# "National Opt-Out Day" -- Aw, Fuck! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 17, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978 "2010-11-17T15:05:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/81 "2010-11-18T15:08:47Z")
Box-cutters weren’t a problem prior to 09/11. In fact, on September 10, 2001, I accompanied my mother to the airport when she was flying home. I walked through the metal detector, after putting my keys (with a Swiss Army knife with a two-inch blade) in the little basket, and walked her as far as the door to the jetway. It wasn’t a problem that I didn’t have a boarding pass and it wasn’t a problem that I had a small knife. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/82 "2010-11-18T16:33:07Z")
(Forgive me for interrupting all the emotion with a question. Since we have no witnesses as to what happened on the 9/11 airplanes, do we know boxcutters were used? How do we know? How do we know the passengers on one place used a food-service cart to ram the cockpit door? ) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/83 "2010-11-18T16:53:08Z")
As I remember, the passengers on board those flights called their relatives and relayed what was happening, including that one of the terrorists cut the throat of a flight attendant to draw the pilot out of the cockpit. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/84 "2010-11-18T17:20:21Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > They’d have found box-cutters, surely? Lack of technology didn’t allow the box cutters on the plane, the law did. Before 9/11, knives with blades up to 3 inches long could be carried through security. Dude could have walked up to security wearing a “Kill Whitey” t-shirt, slapped his newly purchased Stanly box-cutter in the plastic bin, and walked right through. Also, the case for box-cutters even being the primary weapon for 9/11 hijackers is plenty thin. A box cutter is mentioned by ONE person making a desperate cell call from one of the planes. Other callers mentioned knives, one even mentioned a passenger had been shot. No weapons survived the crashes, so no one really knows for sure what weapons were used. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/85 "2010-11-18T19:55:13Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > Lack of technology didn’t allow the box cutters on the plane, the law did. Before 9/11, knives with blades up to 3 inches long could be carried through security. Dude could have walked up to security wearing a “Kill Whitey” t-shirt, slapped his newly purchased Stanly box-cutter in the plastic bin, and walked right through. True dat. I flew through Dallas in August 2001 and you could buy big-ass Bowie knives, airside. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/86 "2010-11-19T15:29:50Z")
> [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](#): > > There is a big difference between a waiter and sommelier too. I do not care what it is when I ask them to bring me the desert menu. A better analogy would be the difference between a waiter and a busboy. One is trained in customer interaction and expected to do so properly. The other couldn’t give a rat’s tail about customer interaction. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/87 "2010-11-19T16:34:10Z")
> [@Lightnin](#): > > Considering the quality of even the best backscatter scanner images, I couldn’t give a damn. If you want a naked picture of someone, I could make a far better image in photoshop if you give me a headshot. I don’t think I’d even recognize myself in a backscatter image. Whatever. But that’s _your personal preference_. I personally don’t care if they see my naked body either - hell, rather than opting out, my protest would be to simply disrobe before going into the scanner: if they want to see my private parts, why not let the whole airport in on the experience? But it should be a matter of _choice_, rather than something that our security state can require as a matter of right. They are, of course, claiming that it IS a matter of choice; you CAN opt out and choose the pat-down instead. But if they mean that, it’s up to them to put their money where their mouth is, and have sufficient personnel on hand to handle whatever number of people choose to opt out. If there are more than the usual day-before-Thanksgiving backups at security next week, please direct your ire at TSA for failing to back up their words with staffing, rather than the people who are taking them at their word, despite their dislike for TSA procedures. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/88 "2010-11-19T17:06:55Z")
Copy the first image on this page into an image editing program (the girl with the green shirt): [http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/11/airport\_body\_scan\_protesters\_p.php](http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/11/airport_body_scan_protesters_p.php) Then invert the colors. Naked chick, pretty detailed too. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/89 "2010-11-19T18:39:18Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Copy the first image on this page into an image editing program (the girl with the green shirt): [http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/11/airport\_body\_scan\_protesters\_p.php](http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/11/airport_body_scan_protesters_p.php) > > Then invert the colors. Naked chick, pretty detailed too. In future please indicate when a link might be inappropriate to open in an office setting. Just out of curiosity I clicked on the link expecting to see an article about airport body scan protesters with a picture of a chick in a green shirt and instead it popped up with SEXY NAKED XXX in the window. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/90 "2010-11-19T18:43:33Z")
