Safety Coming at a Higher Price

Last month a new security screening process was adopted at airports. The new full body scanners produce an x-ray picture of passengers full bodies. Many travelers feel strongly against having their naked outlines projected for all to see. Don't worry, there is another option: a full body pat down similar to what a suspected criminal would receive from the police that is far from gentle. Passengers have cried in protest that they are being sexually harassed and two pilots even filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security saying that their fourth amendments had been violated. The New York Times reports:

“For Fourth Amendment purposes, you can’t touch somebody like this unless you’re checking them into a jail or you’ve got reasonable suspicion that they’ve got a gun,” said John Wesley Hall, a criminal defense lawyer who specializes in search and seizure law.
“Here there is no reasonable suspicion,” he said. “It’s the pure act of getting on a plane.”

Passengers obviously want to feel safe when they travel, especially after 9/11, but many argue that the new full body scanners are crossing a line. While it is not doubt important that we keep air travel as safe as possible, there has to be a more comfortable way to ensure passengers that their flight will be completed safely. With the old system, there had been a few instances of explosive devices making it onto airplanes but experts point out that the new machined only detect metal, not plastic. Furthermore, there is a health risk involved with the X-Ray technology. Overall, many have concluded that the scanners only provide a false sense of security. If a change is not made, we will see many more law-suits and complaints arise in the near future.