Yes, I definitely get that.
The part I don't get is why you or anyone else would think that your government has nothing better to do than drive around in these vans roaming the streets in Pittsburgh just looking for 'stuff'?
That is the crazy part.
These vans are an awesome tool for border control and for security at and around certain locations and even certain events. But, they are used for more than just illegals. They are used for detecting bombs and explosive materials, which makes them excellent for scanning vehicles before they drive into a military installation, for example. They can also detect drugs, again, good for the border. But the law states quite plainly that the police cannot stop you and search your vehicle without probable cause. They can look inside the windows at whatever is in plain view, but they cannot search anything that is not in plain view without probable cause or a warrant (or unless you expressly give them permission). The backscatter vans allows them to search the van without probable cause or a warrant, without your permission, and even without your knowledge.
It will, absolutely, be abused.
"See that black dood driving the Lexus? What's he doing in this neighborhood? I'll bet he's got some crack in the glove compartment. Let's have a look-see." You bet it'll happen.
To have the van... YAY, now you're going to catch the illegals as they're being brought into the country!
But NO, too many will cry and say the vans are going to be used for ... crazy stuff... so it won't happen.
Again, at the border is one thing. They've been x-raying vehicles at the border for years. The backscatter vans at the border presents nothing new.
It's the fact that it's mobile now, and can go anywhere and can scan at any time without your knowledge that makes it incredibly intrusive. People, at least at this point, are complaining because it's the same technology that is used at airports, where it can see right though your clothes to show everything. But that's not really going to be the issue with the scanning of vehicles, since it's not going to show all that much detail (although, if you get close enough it will, and I can see, without a doubt, a couple of yahoos getting close enough to some hot chick and checking her out).
But the same people will complain about why the government doesn't do something about all the illegals crossing the border.
The "same people" being me. I'll complain long and loud about illegals crossing the border. It's not like a few illegals slip in now and again. Estimates range from 13 to 20 million illegal Mexicans alone, not including others from Central and South America. 13 million. Good grief. Somebody's taking too many smoke breaks. If I were a border guard, I'd be embarrassed to wear the uniform.
Backscatter vans won't catch anyone crossing the border in the middle of the Arizona desert, or across the Rio Grande in Texas. But it will make inspecting vehicles crossing the borders at the border port crossings quicker and easier, as it will help quickly identify both illegals and contraband like explosives and drugs. And if that's the only think it's used for, and the only place that it's used, fine.
Does nobody see what I'm getting at when I say....
No, I understand. But you're assuming that it will only be used at the border to catch illegals and contraband. But it won't.
C O N T R A D I C T I O N ??
Not at all. People who sacrifice liberty in exchange for temporary security deserve neither liberty nor security. The Patriot Act required a lot of liberty and other rights to be given up in the interest of safety and security, and those rights have been abused like crazy by the government. The backscatter vans will be no different.
