Freedom vs TSA Checks

Terrorism Threat
There is little doubt that terrorism is at least somewhat of a threat. This was obviously proven by the several planes hijacked on 9/11. Since then, there have been several wars fought and other military-related initiatives undertaken. These attacks and missions have related to the deposing of terrorism-supporting or terrorism-causing leaders. It has also involved the attacking and repression of groups like Al Qaeda and ISIS/ISIL. While terrorism groups are not the threat they were ten to twenty years ago, to suggest that the Transpiration Security Administration (TSA) and its efforts are not needed is simply not true.
Analysis
The proverbial equation that is cited when it comes to airport security is how many rights and freedoms people are willing to give up in exchange for safety. In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, this was obviously not hard to justify or explain. The creation of the Department of Homeland Security as well as the enhanced scanning machines at airports have led to better results. However, some people are pushing back on these invasions as being unnecessary and over the top. It is a bit annoying to get a body-pat search when there is nothing dangerous present. It also tends to be annoying to be “randomly selected” when there is no evidence or reason behind it other than the random selection. This is especially true when it comes to the elderly and children, people who are almost certainly not a security threat of any sort (White).
That being said, there are still people that are attempting to include explicitly and obviously prohibited items in their bags. Often times, it is just someone who is absent-minded or otherwise careless. Even so, a knife or a loaded semi-automatic pistol being in a carry-on bag is a huge security risk, even if the person carrying the gun is not intending to use it against anyone on the plane. Further, even if there are very few attempted or actual hijackings, there are a few things to consider before one should advocate the rolling back of TSA-related pre-flight checks. One is that mass shootings are happening and many of the people engaging in those shootings are able to avoid detection due to gaining the guns illegally and/or not having a criminal record. As many as he killed, for example, the Stephen Paddock, the Las Vegas mass shooter, did not have a criminal record and thus was not banned from buying the armament he bought (Berkes). Beyond that, many of the immigrants and refugees are not being vetted and checked like they probably should be. This is not to say that a great many of those people are terrible or criminals. However, there are always a few “bad apples” that slip through, just as there are bad apples in all populations. Paddock, for example, was a white man (Berkes).
Even with the above being said, there are a few things that can and should be done. Truly random checks should be done away with. If there is probable cause to question or search a person, then that should be done. If people should be selected, it should be based on a specific reason and not chance. This can be taken too far. However, airlines that unapologetically profile, such as El Al in Israel, have a very strong track record when it comes to planes being hijacked (Pfeffer). Further, people that wish to avoid extensive searches can undergo a vetting and pay a fee. Assuming that is passed, this makes boarding a lot easier.
Conclusion
The point to be taken from the argument above is that there are things already present or that could be changed to modulate and alter the experience of the passengers. However, doing away with substantial amount of pre-flight checks would actively encourage someone to exploit them. After all, the weapon of choice for the 9/11 hijackers would seem to have been box-cutters. Even so, what can be avoided in terms of annoyance, privacy invasion and so forth should not be part of the security checks.
Works Cited
Berkes, Howard. "Shooter Behind Las Vegas Massacre Had No Criminal Record." npr.org. N.p., 2017. Web. 18 Nov. 2017.
Pfeffer, Anshel. "In Israel, Racial Profiling Doesn't Warrant Debate Or Apologies." haaretz.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 18 Nov. 2017.
White, Michael. "Airport Security Checks: More Offensive To Some Than To Others | Michael White." the Guardian. N.p., 2017. Web. 18 Nov. 2017.