POLL: Racial Profiling and flying....

[Geek]

Ok girls. How are you all today?

I want to see what you all think about this subject. I travel on airplaines quite frequently for business. When passing through security at airports, I usually have to take my jacket off, shoes off..etc. I really don't mind it at all NOR do I mind the wait if I have to wait longer(I say to myself, if I have to wait a little longer to be safe, then so be it). I have seen 85 year old grandmas being searched from top to bottom when muslim/middle eastern men are walking right on airplanes. I've observed grandpas, practically disrobed at security check points and five-year-old blonde boys turned inside out, while Middle Eastern males sail through undetained. This is a FACT!

Sept 11th was a terrible unforsaken tragegy and we lost many lives to young muslim/middle eastern men in between the ages of 20-35. There have been other situations mentioned quite often around the web and in newspapers. We here on MUT have mentioned it also a few times: See this #1 thread and this #2 thread

My Question for you all: Do you support racial profiling(I hate to use those words) of ALL(ALL is the key word) muslim/middle eastern men in between the ages of 20-35 at airports? What I mean is do you feel we should make muslim/middle eastern men in between the ages of 20-35 subject to thorough, much stricter, more stringent security checks at all airports?

**NOTE: Please vote up top and also PLEASE REPLY back here to support your VOTE.(I have made votes public also since you are all replying back)

 

[Geek]

For the record, I absolutely support the tougher security checking of of ALL muslim/middle eastern men in between the ages of 20-35 at airports. I will wait longer, I have no problem.

I believe that everyone should be checked the same

With the suicide bombings in Iraq and in the UK, It's only a matter of time where these happen more. It's the only way to be sure.

If I were a muslim/middle eastern man in between the ages of 20-35, I would expect to be checked more thoroughly and understand that.

Also, racial profiling is a bad term to use I guess and I didn't mean anything terrible by it.

 

[Joyeuux]

I do not support ANY form of racial profiling.

 

[Geek]

Originally Posted by Joyeuux

I do not support ANY form of racial profiling.


Ok, Joy, thanks for chiming in. Can I ask, would you call my discription in the thread "Racial Profiling"?

 

[redrocks]

Originally Posted by Tony(admin) My Question for you all: Do you support racial profiling(I hate to use those words) of ALL(ALL is the key word) muslim/middle eastern men in between the ages of 20-35 at airports? What I mean is do you feel we should make muslim/middle eastern men in between the ages of 20-35 subject to thorough, much stricter, more stringent security checks at all airports?

Let me start off by saying, Yes, 9/11 was a horrible day and the people responsible were middle eastern men. That's not a day that I'm going to forget anytime soon. Or the days and months after that. I spent time at Ground Zero for the rescue efforts with MacForMe and I know she will never forget those days either. We cried half the way there and half the way home.
With that being said, NO, I do NOT support racial profiling of ANY type. To put it simply, just because some people have given a race a bad name doesn't mean that others should suffer because of it.

If we want better security, it should be 100% across the board regardless or race, sex, or religion.

Perfect example, I have a friend who is middle eastern. His life was a living hell after 9/11. People gave him dirty looks, he was stopped in his car and harassed and everything. This kid is one of the nicest people I know. He rides on the first aid squad too. Is that fair to him just because of his background? I don't think so.

Just my opinion.

 

[Jen]

Tony and Kim, my thoughts exactly.

 

[Amethyst]

Normally, I would say no, however in the case of terrorism, I think all (and by all I mean, men, women & children) should be checked.

Now I am not a prejudiced person by any means or form. However, since terrorism is occuring by one particular group - its only logical & makes sense to screen that particular group! I mean, you don't go looking for a tiger in a bird cage, right?

Another example: if a person committed a particular crime and the description of that person is short & blonde, well then it makes sense to me that all people who are short and blonde should be checked out. That doesn't mean that the suspected person won't shave his head and put on a wig. That's why all people should be checked BUT MOST definitely the particular group that is performing the acts of terrorism.

