Airport Security

[Tps222]

Don't get guido going on Racism .
I for the most part couldn't care less about the lenghty airline security, just get their earlier, and stop being sensitive bitches. Oh no, I'm black and I am getting checked, racism.

[The_Q]

Austaph, it has been Arabs more than any other race that have made these kinds of attacks of late. I don't see why we shouldn't profile them, particularly suspicious looking Arabs. However, we must also keep in mind that other races, like my own, have histories of terrorism as well. I wouldn't mind being stopped just because I am chicano. It actually will make us everyone safer, including the Arabs.

I am not proposing any restrictions be placed on Arabs that keep them from anything, I just suggest that we be wary of suspicous looking Arabs.

As for the X-ray bit, we can't do that. X-rays go through things until they see something really solid. That's why they're used to see bones. They won't show flesh or naked people because those images won't show at all.

Q

[msbrunnettemickey]

Austaph, it has been Arabs more than any other race that have made these kinds of attacks of late. I don't see why we shouldn't profile them, particularly suspicious looking Arabs. However, we must also keep in mind that other races, like my own, have histories of terrorism as well. I wouldn't mind being stopped just because I am chicano. It actually will make us everyone safer, including the Arabs.

I am not proposing any restrictions be placed on Arabs that keep them from anything, I just suggest that we be wary of suspicous looking Arabs.

As for the X-ray bit, we can't do that. X-rays go through things until they see something really solid. That's why they're used to see bones. They won't show flesh or naked people because those images won't show at all.

Q

It says it all right over here.

[Austaph]

Right, like I said, x-rays have nanoscopic (1.0 × 10^-9 m or 0.000000001 m) waves which easily pass through flesh, while the airport security scanners use microscopic (1.0 x 10^-3 m or 0.001 m) waves which only pass through clothing.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8174185/

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/06/10/border.chainsaw/

Enough said.

[YungYung]

The summer after 9/11 i decided to run away.

3) i was on a plane to D.C. just a few months after 9/11... uh.. WTF.

The summer after 9/11 starts in June of the next year (obviously). That's not 'a few months'. Going on a plane trip a year after 911 is not that big of a WTF either. Plus, I honestly don't think that security would suspect anything from a 13-yearold girl, who isn't even from some middle east country (correct me if I'm wrong). I know it sounds racist, but you can't say that it isn't true. Ever since 911, people of middle east ethnicities have been looked down upon. Not only by those working in the airports, but the general public aswell. "HE'S WEARING A TURBAN HE'S GOING TO FUCKING BOMB US." Bs. All I'm trying to prove is that your story isn't that suprising, except for the fact that you had enough guts to run away on a plane like that, but that has nothing to do with the thread.

Any race besides the arabs have such a small chance of being a threat in any way that its pathetic that they would be checked just as much as a guy with a turban.

I actually took that as an insult. I'm not saying that the chinese can mindlessly blow up more buildings than arabs, but with this comment you're overlooking, and even insulting the power of other countries. If the USA wanted to blow the shit out of Israeli, they could. Now let's compare this to what the terrorists did. They managed to kill a bunch of innocent people, destroy a few buildings and airplanes, which caused the economy to take a drop. That doesn't make them look powerful, that makes them look like a bunch of assholes. If every single country in the world decided to go psychopathic and bring on another world war, are you telling me that the Arabs would win over all of the other countries?

[The_Q]

which caused the economy to take a drop.

Don't push me.

Q

[msbrunnettemickey]

The summer after 9/11 i decided to run away.

3) i was on a plane to D.C. just a few months after 9/11... uh.. WTF.

The summer after 9/11 starts in June of the next year (obviously). That's not 'a few months'. Going on a plane trip a year after 911 is not that big of a WTF either. Plus, I honestly don't think that security would suspect anything from a 13-yearold girl, who isn't even from some middle east country (correct me if I'm wrong). I know it sounds racist, but you can't say that it isn't true. Ever since 911, people of middle east ethnicities have been looked down upon. Not only by those working in the airports, but the general public aswell. "HE'S WEARING A TURBAN HE'S GOING TO #$#ing BOMB US." Bs. All I'm trying to prove is that your story isn't that suprising, except for the fact that you had enough guts to run away on a plane like that, but that has nothing to do with the thread.

