Ann Coulter on airline security

[Swifty_Johnson]

She's sometimes very very very funny.

http://www.anncoulter.org/columns/2004/042804p.htm

Swifty

[Rooster]

To me, the whole idea of NOT racial profiling is akin to thinking the world is flat. It's just plain stupid.

It would be like the cops NOT taking down skin color, hair, height, weight when they want to catch a suspect. UHM... WE CAN'T! It's profiling against HEAVY PEOPLE! How many white people hijack planes? How many white people are terrorists? Yeah, a handful? How many arabs?

Not saying they all are, but the good arabs should be PISSED OFF about these other morons (the terrorist arabs) that are ruining a good people's (arabs) name. Not pissed off at security guards for wanting to watch them closer.

She's right about so many things in there. Just take some of it with a grain of salt. :)

[Noleader]

To me, the whole idea of NOT racial profiling is akin to thinking the world is flat. It's just plain stupid.

It would be like the cops NOT taking down skin color, hair, height, weight when they want to catch a suspect. UHM... WE CAN'T! It's profiling against HEAVY PEOPLE! How many white people hijack planes? How many white people are terrorists? Yeah, a handful? How many arabs?

Not saying they all are, but the good arabs should be PISSED OFF about these other morons (the terrorist arabs) that are ruining a good people's (arabs) name. Not pissed off at security guards for wanting to watch them closer.

If one person is wrongly profiled it is one to many. We do not go around crushing the civil rights of people because it is in the good of the majority. If we did this you could call us a communist country.

[Swifty_Johnson]

I'm sorry, 19 ARABS boarded airplanes and slammed them into buildings and killed thousands of people. So if the airlines want to be more careful when there are more than a few Arabs on a plane, more power to them. I guess Noleader wants more 9/11s so he can have Bush voted out of office. How many innocent people are you willing to kill to attain these goals?

Swifty

[Rooster]

Having to be searched because you're of X race is NOT EVEN CLOSE to crushing their civil rights. That's complete and utter BS that we're "crushing civil rights".. It's not the damn death penalty. I say search EVERY middle-eastern person boarding a plane, because 99 times out of 100, that is who will be the next suicide bomber.

If 20 white people, going to China killed 3000 people, I certainly would understand when they stop and are suspect of all other white people coming in.

[Rooster]

If one person is wrongly profiled it is one to many. We do not go around crushing the civil rights of people because it is in the good of the majority. If we did this you could call us a communist country.Oh, so when it's illegal to display religious works in schools, that's not CRUSHING OUR CIVIL RIGHTS!!! People every day are prevented from excercising their freedom of religion even where it does NOT infringe on others to excercise theirs.

Yup.. we're communists.

[Allison]

No need to drag religion into this, Roo. :p

Statistical profiling has gotten a bad name because of stupid, racist cops harassing black drivers. But, we shouldn't let a few bad apples spoil the bunch. If a serial killer is operating in my neighborhood, the police will be taking a long hard look at all the young white males in the neighborhood ... not because they're white, but because they fit the profile.

The same thing exists in airports. Arabs are not singled out because of their race, but because they fit the profile. If there were no statistical data to support that profile, it would be wrong.

Having said that, there is a line here that shouldn't be crossed. It's a fuzzy line, no doubt. And there is a lot of room for abuse. For some extreme examples, it's too much if every Arab who ever travels is detained, delayed, patted down, questioned, and humiliated. But, it's certainly not too much to devote a little extra time to a young Arab male travelling alone with no luggage. He fits the profile.

This is definitely a sensitive issue for Arab Americans. Just from my own experience, there have been times when, trip after trip, both legs, I've been unlucky enough to be singled out for random searches. It's a nuisance, and I did feel a little weird about being patted down in front of everyone. I imagine if I were an Arab, it would happen more often and I'd be even more annoyed. But, as long as non-random searches based on statistical profiling are done with respect, courtesy, and minimal delay, I don't see it as a violation of anyone's rights.

Normally, I'm one of those ACLU-type nutcases Rooster loves to hate. But here, I just don't see the problem. There are some cases here where I think people's rights have been violated (no-fly lists, wrongful detention or severe delay), but those should be dealt with on a case by case basis, I think.

I should say, though, that these are just my impressions. I really haven't looked into the legality of profiling or whether abuses of the profiling system are large enough to warrant some changes. Also, I'd like to add that Ann Coulter is wacko. :)

[Justar]

I'm all for Racial Profiling. Cuts back on slowdowns as you don't have to search everyone. If it turns to having to search only the white people, becuase stupid ass white people are blowing up crap, I'll take that too.

[Swifty_Johnson]

I've been screened at the airports, than got screened again, I don't see what the hassel is.

Screening every Arab walking onto planes will put a serious dent into terrorist plans and make them more vulnerable.

Swifty

[Allison]

I've been screened at the airports, than got screened again, I don't see what the hassel is.

Well there is a difference. When you or I get screened, it's a random inconvenience. When Arabs gets screened, they've been singled out because they're Arabs. I totally understand why that would feel offensive. But, someone being offended isn't proof of a violation of their rights. It's gotta suck, but that's the world we live in.

[Rooster]

Yup. If chinese terrorists started making threats and actually doing stuff... I would CERTAINLY hope our guys would be smart enough to LOOK OUT FOR CHINESE people!

OMG THE HORROR!

:sigh: