where screening continue via the WTMD and patdowns performed in full view of the public. That way people can see how invasive security can be under the new system. A quick message can also be that the people being patted down are "taking one for the team" so that others can passthrough unmolested.

clrankin

If others could hear the people receiving the pat-down saying things loudly like "Hey, that hurts!" and "Don't grab my (insert personal private part of choice here)!" that might help too. Even if they aren't playing grabby that day, giving the impression that they're being perverts doesn't hurt in swaying the casual observer.

essxjay

That's an important point. But ...

... let's not forget that the TSA and airlines are also educational targets.

Witnessing an invasive search doesn't mean they'll connect the implication to themselves. The more likely move is to conclude that those pulled aside for special torture must have done something to deserve it.
How is this precise message to be conveyed if Opt Outs are beyond conversational reach of other pax? So many sleepwalk through life in general that I don't think it's reasonable to hope for high-level abstraction from nearly anyone in this setting.