WASHINGTON — After a recent attempted terrorist attack set off a debate about full-body scans at airports, a new McClatchy-Ipsos poll finds that Americans lean more toward giving up some of their liberty in exchange for more safety.
The survey found 51 percent of Americans agreeing that “it is necessary to give up some civil liberties in order to make the country safe from terrorism.”
At the same time, 36 percent agreed that “some of the government’s proposals will go too far in restricting the public’s civil liberties.”
The rest were undecided or said their opinions would depend on circumstances.
As has happened often since the 2001 terrorist attacks, the renewed debate over security is hinging on the balance between personal liberty and safety.
The suspect’s success in boarding a Detroit-bound plane allegedly carrying explosives is setting off calls for full-body scans, which some find an invasion of privacy, and for new restrictions on passengers once they’re in flight.
To stop terrorists, Americans look first to better governmental coordination and use of intelligence, the poll found, with 81 percent calling that effective, and only 11 percent calling it ineffective.
Body scans or full-body searches at airports ranked second, named by 74 percent as an effective way to stop terrorism. Nineteen percent called those measures ineffective.
Further restrictions on carry-on baggage ranked third, called effective by 57 percent, ineffective by 34 percent.
New in-flight restrictions, such as banning the use of laptops and electronic equipment or restricting people to their seats, ranked last, called effective by 50 percent and ineffective by 42 percent.
A solid majority of Americans still feel safe flying, but the number has dropped: 75 percent said they feel safe, down from 86 percent in 2007, and 24 percent said they don’t feel safe in the air, up from 13 percent in 2007.
Even with the Christmas Day bombing attempt and all the news coverage of it and its aftermath, terrorism remains very low on the national priority list; just 4 percent called it the country’s most important problem.
The economy and jobs remained the top issue on people’s minds by far, named as the top problem by 48 percent. Other domestic issues were cited by 31 percent, topped by 9 percent who said that health care was the biggest problem.
