With All Due Respect to Political Correctness

A few weeks ago, I penned a thought on our Web site that body scanners have no place in an airport. I argued that they are invasive and unnecessary. I still feel that way, but if I have to walk through a body scanner, so should everyone else.

Some Muslim-Americans are now saying that body scanners violate Islamic law, and Muslim-American groups are supporting a “fatwa” -- a religious ruling -- that forbids Muslims from going through airport scanners. The alternative is a full-body pat down.

We’re all faced with walking through body scanners because extremist Muslims took advantage of a lax security screening system on Sept. 11, 2001, and again on Dec. 21, 2002, when shoe bomber Abdul Raheem (Richard Reid) tried to blow up an airplane. It happened again on Dec. 25, 2009, when underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallub of Nigeria tried to bring down a Northwest Airlines jet.

Lest I forget, the Transportation Security Administration implemented their 3-1-1 ruling in 2006 after three terrorists where arrested for attempting to bring bomb-making materials on board a London to New York flight. All three have been convicted.

Muslim teachings tell men and women that to be seen naked by other people is a clear violation of Islamic teachings. Islam emphasizes modesty, and its followers consider it part of their faith. I agree and applaud Islam for such high moral values. No one wants the outline of their body, shown in graphic detail, to be seen by a law enforcement official.

The bottom line seems very simple to me. We are in this situation because 19 terrorists, who had been taking advantage of the goodness of America and its citizens, murdered more than 3,000 people by hijacking airplanes and flying them into the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon. These same cowards subscribe to jihad, or what they believe is a holy war, because of their religious beliefs. But then, not all Muslims believe jihad means violence.

The Fiqh Council of North America says that body scanners violate Islamic law. Last time I checked, Islamic law has no bearing or standard in the United States. But I still believe that body scanners are invasive to passengers, Muslim or not.

About the Author

Ralph C. Jensen is the Publisher/Editor in chief of Security Today magazine.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.