Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Day 19: Whatever Tickles Your Fancy

As our annual holiday travel approaches, I've been pondering a question of Constitutional import. The Fourth Amendment guarantees freedom from unreasonable search. There is a lot on the news lately about airport body scanners and rather invasive pat-downs if the body scan is refused. On the one hand, I'm not sure I mind the body scanner all that much. I don't like to fly, but I really don't want to plummet to the ground. On the other hand, the alternative search doesn't sound too nice. More importantly, at what point am I going to have to submit to a full cavity search before I can get on an airplane? As someone who doesn't love flying anyway, I may just opt to drive at that point. So here's what I'm wondering: Is this a reasonable search?

I wouldn't just let the police do such a search. They would need a good reason. Is the fact that I want to fly a good enough reason? Maybe so. Of course I'd be subjected to much worse if I were arrested, but is getting on a plane suspicious enough activity to be treated like a criminal? Perhaps it would help me to know that several would-be terrorists have been caught or deterred by the scans. Instead, it seems like terrorists just keep devising ways around our security innovations. Perhaps it's time to say we'll do our best but we just don't want to give up any more civil liberties? How much must we give up in order to obtain peace of mind?

I'm not sure. I think I still don't find the body scan all that unreasonable. And, from what I've heard, I'm willing to do quite a lot to avoid the pat down.

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