Some food for thought from the folks at Salon. The writer, Patrick Smith, wonders how much as really been accomplished since 9/11 when it comes to airport security. Sure ,the systems are beefed up, security x-ray machines are better, they are more vigilant about checking IDs…all that stuff .But it’s all a bit like the Red Queen theory of evolution: the faster you run the stay ahead, the faster your adversaries run to keep up. In other words, you are always pretty much, as U2 might have out it, running to stand still. One of those interviewed in the piece, Bruce Schneier, a prominent security expert and the author of “Beyond Fear”, asks a fine question:
“We can’t keep weapons out of prisons. How can we hope to keep them out of airports?” Indeed. He continues: “Exactly two things have improved airplane security since 9/11,. Reinforcing the cockpit door and teaching passengers that they need to fight back. Everything else has largely been a waste of money.”
Now whether he is totally or just partially right is a question that only the future ca answer, but it is interesting to ponder just how much we can do to thwart evil when evil wants to hurt us. Humans are remarkably clever little animals and if they want to do something bad enough, chanced are they will find a way. Not to scare you on this fabulous Friday, but it is interesting to ponder how much we can really do.