The NYPD Is Using Mobile X-Ray Vans to Spy on Unknown Targets

Re:The NYPD Is Using Mobile X-Ray Vans to Spy on Unknown Tar... by vacri on Wednesday October 21, 2015 @01:16AM (#10423841)

> Philosophically, the government should not be irradiating people without their consent under any circumstance.

So you are against public broadcasting systems? You also don't think that a government should have a moral duty to operate an emergency broadcast system for helping people deal with natural disasters? X-rays and radio waves are both EM radiation.

To be even more pedantic, this stance also means that a government building would not be able to have any lights or heaters (amongst other things). Or a cop searching for a suspect at night wouldn't be able to use a torch.

I think it's a bad, absolutist philosophical point to make.

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Re:The NYPD Is Using Mobile X-Ray Vans to Spy on Unknown Tar... by ytpete on Wednesday October 21, 2015 @03:56AM (#10424188)

I think the poster was referring only to ionizing radiation (the kind proven to increase cancer risk). Light fixtures and heaters (infrared) don't fall into that category.

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Re:The NYPD Is Using Mobile X-Ray Vans to Spy on Unknown Tar... by vacri on Wednesday October 21, 2015 @05:52AM (#10424482)

You are correct - I was mostly speaking for effect. But the absolutism is still a problem. For example, if you get into a car accident and are taken to an emergency department in a state where your life is in jeopardy but you are unable to provide consent - should the medical staff have the moral right to do x-rays, which greatly aid their diagnoses?

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Re:The NYPD Is Using Mobile X-Ray Vans to Spy on Unknown Tar... by CamperBob2 on Wednesday October 21, 2015 @05:09PM (#10428723)

The medical staff had to take health physics courses and receive state certification before being allowed to use x-ray machines on humans.

The cop took physics in high school and got a 'B'. Oh, wait, no, that wasn't physics, that was physical ed.

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Re:The NYPD Is Using Mobile X-Ray Vans to Spy on Unknown Tar... by ytpete on Monday October 26, 2015 @10:48PM (#10455958)

Also, the medical staff are irradiating you for the direct purpose of aiding you specifically. The police are irradiating you because they've decided you are by default a suspect worthy of search simply by virtue of passing by - the benefit you receive in return for any health risk is debatable at best.

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