The Effectiveness of the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration Essay

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The Effectiveness of the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration
The Effectiveness of the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration
2011

10/17/2011

Abstract
The purpose of this research paper is to give an unbiased look at the effectiveness of the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Administration. Using references from various but creditable sources I plan to exhibit both arguments from the sides for and against both of these departments primarily the Transportation Security Administration. The basic question that is being asked is “is it worth it”? Are the efforts to thwart terrorism by these departments worth the millions of dollars being used? Do some of the security measures they take violate some of our basic constitutional rights? I plan to gather the information needed for you to make the decision, but at the same time in no shape, form, or fashion my thoughts and preferences show and influence your decision.

September 11th 2001 was a day that changed the face of America. Four airplanes were simultaneously hijacked and all were headed on a suicide mission toward major United States landmarks. American Airlines flight 11 and United Airlines flight 175 crashed into the Twin Towers, American Airlines flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, and United Airlines flight 93 crashed into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania after the brave passengers decided to fight back and thwart the hijacker’s plans of crashing the plane into an unknown target. There are no words to describe the type of devastation these attacks brought the United States citizens. The hijacking of those four planes shook the foundation of the United States sense of security, and due to these attacks there have been numerous changes in the way we travel and the precautions we have to face before traveling on public transportation. The biggest change has been the creation of the Department of Homeland Security and the Transportation Security Agency or the TSA for short. All areas of public transportation were affected by the horrifying events of September 11th, 2011.

The biggest change was the creation of the Department of Homeland Security with the primary focus of preventing another terrorist attack caused by the abduction of one of our means of public transportation including planes, trains, busses, freight vehicles, and last but not least air travel. The division of Homeland Security specifically designated to public transportation was the Transportation Security Agency. Although there are several types of public transportation that underwent a major change in the way individuals are screened, the biggest reform was made in airline security. Since September 11th, 2001 the department has spent four hundred and sixty billion dollars to keep our sense of security in tact when we chose our means of public transportation, an article from the Philadelphia Inquirer states, The most visible expression of that money - and that anxiety - is on display every day at every airport in the country: metal detectors, full-body scanners, uniformed screening officers, and lines of shoeless passengers shuffling through checkpoints. Transportation, especially air travel, has been transformed by America's efforts to avoid more terrorist attacks. (Nussbaum, 2011)
The amount of money spent to prevent another catastrophic terrorist attack on the U.S. does not compare to the number of lives we lost on the day when those planes hurtled into the twin towers killing many innocent citizens instantly, while other plummeted to their deaths by jumping out of windows due to fear and confusion, others trapped inside were trampled running down the stairs trying to escape the blazing inferno, the hero who hurried inside the crumpling buildings to save as many people as they could, and the people inside and around the building who were crushed by the collapsing
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