Airport Security Analysis
Clayton Smith
English 12
Coach Huffman
12 December 2011
Airport Security 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” in a pat down when they had the option of going through the body scanner. People do not realize the importance of these security measures. “‘We are
English 12
Coach Huffman
12 December 2011
Airport Security 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” in a pat down when they had the option of going through the body scanner. People do not realize the importance of these security measures. “‘We are