The Willingness to Take Extreme

The willingness to take extreme measures to keep terrorists out and people safe is subject of great debate. Throughout the history of the United States, we have unfortunately been victim of numerous terrorist attacks. These attacks have immeasurable consequences from the obvious loss of innocent lives and destruction of property, to the less obvious feelings of paranoia and fear for the safety of our loved ones when they are away from us. An article written in 2015 from the archives of the CNN Library states, "All 224 passengers on board a Metrojet flight from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt to St. Petersburg, Russia are killed when a bomb explodes. ISIS claims responsibility" (CNN). The tragic events of 9/11 occurred over 15 years again in the United States, but this article makes it obvious that terrorist acts aboard aircrafts is still a concern not just here but everywhere and efforts must continue to bring a stop to this violence.

The Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) has taken initial steps to reduce terrorism in the air, but it is clear from the continued tragic events that much more must be done to keep not just the United States, but the world safe from harm. Airports across the world must maximize security no matter the cost because it will create peace of mind for passengers and families as well as show terrorist groups that there is no tolerance for their behavior. Staffing airports with trained professionals is a must for future trust in the airline industry. The TSA has taken multiple steps to try and improve the safety of airports and offer increased peace of mind, but it clearly isn't enough.

The hours, minutes, and days following the events of 9/11 the American people were looking toward the national government to take a stance against terrorism. During this time feelings of uncertainty, fear, and anger were common among Americans. Attitudes had changed, opinions of others had changed, and the people wanted something to be done. The United States view on Muslim people and the Muslim nation had been drastically changed. American people demanded that the leader of this terrorist attack be found and forced to pay the consequences of his actions.

Americans did not care how much time or how much money would be spent tracking down Osama Bin Laden. The process of giving America peace of mind lasted until the next presidency. Barack Obama was the president at the time. Osama Bin Laden was finally killed almost 10 years after the initial attack. Many might believe the amount of time and money spent on this event was a ridiculous waste of money and resources. The reaction of Americans rejoicing across the nation at the news of the death of Osama Bin Laden is proof that this was needed to be done so that the American people could feel in control of their lives again.

The United States has great pride in being a free country whose people are treated innocent until proven guilty'. With the increased security measures laid in place by the FAA following 9/11, many airline passengers started to believe that their rights were being threatened by the requirement to be thoroughly inspected by a pat down and extensive questioning. This thorough investigation prior to traveling has led many people fed up with the process, not to mention the long lines. After a long business trip no one wants to remove shoes, belt, and empty pockets, wait in a long line of security just to find out that you are going to now be late for your flight. On numerous occasions the TSA has failed to uncover fake bombs and weapons carried through security by planted passengers who were testing the security teams working the airport terminals. These issues are both problems. Passengers need to understand the seriousness of the situation and trust there is a good reason for these items being confiscated.

It seems the inconvenienced traveler is better off than the dead traveler who was too impatient and disruptive to allow the security agent to concentrate on his or her job. Passengers must understand the seriousness of the situation and be willing to arrive at the airport two hours early to ensure that the security agents can do their job for the safety of all flying on the plane.

The sooner people accept and understand the importance of the steps necessary to be free from all terrorist activity will be a time when the nation is thriving without paranoia. Terrorist groups should never even consider attacks on the United States knowing that first of all the security measures in place are so extreme that an attempted attack would be a waste of time, and second, if an attack would be successful the punishment and destruction upon the terrorist group would be so severe that the terrorist group would not even consider fearing the aftermath and consequences. Lives have not been lived the same since the attacks on the World Trade Center. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks airline travel is different.

When a friend or relative leaves to travel out of town there remains that concern of the possibility of a terrorist attack. Americans should not be paranoid about traveling in an airplane. This paranoia can end with productive work by the TSA. The TSA has the technology available to make travel less stressful for people and at the same time make things safer for them too, but they just haven't taken the proper steps. The TSA has begun to adopt ideas from airports across the world. The TSA needs to learn from the things that the airports across the world are doing and bring them to our airports. The first step to making our nation "terrorist-free" is to put in a full proof system of screening for terrorist plots that keeps terror threats away and then to ensure that the screening process is hassle free so that the everyday passengers is open to the screening process. The United States is known as a first world country, but that doesn't mean that other countries aren't upgrading technology at a faster pace. Continuing to update our technology and security is just as important as staying on top of the hands-on security in our nation.

Adding to the fear of terrorism is the ongoing battle between the United States and Isis and other Middle Eastern countries. There is already substantial evidence indicating that Isis is in continually monitoring the events of the United States through social media outlets. The efficacy of their operation is largely derived from the emphasis on easy-to-use, popular technologies by creating a dual use for Twitter and others as not only social media platforms but also as both broadcast channels and tools (Sheetz CNBC). If the United States doesn't continue to update their technology, we will be behind the curve. The United States must be a feared power so that other countries do not act out against in fear of retaliation.

Terrorism makes people afraid; afraid to travel, afraid of others unknown to them, and afraid to live life without worry. The TSA can play a positive role in reducing this fear. The Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) main job is to ensure safety within the airports and on the flights. These terrorist plots to hijack planes have had incredible impact on our world and safety. The September 11th tragedy killed over 2,500 innocent civilians. Along with the people who lost their lives, the United States also lost billions of dollars due to damages. These types of terrorist acts are the ones that are raising the greatest fear as they create large scale destruction, killing a large numbers of people in public view for all to witness.

The government needs to stand behind the TSA, especially financially, and the people of the United States need to trust in the guidelines set forth by the TSA. The job of the TSA is to keep us safe at all costs even if these costs create higher ticket prices and longer check in lines. There is no price too high to pay for safety. The TSA has the power to go to extreme measures to ensure the safety of airline passengers. It isn't against the law or in violation of amendment rights to search someone if the TSA sees it necessary; if the agent has justifiable cause they do not need to secure special permission to search someone. In fact, these agents are trained to act on a hunch'; it might be just this ill feeling toward a passenger that saves the lives of thousands.

This however, is often when travelers start getting frustrated with the TSA. Some travelers believe that the work of the TSA is without training and serves no purpose but to hassle the travelers and create inconvenience. Travelers must be educated on the training and the significant role that TSA agents play in keeping passengers safe from terrorist threats that could lead to terrorist attacks if not properly addressed. If passengers are more concerned and vocal about the security lines to get into the airport rather than their safety on the flight, they must be educated of the possible harm that could be caused if passengers are not properly screened.

Acts of terrorism bring sadness, fear, and anger. These emotions, however, unite people together and demand change. Terrorism has always been a threat to our nation, but it seems that in the last fifteen years the United States has been a victim all too often of violence. What once was an all powerful nation, has been victim to too many senseless attacks. The United States government has taken steps in the right direction, but it must continue to support the notion of a safer, stronger nation by passing laws as well as giving financial support. In times of trouble the citizens will look towards the government to make a change and to make our nation a safer, better, and more powerful place. The United States government has made progress in dealing with terrorist threats by funding and supporting the TSA.

However, in order for these acts of terrorism to be eliminated, the United States must continue to seek out threats and put an end to groups whose purpose is to bring harm to the United States and its people. The attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 were devastating to the nation, but it has forced the United States to be more proactive and informed about the threat of terrorism. Change cannot stop here; the government as well as the people of the United States must continue to support the efforts to keep the United States safe from harm.

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