Not to mention, that first picture is a hoax: [spoiler][http://www.tatumba.com/blog/archives/1369[/spoiler]Spoiled](http://www.tatumba.com/blog/archives/1369%5B/spoiler%5DSpoiled) because it contains the same pic as the link \*\*control-z \*\*posted. That’s the second time I’ve posted that link on the boards today. It’s a HOAX, folks. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/91 "2010-11-19T18:50:20Z")
If it’s a hoax I’m sorry for that, but there is nothing NSFW about that page. If you’re worried about NSFW words don’t browse The Pit at work. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/92 "2010-11-21T10:49:47Z")
TSA threatens to [prosecute anyone who tries to opt out](http://www.palmbeachpost.com/accent/travel/11-000-fine-arrest-possible-for-some-who-1059926.html): > [@](#): > > The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is warning that any would-be commercial airline passenger who enters an airport checkpoint and then refuses to undergo the method of inspection designated by TSA will not be allowed to fly and also will not be permitted to simply leave the airport. > > That person will have to remain on the premises to be questioned by the TSA and possibly by local law enforcement. Anyone refusing faces fines up to $11,000 and possible arrest. > > “Once a person submits to the screening process, they can not just decide to leave that process,” says Sari Koshetz, regional TSA spokesperson, based in Miami. ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/93 "2010-11-21T12:34:46Z")
Here’s some handy advice from [Chopper Reid](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mA3voZUZrk) on handling airport security. _YouTube video_ ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/94 "2010-11-21T13:38:36Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Whatever. But that’s _your personal preference_. But my _personal preference_ doesn’t enter into it at all. It’s an absolute _fact_ that a far better and more representative nude can be manufactured with nothing more than a headshot than you can get from a backscatter scanner. Despite this, nobody’s clamoring to make digital image manipulation illegal. That’s why I find calling the scanners “pornoscanners” to be completely disingenuous- it shows that the argument is just a rationalization. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/95 "2010-11-21T16:29:32Z")
So, can anyone work out how this YouTube video of a young child having to remove the clothes on the upper half of his body is not real? Because I’d hate to live in a world where it is real. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skkCpnCm7iM) ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/96 "2010-11-22T00:35:06Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > So, can anyone work out how this YouTube video of a young child having to remove the clothes on the upper half of his body is not real? > > Because I’d hate to live in a world where it is real. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skkCpnCm7iM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skkCpnCm7iM) What are you talking about? This is good stuff. Learning young like this will help him to not question the police state when he grows up. “What’s the big deal with full body cavity searches? That’s not much different than what I grew up with.” he’ll say. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/97 "2010-11-22T01:34:39Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > TSA threatens to [prosecute anyone who tries to opt out](http://www.palmbeachpost.com/accent/travel/11-000-fine-arrest-possible-for-some-who-1059926.html): You know I’m glad I’m not flying. Because if I was I’d have to rig a fake bleeding wound, like a little baggy of some fake blood that’d pop when they did the pat down. Then when they looked at the fake blood in disgust I’d look at them in complete surprise and horror. “oh no, no! You need to clean that off and get tested! I’ve got AIDs.” And that can only end in jail time. ---
**Author:** ![Jorge\_Burrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Jorge\_Burrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorge_Burrito)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/98 "2010-11-22T01:49:11Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > So, can anyone work out how this YouTube video of a young child having to remove the clothes on the upper half of his body is not real? > > Because I’d hate to live in a world where it is real. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skkCpnCm7iM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skkCpnCm7iM) This link claims to have the backstory, although who knows if it is accurate or not. https://www.youtube.com/embed/XSQTz1bccL4?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque Basically sounds like kid got chosen for a search, was not cooperating, so the father removed the shirt as an alternative to them patting him down. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/99 "2010-11-22T04:09:48Z")
Next time I go through an airport, I’m going to do my best to make the TSA bozo question his sexuality. Lots of moans, and pelvic thrusts when his hands are on my thighs, just to see what they could try to arrest me for. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978/100 "2010-11-22T04:12:57Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > You know I’m glad I’m not flying. Because if I was I’d have to rig a fake bleeding wound, like a little baggy of some fake blood that’d pop when they did the pat down. Then when they looked at the fake blood in disgust I’d look at them in complete surprise and horror. “oh no, no! You need to clean that off and get tested! I’ve got AIDs.” Could I be arrested for simply telling TSA that I was positive for HIV? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/national-opt-out-day-aw-fuck/560978.md?page=6)