Full-Body Scanners, Are They Necessary?

1317 Words3 Pages

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.

The security at airports has continued to tighten based on the numerous threats against the people of the United States. The greatest level of concern is the terrorist attacks on New York’s World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 (Airport). After terrorists of Al Qaeda hijacked four planes and intentionally flew two of them in the World Trade Center, the government formed the Transportation Security Administration, TSA, to enforce rules of what someone could carry on a flight. The new TSA and rules though did not prevent others from threatening the country. Eight years after the attacks on the World Trade Center, Umar Abdulmutallab, known as the Christmas Day bomber, got on a flight while hiding a bomb in his underwear (Airport). In that incident, airport security did not have the ability to recognize the bomb. At the time of the incident, the metal detectors o...

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Park, Alice. “X-Ray Vision.” Article. Time Magazine. 4 Oct. 2010. Global Issues in Context. Web. 10 Nov. 2010.

“Security Shake-up: Should Airports use Full-Body Scanners to Screen Passengers?” Current Event. Weekly Reader Publication 18 January 2010. Global Issues in Context. Web. 10 Nov. 2010.

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Wohlsen, Marcus. “Travelers’ Choice: Give Up Privacy in Favor of Security?” Spartanburg Herald-Journal 31 Dec. 2009: n.pag. SIRS Researcher. Web. 8 Nov. 2010.

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