Why the radiation argument is a bad idea.

I've heard and read a lot of people making radiation health arguments about scanners. I think it's a bad idea.

Specifically while the health effects of ionizing radiation (x-rays) are mostly understood the health effects of non-ionizing radiation are much less clear. There is no peer reviewed evidence that short term low dose exposure to microwave radiation causes negative health effects - now it may turn out in 20 years that there are negative effects. However making the argument now give the TSA a perfect out - they can say oh we're switching to microwave you should all be happy now and they can paint those who object as tinfoil hat wearing nut jobs.

IMHO it's much better to fucus on the constitutional question of search without probable cause, 4th amendment rights and the fact that none of these technologies detect weapons in body cavities.

(The thread that prompted this thought http://www.reddit.com/r/OperationGrabAss/comments/nr8i8/sfo_reason_for_opt_out/c3bdiq9)