After the devastating terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the United States has
increased its efforts in protecting its airports. At that time, “the security scanners already in place in most airports included baggage x-rays, metal detectors, and chemical residue detectors, which help security staff search out illegal items that a passenger might have” (DiLascio). These security scanners unfortunately failed in their job. Since then, the Transportation Security Administration has been keeping American airports safe using the latest technology. Airports have now been fitted with high-tech body scanners rather than the archaic metal detectors that only detect metal objects. During the past few years, individuals have attacked the TSA with lawsuits claiming that their security methods are a health risk and an invasion of one’s personal privacy. For one to make these outrageous claims is ridiculous. The TSA is only doing their job by protecting the people from any danger of another terrorist attack. If anything, those individuals should be thanking the Transportation Security Administration for their hard work and determination to keep America’s airports safe. Even though there have been many assertions that the Transportation Security Administrations procedures are invasive and harmful, they actually do not pose serious health risks nor do they invade one’s personal privacy.
One might say that the TSA should find different methods of searching people instead of using body scanners and pat downs. The problem is; how can security search people for dangerous objects without either doing a pat down or sending them through a body scanner? They cannot! People should stop complaining about “being touched inappropriately...
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...hould have the authority to question their security procedures.
Works Cited
Auerbach, Michael P. “Point: Secure Airports Ensure a Secure Nation.” Points of View:
Airport Security & Body Scanners. n.p. 2011. Web. 20 November 2011.
DiLascio, Tracey M. “Counterpoint: Airport Security & Body Scanners Are Intrusive &
Ineffectual.” Points of View: Airport Security & Body Scanners. n.p. 2011. Web.
20 November 2011.
Goodwin, Chuck. “Airport Security & Body Scanners: An Overview.” Point of View:
Airport Security & Body Scanners. n.p. 2011. Web. 20 November 2011.
Murphy, Samantha. “Lawsuit Filed Over Airport Scanner Privacy, Health Concerns.”
Tech News Daily. n.p. 5 August 2010. Web. 20 November 2011.
Murphy, Samantha. “Mad As Hell: Airport Security Screening Protests Mount.” Tech
News Daily. n.p. 16 November 2010. Web. 20 November 2011.
One of these agents once told me that they had to do their job but they were also proud of the work since they believed they helped to keep our flights safely. Even though, we all hate to go through TSA scanners for they are time-consuming and so annoying. I certainly won’t convince anyone who despises those TSA scanners. Luke 6:31 says, “Do to others as you would like them to do to you.” Eventually, those TSA agents should get compliments from us for keeping flights safely. I often wonder if there is a better way to go through these obnoxious
One of the first new pieces of technology the TSA introduced were better screeners. A new screener known as AIT or Advance imaging technology has been created to counteract items that may have been hidden from site or...
Since 9/11 there have been nine major security changes at airports. The most important changes are the liquid ban, which bans liquids more than 3.4 ounces from being on an airplane and the body-scan machines along with the enhanced pat downs. (Seaney 1)l/ The body scan machines are x-ray machines that scan the person for anything that could be used as a weapon. Enhanced pat downs are violating to some people as they do not like their private areas searched for weapons. But these pat downs are necessary to detect, find, and remove weapons that a TSA (Transportation Security Administration) agent cannot see with their own eyes. The last important change worth mentioning is that all special items including laptops, tablets, E-readers, and all electronic items have to be checked for explosives and other threats. These changes as well as other minor regulations for passengers give the TSA an extra line of defense while screening air travelers.
This happens because the TSA focuses on preventing attacks and does not explicitly reveal how many attacks they have stopped, or if they have stopped any at all. Dylan Mathews, the author of “The TSA is a Waste of Money,” argues the TSA would explicitly reveal if they stopped any attacks, but they simply have not. He cites an instance where the TSA “caught” an Army veteran who attempted to “smuggle” unfinished bomb-making materials into his checked luggage. Mathews argues that if they publicized such a small victory, they would most certainly advertise stopping a real attack. He backs up his argument with convincing statistics: Only 14 percent of passenger flaggings led to a referral to law enforcement, and only 0.6 of those flaggings led to an arrest, none of which related to terrorism. These staggering statistics clearly show the TSA’s current flagging process does not efficiently and effectively capture criminals, and only creates aggravating travel
The airport full body scanners “costs about $170,000 a unit” so that shows you that the airports are willing to spend millions of dollars to prevent another attack. These scanners present a three dimensional image of your body so the operator can see what objects are under your clothing. “In Tulsa, people will have to stand facing the scanner and raise their hands. Faces are blurred. In a separate monitoring area, pictures are evaluated.”3 People were complaining that the scanners were revealing to much of their body to the operator so “The TSA no longer uses the backscatter scanners that produced near-naked images of
At many airports across the country, passengers are sharply greeted with the hassle and headache generated by the long security lines. Many travelers complain of the continuing list of rules they have to observe and how they seem to get persistently worse. The government’s solution to the hassle and headache is full-body scanners. The government claims these full-body scanners are faster to go through versus the traditional metal detector, detect weapons and bombs easier, and reduce the stress of the long security lines. In the past, airport security has not been fully successful in protecting the country from terrorists. As a result, many terrorists without being detected are escaping and are free to pursue their assault on America. Having full-body scanners will allow for less time in security, easier detection of terrorists, and will help to protect the United States.
