Security Or Plain Old Greed ?

If you've been reading the blogs or watching television news recently, then you know there is a controversy going on right now regarding airport security.   In their never-ending effort to dehumanize Americans while preparing them to live in a police state, and possibly provide a modicum of security while doing that, the Department of Homeland Security has instructed the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) to install full-body scanners in airports.

These scanners are able to see through clothing and fully expose a person's body.   As if this indignity wasn't enough, no one really knows if the scanner's rays are harmful to the traveler -- especially those travelers who fly a lot.   We are just supposed to accept the word of the TSA's administrator that the rays are "within safe limits" (since no real tests were done before starting to install these scanners in airports).

The TSA has said that a person can avoid going through these scanners -- if he/she is willing to submit to a very intrusive body search, which includes a TSA officer groping the person's "private areas".   I'm not sure which is worse, being groped or being exposed -- although the safety factor of the scanner's rays may tip the balance toward being groped.

Many Americans, including myself, are starting to wonder if all this airport security stuff is really necessary.   It is really to protect people, or is it to intimidate and train the public to accept policing agencies violating their civil and constitutional rights?   Or maybe it's just to put more dollars in politicians and corporate pockets.   A recent revelation tends to support that last reason.

Remember Michael Chertoff (pictured above) -- the head of Homeland Security under President Bush?   He was still the head of Homeland Security when the scanners first began to be installed in airports, and today he is still pushing the installation and use of these scanners.   Of course he's just doing this to protect the American public -- right?   Wrong!

When he left the Homeland Security Department Chertoff formed his own company, the Chertoff Group.   He calls this a "security consulting agency".   It is really a lobbying firm.   Chertoff is now a lobbyist, and he's pushing the new scanners to any politician or news organization that will listen.   And he's not doing that as a public service.

Guess who the biggest clients are of Chertoff's new lobbying firm?   That's right.   The companies that make and sell the full-body scanners.   Chertoff is pushing the government installation of the scanners because he is being paid to do so.   The more scanners sold, the more money he makes.   In other words, he little more than an undercover corporate salesman (although he rarely admits that when he's pushing the scanners to politicians).

When given a choice in judging a politician's actions (or ex-politician) and you have a choice between greed and public service, you would be right most of the time to choose greed.   That certainly seems to be the case with Chertoff.