Does that make sense to anyone?

I'd like to also mention that now they are checking bags on trains in certain areas and a lot of people complain that that is an invasion of privacy. Well, it may be an invasion of privacy but think about the reason for doing it.

1) for your own safety & the safety of others

2) bags are being checked for bombs, not for celebrity secrets they can write to the Enquirer about.

3) Wouldn't you rather be safe than sorry?

I for one, could care less if my bags were checked. There isn't anything in my bags that I am hiding and if its personal hygiene items you're concerned, well I'm sure they've seen worse.

 

[nydoll23]

ok ,i think they should check out middle eastern men and women.no i am not prejudice,my hubby is half egyptian.but with whats going on the sucide bombers and 911 we need to take precaution.if this was people from spain where i am from that did 911 and other terror attacks i would say the same,and i would rather them take more time with me in the airport and be safe then not.now other places i dont think people have the right to judge you ,i have an arabic last name,and sometimes when i go to the doctor they will call me mrs husien,thats not right.

my last name is not even spelled close to that.!!!!!

 

[MacForMe]

whoa.. this is a heavy discussion.

As for RedRocks said, she and i had a very emotionally scarring experience. however, i think that anyone at any time can be a terrorist.. Thomas Jefferson was even dealing with terrorism. Check it out.. its true.

We (as in all people) have had to deal with all types of terrorism, whether its political (9/11, Ships, buildings etc) or sexual (abortion, FGM, trafficking) it all brings terror in someones life. Who remembers the white guy that was on the news awhile back that was supporting Al Quaida? I do.. i remember. I also know that you can't say, oh a muslim = a terrorist. There are all groups of terrorists among us. I feel the screening should be done for all and to all. Because you never know WHO is involved. Just because he/she doesn't look the part, doesn't mean anything.

I think everyone should be screened, just because you never know...

 

[redrocks]

I have to chime in again....

So if security is spending all their time on checking middle eastern people and I decide to go off the deep end, I can get away with it. Simply because I'm white and I don't fit the profile and I was not checked.

Where is the sense in that?

 

[nydoll23]

my thing is if a white man walks up and a muslim man walks up,both should be checked!!!

 

[Amethyst]

Good points everyone made. Yes, I agree, EVERYONE should be checked. But---not ignoring ANY individuals from the race that's doing it.

 

[tashbash]

I personally feel it is silly for us to say that Muslims should be checked better and not anyone else. If we were to start only checking muslims, they would find a way around it. These people are intelligent. I mean wasn't one of the London bombers African American? I could be wrong but I thought I saw that. A terrorist could be ANYONE from ANY background. Hello, remember Timothy McVeigh....your average CAUCASIAN guy! That was the second largest terror attack this country has seen. He wasn't even close to being muslim. So I think that yes security should be beefed up tremendously. And no it shouldn't just be on one certain group, it should be for EVERYONE. I think everyone...man, woman, child, young, elderly, black, white, asian, muslim, etc. should be thoroughly checked head to toe. Because the ones we choose to overlook are the ones that will hit us the hardest.

 

[Liz]

i think there should be stricter screening on EVERYONE. you never know what someone is going to do. there's people in every race that are crazy.

and don't get me started on people who witch about waiting in lines or traffic.

 

[Jennifer]

damn right they should be checked. yeah, it's not fair other people gave middle eastern (not muslims because there are plenty of "white" muslims) a bad name. deal with it. if you wanna be safe, wait in line for a little longer, do things the police tell you to do. it's not fair, but that's life.

i agree with tony and kim

 

[monniej]

tony, being african american this is a hard one for me. i want to be safe and i want everyone else to be safe as well. having men in my family being subjected to racial profiling has been difficult for me and my family. there is also tremendous fear on the side of the person being profiled if you have done absolutely nothing wrong. i wish there was another way, but as sad as it makes me this may be the only way to stop the madness. tell me how you might feel if those being profiled were blonde and blue eyed?

