There’s been a lot in the news lately about airport security. Actually, it hasn’t been just lately. It’s been talked about since 9/11 and the talk has never been good for good reason.
Ever since 9/11 airport security has been nothing but reactionary. Since 9/11 was committed by terrorists with box cutters any item even resembling any kind of blade was not allowed on flights including the ever deadly nail clippers. After the Shoe Bomber, we had to take off our shoes before boarding the plane. Then there were the guys in England who tried to board a flight with some kind of flammable liquids. That’s when they started making us carry only 3 oz. of any kind of liquid at one time. Then there was the Underwear Bomber and now we have the full-body X-ray scans. The thing is I wouldn’t mind these breaches of privacy if they were actually effective.
As we’ve seen time and time again anytime they come up with a new security procedure someone else gets around it. Airport security is the biggest case of closing the barn door after the horses get out.
So what’s the alternative? In Israel rather than going through your stuff and scanning you, they ask you a series of questions about your travel plans. It must work pretty good since Israel is a country that’s serious about security. Would Americans be willing to undergo that kind of scrutiny? Would they rather have their bags rifled through by a high school drop out with a government connection or answer a series of questions about their traveling? Knowing how touchy some of us Yanks can be I would bet they’d prefer the current systems of gropings, strip searches, and naked pictures. God forbid they’re actually probed about their travel plans.
Why that’s just an invasion of privacy.
The Trench Reynolds Report 