Full Body Scanners Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Full Body Scanners - Article Exampleairport security policies. In response, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) installed the full body scanners, called mainly as naked body scanners, in the main airports of the estate. These scanners can de roughly divided into two fibres millimeter wave machines, which atomic number 18 based on electromagnetic field use and are considered safe for all people, pregnant women in particular. Another type is a backscatter machine, based on low ionizing radioactivity emission. It is stated that X-rays of such scanners do not penetrate a body but jump back to a screen and form a body 3-D image. The TSA Administrator John Pistole and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano stated that the immature methods of checking are essential in view of the fact that traditional metal detectors and non-intrusive inspections are clearly ineffective and short-staffed in the circumstances concerned. The use of new technologies and new procedures is to ensure our safety, as the terrorists still continue to plan, Pistole stated. Napolitano has make it clear that her agency will not stop at what has been accomplished and will spread the new checking system to railway and subway stations in the future. By the end of 2010 there were over ampere-second full body scanners in 32 airports. Right now their number grew up to over 450 units and no end in sight. The authorities plan to set slightly a thousand of these devices, which will represent approximately $ 300 million (Holbrook, 11). Such measures stirred up a fierce discussion. Some Americans fix to the Fourth Amendment, stating that their privacy is violated. Some opposed the new security measures due to their natural modesty and moral principle issues. Some do not accept everything that was done by the present-day administration. The others worry about ionizing radiation emitted by the new scanners, although the experts say that in a flying airliner any passenger gets muc h more(prenominal) roentgens than from body scanning. Finally, all the fears and suspicions against the scanners and alternative airport screening processes made human rights activists and libertarians take up accouterments against such novelties. One of the latter, Texas Re creationan Congressman Ron Paul, even introduced a law in draft to the reside of Representatives - Air Traveler Dignity Act that protects Americans against full body scanners. Paul pretends to summarize all the invalidating opinions of passengers and pilots and his own as well, calling TSA and its methods the Soviet-style nonsense. Paul Sr., a gynecologist by profession, also expresses deep concerns about a radiation emitted by the new scanners. He was echoed by the U.S. Representative for Tennessee John Duncan, who plainly told in the Congress that a nationwide revolt against airport body scanning machines spreads all over the country and thats good And its not about ethics or risk for cancer even. Duncan p ointedly noted in his speech that the former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff now represents Rapiscan, which sells these scanners to his former agency. On the other hand, most Democrats support the new order. Most of their fellow citizens are also ready to piece up with the new naked body scanners. As the recent poll of the Washington Post-ABC News shows, simply 32% of respondents are determined against the scanners. But abusive and invasive searches in airports have split the public opinion in America in half 50% of respondents were against them. Especially revealing, in this concern, was the