There has always been controversy as to whether pat-downs and body scans should be used in airports to ensure passenger safety. In airports, the security should be allowed to use pat-downs and body scans. Using pat-downs and body scans at airports are beneficial if you have nothing to hide, determines threats better than looks, and prevents plane bombings; however, scanners also send a message that everyone is at terrorist risk, they emit radiation to people, and they violate right to privacy.
Many travelers and passengers wonder and question what responsibilities are assumed by TSA and what TSA members actually do. R...
Chuck Goodwin explains, “TSA, which stands for Transportation Security Administration, is an agency in the Department of Homeland Security and is responsible for screening all travelers and their luggage, as well as the screening of all air and rail transportation in the US.” Many travelers know of the them for their increased presence in all airports in the U.S and other major American airports worldwide. After the terrorist attack that took place in September 2001, President Bush and his advisors implemented The Patriot Act. Tracey DiLascio explains, “The Patriot Act is complex, but its major provisions act to improve coordination and communication between government intelligence agencies, removing unwieldy and unnecessary legal barriers between different federal offices and allowing vital investigations to proceed with greater ease and efficiency.” Their idea was to ensure that all intelligence agencies would communicate in a way that would keep America safe. “Steps to prevent events of the scale of those that took place at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, began to fall into place almost immediately...The first outline of a proposal for what would eventually become the USA Patriot Act was drafted just days after the attacks.” (DiLascio) Due to past terrorist attacks, the TSA has implemented security measures in the airports they occupy. “Following September 11, 2001, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) was created to strengthen the security of the nation’s transportation systems and ensure the freedom of movement for people and commerce.” (TSA website) These measures include full body scanners and pat downs.
Most recently, America has decided to put full body scanners in airports to detect items hidden under clothing and are considering using the scanner as the main source of screening customers. The full body scanners take detailed images of the naked body, allowing security to see what is underneath clothing. They will speed security lines and find people carrying explosives without pat downs or full body searches. However, there is a draw back of this sumptuous two hundred thousand dollar machine; it cannot see objects hidden inside body cavities. Some rigid Americans believe that having their picture taken at a public place by a stranger is humiliating and infrin...
There are many who believe that the TSA is effective, according to Gallup Poll, 54 percent of Americans believe the TSA has been successfully and effectively doing their job. Similarly, 41 percent claim that "TSA is extremely or very effective at preventing attacks on U.S. airplanes" (Politico) while 30 percent of Americans say the TSA has been reasonably effective, as a result, confirming that most Americans do believe the TSA has been effective to a degree. Supporters of the current TSA argue that new techniques are being taught and updated , such as SPOT (Transportation Security Administration's Screening of Passengers by Observation Techniques), for upmost performance of the TSA. The TSA continues to advance in order to protect the citizens of the United States. Airport security has new technological advances separate of the skills taught to TSA and airport security such as the full body scanners and explosive detection systems and even to the extent of checking shoes and belts. However, the opinions of average Americans, newly developed profiling techniques, and improved technology does n...
The Change in Airport Security from 9/11 The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2011 prompted the world to reevaluate and drastically modify airport and airline security. “Four targets had been chosen, all iconic American buildings that would send a clear message of the depth of their hatred for the United States. All four planes crashed, killing all on board—terrorists, crew members, and passengers, along with hundreds who were killed inside the structures, on the ground, and the men and women who ran into collapsing buildings in an effort to try and save others” (Smutz 1). As Jason Villemez said “the decade after the 9/11 attacks reshaped many facets of life in America” (Villemez 1). Before the attacks, people did not think that large scale hostility towards innocent people in our country was remotely possible.
The Transportation Security Administration was formed as part of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act after the attacks of 9/11. It was created to oversee security for highways, railroads, buses, mass transit systems, airports, and water ports. The majority of the TSA efforts, however, are airport security. This organization is responsible for screening passengers and baggage prior to being loaded onto commercial planes. Since its inception, there have been many issues in regards to the TSA and its inspectors. The following are items of airport security controversies within TSA. These controversies involve police organizational issues and administrative challenges for criminal justice administrators. This paper will discuss how a potential
Does the thought of going through airport security make you want to jump off a bridge? Some people may think that security in airports is either too strict, or it is not enforced enough. Airport security has certainly developed over time, both in terms of more technology, and in terms of increased security. It has had a lot of reasons to step up, both with terrorist attacks, and with other incidents, such as the way that explosive technology has evolved. The topic of airport security is a big debate: is it too strict or not strict enough? It is important that people know and understand both sides of this important issue.
It is important to keep a level headed perspective when dealing with issues of security, especially in the aviation field. At times, the knee-jerk reactionary rules imposed by the TSA may, very well, ensure the security of the issue, but a careful balance must be struck between this dogged need for security and essential opportunity for nurtured growth.