Any race besides the arabs have such a small chance of being a threat in any way that its pathetic that they would be checked just as much as a guy with a turban.

I actually took that as an insult. I'm not saying that the chinese can mindlessly blow up more buildings than arabs, but with this comment you're overlooking, and even insulting the power of other countries. If the USA wanted to blow the (#$% out of Israeli, they could. Now let's compare this to what the terrorists did. They managed to kill a bunch of innocent people, destroy a few buildings and airplanes, which caused the economy to take a drop. That doesn't make them look powerful, that makes them look like a bunch of assholes. If every single country in the world decided to go psychopathic and bring on another world war, are you telling me that the Arabs would win over all of the other countries?

First of..
I am an Israeli.
Glad to make that clear =)

Yung is somewhere between 90% to 97% right.
I have lived next to the arabs for a couple of years.
Right, they have managed to kill lots of people, and you are right about them looking like a bunch af assholes.

But i want to make something clear.
NOT ALL ARABS ARE BAD.
I know no one mentioned it.. but... I see people walk around arabs and try to stand 10 feet away from them. In the airport, i see lots of arabs, of course something like "Oh no, what if they are terrorists" runs through someone's mind.

Eh, it's hard to explain... people can be judged that way a lot.
My grandparents came from Iraq, and yes, some people treat me like i am some kind of a junior terrorist. Heh.

The terrorists are just stupid to keep on fighting and bombing instead of peace and quiet.

[drummerlsu]

Of course it is true that most of the Arabs who fly will not be terrorists, but that alone doesn't mean we shouldn't use racial profiling against them. A random Arab flyer is still more likely to be a terrorist than a non-Arab flyer. However, lots of people will jump all over anyone using this sort of profiling, citing the consititution and the right to be treated equally. Indeed, care must be taken if we do choose to use these techniques. If we are going to be wary of Arabs specifically, we should do it so it doesn't actually inconvenience them any more than anyone else (like keeping an eye on them without putting them through any extra security checks).

If we are going to use extra security checks, they should probably be applied to everyone. After 9/11, whether it was necessary or not, most people wanted tougher security at the airlines. Was this one of those cases in which people were rushing to find a solution to a problem that was really just a freak occurrence? Probably not.

[msbrunnettemickey]

Everything has changed since 9/11.
Why, today i was going to mail perfume to my fellow friend from FFR Liza.
They stopped me and said, "Hold up, what are you doing?" So i told them i want to mail a letter, and a perfume. They stopped me and said "Sorry miss, but after 9/11? Nuh uh, we don't allow it."

Everything has changed. EVERYTHING.
Everyone should take things in the airport seriously.
Even if it's waiting in line for hours, and being checked by security.
They wants the best for you.
Well, they want you to be safe.

[Eyoshi]

While it would be ideal if there was less security so that we could reach our destinations quicker, times are different, as we now are in a world where attacks can happen anywhere.
After all which would be better; getting checked by security for a long period of time but have a more assured feeling that nothing will happen, or go through little security, but feel insecure as you board? Even though these two choices won't apply to everybody here, I'd go with the former on this.

[YungYung]

Of course it is true that most of the Arabs who fly will not be terrorists, but that alone doesn't mean we shouldn't use racial profiling against them. A random Arab flyer is still more likely to be a terrorist than a non-Arab flyer. However, lots of people will jump all over anyone using this sort of profiling, citing the consititution and the right to be treated equally. Indeed, care must be taken if we do choose to use these techniques. ***If we are going to be wary of Arabs specifically, we should do it so it doesn't actually inconvenience them any more than anyone else (like keeping an eye on them without putting them through any extra security checks).***

If we are going to use extra security checks, they should probably be applied to everyone. After 9/11, whether it was necessary or not, most people wanted tougher security at the airlines. Was this one of those cases in which people were rushing to find a solution to a problem that was really just a freak occurrence? Probably not.

