Are we moving up or down?

Inquiries were made about one's citizenship; passports became common, then mandatory. There was a concern over guns and the like; metal detectors were installed. Sharp objects caused a stir; X-ray machines were introduced. Somebody realized these machines weren't flawless; the pat down was perfected; luggage, shoes and belts became more closely examined.

Alarms were raised about certain people's affiliations; lists were drawn up. Liquids and gels became suspicious; sample sized bottled became de rigueur. A man walked onto a plane with explosives on his person; high-tech full body scanners were installed almost immediately in certain places, with more on the way. What's next? Compulsory body orifice probes?

We keep adding more and more precautions, and yet, terrorists and other radicals keep finding ways to circumnavigate airplane (and other mass transit) security systems. Let's face it, no system we create is going to be fail-proof.

And somebody who is hell bent on blowing themselves (or others) to bits while taking down as large a number of other people as possible with them isn't going to be easily stopped.

So, what are we to do? Well, first off, we need to accept that in a world where mass transit is the norm, there's always going to be a certain amount of risk involved. We need to have a certain amount of faith that those guarding us and our borders remain vigilant at all times, to ensure that all of our already existent safety precautions are well maintained.

Much of the anti-terrorism work both at home and abroad is done behind the scenes without any fanfare or attention. Let's just hope that our politicians and other leaders will make clear and concise decisions that will better help protect our lives - without making the average citizen feel treated like a would-be terrorist every time they travel.