Full-Body Scanners in Airports
Kaylah Loftis
ECPI University

Abstract
In this paper I will discuss why it is ethical to have full-body scanners in our airports. Full-body scanners are used for security to stop terrorists from coming into our country. The devices do not pose a threat to our health. So far, they have been an effective counter terrorism tool to our country. The price on the full-body scanners is expensive but they are worth the price. On September 11th, 2001, we lost thousands of people due to the terrorist attack on the twin towers in New York. It was a devastating time for our country and still to this day, families are having a hard time coping with what I had happened. We have been overseas for eleven years fighting for our freedom and putting a stop to the terrorist attacks. In order to keep our country safe, we need to take any measures necessary to make sure it does not happen again.

Full-body Scanners in Airports
Technology has been on the rise since the early 1990’s; but over the past ten years, the United States as a whole has taken drastic measures since the September 11, 2001 attack from terrorism. From our small town businesses, to the airports in every state and on our borders; full-body scanners have become a very controversial issue when it comes to the security of our country and our passengers on the airplanes, the effectiveness of the scanners, and our health. Many people believe it is a violation of our First, Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights, and that they are too expensive to purchase thousands, and place them in many locations all over the country. From a article from the Department of Homeland Security, full-body scanners are devices that take nude images of your body without physically removing your clothing or being physical touched, searched and patted down. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents are the only ones that view the images. They are not allowed to have any types of electronic devices except for a one way radio to confirm that the passenger passed or failed. There are two types of scanners. One scanner is the millimeter wave unit. It bounces harmless electromagnetic waves off the body to create a generic image of the passengers. The second scanner is the backscatter unit. It projects low level X-ray beams over the body to create a reflection of the body displayed on the monitor in the airport. Before going through the scanners, all passengers are required to remove all items except clothing. When the scanners are done, it shows full body images with the passengers being completely nude, but it blurs out the face so the passengers are not recognized (Homeland Security, 2012). This measure is strictly for locating weapons if the passenger has any hidden. It is ethical to have full body scanners in our airports.

Supporting Reason #1 Security One reason full-body scanners are in our airports is because of security. Security is the freedom from danger and risk which provides us with satisfaction and safety. The body scanners are there to check for weapons that will put anybody in harm’s way. Females have been caught hiding guns, plastic bombs, and other weapons in their vaginas, breasts and gluteus maximus. Males have been caught hiding the weapons in their gluteus maximus. The effectiveness of the devices is very high and has succeeded as far as protecting our people. The scanners have revealed over 60 artfully concealed illegal or prohibited items in the year 2010(In-text). “Screeners using the technology also found a knife hidden in the small of a person's back at the Richmond, Virginia airport, a concealed razor blade on a passenger in Phoenix, Arizona, and other concealed items such as large bottles of lotion, which are prohibited as carry-on items” (Meserve & Ahlers, 2010).
Supporting Reason #2 Health A second reason it is ethical to have full-body scanners in our airports is because is protecting our passengers