I STRONGLY disagree with the first paragraph. Show me some PROOF that Arabs are more likely to be terrorists than people of other cultures. It's true that it was mideastern people who caused 9/11, but that should not be the reason that they are being 'kept an eye on'. Terrorists terrorize for a reason that obviously angers them in some way. Are Arabs the only people capable of feeling such anger? No. Americans, Asians, Europeans, ANYONE, is capable of being a terrorist.

***That is like hearing a homophobe say "Ok that guy's gay, let's not beat the living hell out of him, let's just talk behind his back." JUST because you are not putting the person through extra security checks, does NOT mean it won't cause discomfort. If you were an Arab walking through an airport wearing a turban, you know what they are thinking. They think "OMG Arab I hope he's not on my flight." I'm not saying there's anyway to put a stop to it. Racism cannot be stopped unless everyone suddenly becomes apart of the same culture. I just strongly disagree with your idea of 'keeping an eye' on Arabs. If you want to heighten security, do it for EVERYONE, not just one group of people.

[drummerlsu]

Show me some PROOF that Arabs are more likely to be terrorists than people of other cultures. It's true that it was mideastern people who caused 9/11, but that should not be the reason that they are being 'kept an eye on'. Terrorists terrorize for a reason that obviously angers them in some way. Are Arabs the only people capable of feeling such anger? No. Americans, Asians, Europeans, ANYONE, is capable of being a terrorist..

Sure, anyone is capable of beinng a terrorist. But most of the signifigant anti-Western terrorist organizations are Middle-Eastern Muslim organizations. Unless there are thousands of terrorists that we don't know about, if you chose a random terrorist it would most likely be a Middle-Eastern Muslim. In addition, most of the major international terrorist attacks within the past few years were caused by these organizations. Patterns like this are absolutely fair grounds to predict that the next attack is likely to have similar origin.

I just strongly disagree with your idea of 'keeping an eye' on Arabs.

First of all, I wasn't referring profiling by individuals, I was referring to profiling of airport security officers. Also, I didn't say I was specifically recommending this. In any event, the percentage of Arabs in the US that are actual terrorists is so small that security probably shouldn't be careful about ALL Arabs. Suspicious looking ones? Maybe.

[Austaph]

I'm beginning to see where everyone's coming from on this, and I have to agree to some extent - but, there should be a chriteria a bit more intelligent than "he looks like a middle-eastern." Think about what you would do if you were a middle eastern terrorist, boarding an airplane with the intent to kill on an epic scale. Would you toss on a turban and load up on tools to assault people with? Good luck. The next time they attack, it'll be a bit more ingenious than that - then everyone can say "oh my, I should've known it all along!" What is in need is a stricter form of personal identification - Think: something which can't be faked or camouflaged.

Anyone can turn practically anything into a weapon which is able to kill quickly and efficiently; try beginning with your fingertips. If all it took - for someone to step outside of the chriteria for a potential terrorist - was to be white, we might as well begin welcoming the Caucasian Al Qaeda.

[ramonesfan]

This all reminds me of "Team America" and the little philosophy about dicks, pussies, and assholes in it. It really does apply here.

[senate7377]

I'm siding with Carlos Mencia on this one. (Mind of Mencia permiere episode on Comedy Central)

I'm beginning to see where everyone's coming from on this, and I have to agree to some extent - but, there should be a chriteria a bit more intelligent than "he looks like a middle-eastern." Think about what you would do if you were a middle eastern terrorist, boarding an airplane with the intent to kill on an epic scale. Would you toss on a turban and load up on tools to assault people with? Good luck. The next time they attack, it'll be a bit more ingenious than that - then everyone can say "oh my, I should've known it all along!" What is in need is a stricter form of personal identification - Think: something which can't be faked or camouflaged.

