i don't agree with everything he does, but i'm glad to see someone with authority and some celebrity clout at least acknowledging that this is a problem. maybe we'll make some headway.

(CNN) -- Count Jesse Ventura among fliers who don't want their "junk" touched by Transportation Security Administration agents.

The former Minnesota governor and pro wrestler filed a lawsuit Monday in federal court in Minnesota against the Department of Homeland Security and the TSA.

The suit alleges enhanced airport security procedures, including pat-downs and full body scanning, violate Ventura's rights under the Fourth Amendment, which protects Americans from unreasonable searches and seizures.

Ventura is not seeking monetary damages, according to his attorney, David Olsen. Ventura wants an acknowledgment from the court that his rights have been violated and a court order that would stop the government from subjecting him to the screening procedures, Olsen said.

"We consider the pat-downs and the whole body scanners to be a step too far, and they have crossed into the realm of the unreasonable," Olsen said.

The TSA said it cannot comment on pending litigation, but it has characterized pat-downs as one of multiple layers of security used to protect the traveling public.

"Pat-downs are one important tool to help TSA detect hidden and dangerous items such as explosives," the agency said on its website.

The lawsuit calls the TSA's enhanced pat-downs "warrantless, non-suspicion-based offensive touching, gripping and rubbing of the genital and other sensitive areas of the body."

Ventura had hip replacement surgery in 2008, and the resulting titanium implant routinely sets off metal detectors, requiring him to undergo pat-down searches, according to court documents. The lawsuit alleges the pat-downs and the TSA's whole body imaging procedures meet legal definitions of unlawful sexual assault and unlawful video voyeurism.

Ventura, who is host of a TV program called "Conspiracy Theory" on truTV, a CNN sister network, flies two to three times a week for work, according to the suit.

His professional schedule means he must either submit to routine searches, "or retire from his television work and forgo his income," the lawsuit said.

Ventura has stopped flying commercially to avoid the screening, Olsen said.

"It virtually makes it impossible for him to work in his present job," he said.

i saw a video taken today of a 3 year old girl given the "enhanced pat-down" by the TSA. she is screaming "stop touching me!" and crying and trying to escape. the pat-down continues.
at first i was going to post the video here, but it upsets me so much. i wanted to cry. i wanted to intercede for this poor girl.
has she been abused at her daycare? by a family friend? if so, my heart breaks for her.
if not, and hopefully that is the case, then her first moments of inappropriate touching, of feeling scared and violated as a little girl in this world, took place with her parents watching, with an airport full of people watching. and who was doing it? her government.

what are we teaching our girls?

even as an adult, i am horrified by the concept of the pat-downs. i'm equally mortified and offended by the idea that we should all be willing to allow a naked picture taken.
anonymity doesn't excuse it. for my own modesty, and for the sake of my husband and my own conscience before God, i want nothing to do with either of the "options".

i try to not give in to the feelings of entitlement in Western culture. the "everything is about me" kind of mentality. But this strips the dignity right out of people's hands.

"you don't have to fly" is the argument. and trust me, i will drive as much as possible. "it's not a right, it's a priveledge." yes. that's true. but a government should exist for the people, not in lieu of the people. we're told "this is how it's going to be". i know that in so many countries, there are bigger issues, there is injustice and slavery and bigotry and out-of-control governments. i know that in many countries i could be imprisoned for life, or even killed just for writing this blog (even if no one sees it).

but how far do we let things go? right now, if you're "chosen at random" for the screening, and you refuse the screener, then refuse the pat-down, and decide to walk away and not even take your flight, you can still be fined $11,000 !!!

So much more that I want to say on this, but i feel so disgusted. this is one of those topics i feel passionate about, but i can only stomach talking/typing/conversing about it in small increments.

your thoughts?