In response to the recent articles in your newspaper regarding the security measures being applied at the nation's airports under Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, it is obvious that after the attacks of 9/11, security measures needed to be taken to protect travelers and our homeland. The Constitution specifically charges the federal government to protect U.S. citizens from any and all foreign and domestic enemies.
However, in my opinion, it is ironic that the extreme measures being taken at the airports — including the groping of private body parts, and nude body scans which emit potentially harmful radioactivity — are in stark contrast to the government's laxity in preventing illegal aliens from sneaking across the southern border. Anyone who is a terrorist has an equal or better chance of getting into our country to perform any dastardly deed by sneaking across our open southern border than to fly on an airplane into one of our airports.
Our borders are so open and insecure that the state of Arizona, after its citizens had been overwhelmed by illegal aliens, had to enact its illegal immigration law, which, unbelievably, has led to its being sued by our federal government for doing the job that itself has failed to do.
It is ridiculous to me that our nation remains vulnerable to terrorist attacks by leaving our borders unsecured while over the top security measures are being applied at the airports.
John A. Malagrin, Baltimore