Anyone can turn practically anything into a weapon which is able to kill quickly and efficiently; try beginning with your fingertips. If all it took - for someone to step outside of the chriteria for a potential terrorist - was to be white, we might as well begin welcoming the Caucasian Al Qaeda.

Actually, if you remember shortly after 9/11, there was a man on a plane who tried to light himself on fire while the plane was in flight. He was white, and a member of the Al Queda. There have also been Black members of the Al Queda. One of whom was caught plotting not long after the 9/11 attacks as well.

The BBC had a documentary a couple of days afer the London Bombings, in where they interviewd captured Al Queda and ... yeah they have been doing that for years. At the current moment, they know we out might and number them - its the PR game they play...

I know not all arabs are bad. I also considered that, the 9/11 attacks probably got a good aount os arabs and muslims killed too. I know in the BBC video I saw, they were talking about how Mosques and so on had been targets of attacks, and that muslims were killed in teh tunnel bombings. This proves that it is not entirely a religeon thing for them (the "terrorists"). But to stay on topic, You really can't jsut label someone no, at teh same time we can't be blamed for the stereotype either. Now - once again as Carlos Mencia had said on a later episode "People need to pay more damn attention. No really, there is a huge difference between "ghcksha ghcksha" and "babidi babidi"...If you are going to be racists follow the effing rules"

I like the lines and wait as much as the next guy, but as I said in prior threads, we're not in a world where the "squeeky wheel" theory applies and only a minority of people really bitch rather than conform in thie case. Show up early, bite your tongue, and understand permanance is a forgotten word.

They wants the best for you.
Well, they want you to be safe.

oooorrrrr they don't wanna be sued.

I STRONGLY disagree with the first paragraph. Show me some PROOF that Arabs are more likely to be terrorists than people of other cultures. It's true that it was mideastern people who caused 9/11, but that should not be the reason that they are being 'kept an eye on'

Ok, think of Black History Month. We stop and remember what Blacks ahve contributed to America as a way of repentance for slavery. We remeber the slaves and their work. There were not ONLY Black slaves, but Native American, and even White slaves as well. Why then, do we really only remember the Black ones? It is becuase the MAJORITY of them were Black.

You negate your own arguemnt here to a degree. Technically Arabs DID NOT cause the 9/11 attacks. Afghanistan and Pakistan are part of Asia. We consider them Middle Eastern or Arab because of their languarge and attire. However, the proof is that the terrorists were trained and came from that geograhic location. It's all the proof we need. How often do we see or hear of the IRA on US and foreign news. When was the last time we heard of youth riots in China? Read of the mobs at The Kremilin? Throughout history that section of the world has been at war with itself. Over the past decade media has been littered with reports of violence from the areas of Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Libya, and Qartar... Bosnia, Haiti, Croatia... the list goes on... that is proff that the "Third World" countries have a majority of violence issues. Not all, but thats a good portion of them in that area of the globe.

Things do go in cycles, and terrorism is defined by act and not race or political standing, but we keep an eye on them becuase it would be insanely stupid not to. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me". So, would you continue to hit yourself in the head with a hammer, knowing that everytime you did it, it hurt? Me neither.

Airport security is there to protect, but its there for more than that as well. Its a deterrant, and a way of being able to react quickly should a problem arise. It so happnes thet the "security" word makes us think in a certain direction. We may think that a lot of the ongoings with in our borders are dumb, and the people who decide what to do and when as being even more dumb; don't let the package fool you. When London was bombed - I'm pretty sure Bush didn't look so stupid to them then... He said that terrorists would bomd other countries regardless of their alliance with the US. After MAdrid was bombed, Spain backed down some nad still got bombed. London was bombed and Blair stepped up...and they got bombed again... Its a no win PR game they play and if the heightened security ensures that things have a harder time happening here - so be it.