The TSA Controversy

The TSA Controversy

I don't travel a lot. With 4 kids (well, almost 5) we really can't afford to fly too much. I've blogged about that in the past.
Recently, the TSA have been in the news about the full body scans and pat downs they are conducting to passengers. A lot of uproar have been heard but according to the news, many holiday travelers have complied. Not that they have any choice really, do they?
In an email group I belong to, this was a very hot topic. Most responders decried the violation of personal space that this procedure does. There were a few who did not see the big deal.
Personally, I don't know what my stand is at the moment. On one hand, I think that if this is what is needed to make sure that airline travelers are safe, then so be it. On the other hand, I wonder if the best metal detectors or scanners will even deter terrorists from doing what they do. They will change their methods. I read in an old email from an Israeli intelligence officer that the U.S. government's responses to these terrorist acts are backwards. We amp up security to watch for methods that have been used before. After 9/11, airport/airline security was beefed up. When the shoe bomber was arrested, travelers were then required to take off their shoes for security checks. Terrorist methods will keep changing. As long as there is human ingenuity, they will keep thinking of new ways of spreading terror in the world. And here we are, playing catch up with what's been done already.
I know that there is no way of predicting how these terrorists will act. But surely, this is a country filled with great minds! There must be a way to make our land more secure without violating our citizen's rights.