Pretty much everything causes cancer- but the biggest is the typical American's lack of fitness and poor diet. Airport scanners aren't going to make a statistical dent in our national health issues.
As far as invasion of privacy, I don't see it. There is no specific Constitutional guarantee of privacy. The 4th gives you protection against unreasonable search and seizure. Given the events of the last few decades, making sure people don't bring weapons onto commercial flights and the techniques used to ensure that surely couldn't be considered unreasonable by any measure. The 14th- the "due process clause", has been interpreted as guaranteeing a right to privacy, but I see it more as a guarantee of being able to make your own personal decisions. And I think a line is crossed when you enter a private business, (commercial airliner) and seek close quarter with a concentration of other individuals (public welfare) in an environment closely controlled by the government in the interests of public safety.
What further nullifies the argument of invasion of privacy is the fact that you have options. You can bypass the scanner and get a manual inspection. Or you can take the bus, train or drive.
Having said all that, I don't trust my government. Nothing personal, but I've lived through enough of the numbskull stunts our elected officials have pulled. Sometimes well-intentioned, sometimes not. I know in some cubicle somewhere there's someone trying to figure out how to glean some sort of information so they can make some new rule governing my personal activities. When laws are being passed restricting what kind of oil my french fries may be cooked in are passed, it's tough to blindly trust any of the SOB's.
As far as invasion of privacy, I don't see it. There is no specific Constitutional guarantee of privacy. The 4th gives you protection against unreasonable search and seizure. Given the events of the last few decades, making sure people don't bring weapons onto commercial flights and the techniques used to ensure that surely couldn't be considered unreasonable by any measure. The 14th- the "due process clause", has been interpreted as guaranteeing a right to privacy, but I see it more as a guarantee of being able to make your own personal decisions. And I think a line is crossed when you enter a private business, (commercial airliner) and seek close quarter with a concentration of other individuals (public welfare) in an environment closely controlled by the government in the interests of public safety.
What further nullifies the argument of invasion of privacy is the fact that you have options. You can bypass the scanner and get a manual inspection. Or you can take the bus, train or drive.
Having said all that, I don't trust my government. Nothing personal, but I've lived through enough of the numbskull stunts our elected officials have pulled. Sometimes well-intentioned, sometimes not. I know in some cubicle somewhere there's someone trying to figure out how to glean some sort of information so they can make some new rule governing my personal activities. When laws are being passed restricting what kind of oil my french fries may be cooked in are passed, it's tough to blindly trust any of the SOB's.
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