Search we must......

[poltr1]

I've been following the ongoing story of the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and their most recent stepped-up efforts to thwart terrorists. Specifically, I've been focused on the full-body scanning devices and the pat-down searches.

There have been a few horror stories that have received a lot of press -- a father taking off his son's shirt during a search, a bladder cancer survivor getting soaked by his own urine, a breast cacncer survivor forced to show off her prosthetic breast, allegations of fondling, etc.

What bothers me is that these searches are done "by the book", with no care or compassion exhibited by the screeners.

The full-body scans aren't that much better. The government assures us that the faces are masked out, that these images are viewed in a remote area, and that there is no way to save the images. Can I believe and trust the government? Only about as far as I can pick it up and throw it.

If I traveled by plane, I probably wouldn't object to either screening, because I know what's at stake and I don't have anything to hide. But at the same time, I'm reminded of Banjamin Franklin's quote about security vs. liberty (something like "Those that give up liberty for security deserve neither"). And if I stripped naked at the gate, I'd probably be arrested for indecent exposure.

But there has to be a better way, one that doesn't involve expensive technology.

For years, Israel has used a more human, look-you-in-the-eye approach. And as far as I know, they haven't had any problems with terrorists getting through. Why couldn't we have adopted their approach? Because the company that makes the scanners, L3 Technologies, spent lots of money lobbying Congress.

The last time I traveled by plane was 1994. If I really want to get somewhere, I'll either drive or take the bus or train.

Comments

[billroper]

I'm of the opinion that the reason we don't use the Israeli approach to security is that the government would get sued for profiling, even if no profiling was actually involved. I could be wrong...

[stevemb.livejournal.com]

That's an easily solved problem: the government can only be sued if it allows itself to be (sovereign immunity).

The real problem is that implementing real security instead of security dinner theater requires agents with a lot more training, initiative, and common sense than the TSA as it currently exists can field.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Actually, the Israeli system is (or claims it is) far more behavior-based and far less ethnicity-based than commonly thought over here:

http://securitysolutions.com/news/security_exposing_hostile_intent/

[billroper]

Oh, I know. I've read several articles on it already.

I just expect the system would get demagogued if it were ever put in place in the U.S. I could be pleasantly surprised.

[stevemb.livejournal.com]

"Actually, the Israeli system is (or claims it is) far more behavior-based and far less ethnicity-based than commonly thought over here"

I'd say the claim is obviously true -- how would they even be able to profile Arabs (as opposed to Middle Eastern Jews) on an ethnic basis?

[tigertoy.livejournal.com]

Personally, I feel much more violated at the prospect of having my toiletries seized than about either being scanned or patted down, but I'm glad to see that there's at least some potential for the public to be outraged at security theater. Unfortunately, outrage alone isn't enough to push this country into behaving sensibly.

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

http://wewontfly.com/

I like train travel better anyway. But, yeah. I really think this round of Security Theater is a horror-show, this time. I'm not convinced the scanners are a reasonable risk from a radiation exposure standpoint.

And so many of the stories are horrifying. I don't care personally if someone working for the TSA sees a naked picture of me during a screening, but I have personal reasons to hate being physically searched, and anyway my opinion on these policies has to take more than my own preferences into account. It has to take my transgender friends who don't want to be outed by a naked picture of themselves, let alone being loudly excoriated by someone transphobic when they're just trying to travel. It has to take into account the women who've reported being sexually groped during pat-downs and the parents concerned for their children. And it has to take into account all the other ways planes are accessible than just to passengers, and whether the human eye can even spot the suspicious items in every single image.

And yes, Benjamin Franklin's maxim comes to mind.

One more link on this: http://elusis.livejournal.com/2141915.html?view=12415963