Originally Posted by Tony(admin) Ok girls. How are you all today?
I want to see what you all think about this subject. I travel on airplaines quite frequently for business. When passing through security at airports, I usually have to take my jacket off, shoes off..etc. I really don't mind it at all NOR do I mind the wait if I have to wait longer(I say to myself, if I have to wait a little longer to be safe, then so be it). I have seen 85 year old grandmas being searched from top to bottom when muslim/middle eastern men are walking right on airplanes. I've observed grandpas, practically disrobed at security check points and five-year-old blonde boys turned inside out, while Middle Eastern males sail through undetained. This is a FACT!

Sept 11th was a terrible unforsaken tragegy and we lost many lives to young muslim/middle eastern men in between the ages of 20-35. There have been other situations mentioned quite often around the web and in newspapers. We here on MUT have mentioned it also a few times: See this #1 thread and this #2 thread

My Question for you all: Do you support racial profiling(I hate to use those words) of ALL(ALL is the key word) muslim/middle eastern men in between the ages of 20-35 at airports? What I mean is do you feel we should make muslim/middle eastern men in between the ages of 20-35 subject to thorough, much stricter, more stringent security checks at all airports?

**NOTE: Please vote up top and also PLEASE REPLY back here to support your VOTE.(I have made votes public also since you are all replying back)

 

[Geek]

Originally Posted by monniej

tony, being african american this is a hard one for me. i want to be safe and i want everyone else to be safe as well. having men in my family being subjected to racial profiling has been difficult for me and my family. there is also tremendous fear on the side of the person being profiled if you have done absolutely nothing wrong. i wish there was another way, but as sad as it makes me this may be the only way to stop the madness. tell me how you might feel if those being profiled were blonde and blue eyed?


Oohhh I am glad you asked that Monnie! Thanks for replying back!

I look at this way. If I were in, let's say....Iran or Seria or somewhere where I was an extreme minority and white people flew planes into their buildings cuz they hated them or bombed thier subways to kill innocent people in the name of my god...then YEP, you better beleive that I would EXPECT to be profiled. Iif I chose to stay there, I would have to deal with it. It would be something that I would expect.

 

[Geek]

Originally Posted by MAC

Tash, remember, they are WAGING a "Jehad" or Holy War on the US. They have many, and I mean MANY, supporters (who supported Timothy? no one)and this "Jehad" started LONG before Bush, so don't even start up about Bush. I don't think that Timothy M. waged war, just tried to take as many people out with one move.
If the FAA is listening, please PROFILE everyone and dno't profile grammas and let the middle eastern men on without profiling.




Agreed Mac!

 

[monniej]

if i remember correctly timothy m. had some supporters also. the difference is his war didn't last 20 generations. you're bound to get a few more supporters over hundreds of years.

Originally Posted by MAC Tash, remember, they are WAGING a "Jehad" or Holy War on the US. They have many, and I mean MANY, supporters (who supported Timothy? no one)and this "Jehad" started LONG before Bush, so don't even start up about Bush. I don't think that Timothy M. waged war, just tried to take as many people out with one move.
If the FAA is listening, please PROFILE everyone and dno't profile grammas and let the middle eastern men on without profiling.

 

[monniej]

i'm not disagreeing, just wondering if we'd be the same america. i know that we wouldn't and that makes me very sad. once you cross some lines there is no way back.

Originally Posted by Tony(admin) Oohhh I am glad you asked that Monnie! Thanks for replying back!

I look at this way. If I were in, let's say....Iran or Seria or somewhere where I was an extreme minority and white people flew planes into their buildings cuz they hated them or bombed thier subways to kill innocent people in the name of my god...then YEP, you better beleive that I would EXPECT to be profiled. Iif I chose to stay there, I would have to deal with it. It would be something that I would expect.