How many would be in favor of "racial profiling" based on threats?

[Lambeau]

To ensure we Americans never offend anyone -- particularly
fanatics intent on killing us -- law enforcement and security
screeners are not allowed to "profile" people in public places or
security checkpoints. However, they will continue to perform
random searches of 80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots
with proper identification, Secret Service agents who are members
of the President's security detail, 85-year-old congressmen with
metal hips and even Medal of Honor recipients. But targeting
Middle Eastern male Islamists between the ages 17 and 40
constitutes "ethnic profiling."

Let's pause a moment and review....

In 1968 Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed by: (a) A salesman from
Utah (b) An construction worker (c) A college student on Spring
Break (d) Middle Eastern Islamist males between the ages of 17
and 40.

In 1972, 11 Israeli athletes were killed at the Munich Olympics
by: (a) Your grandmother (b) A Midwest auto-parts dealer (c) A
mom and her 6-year-old son visiting from Indiana (d) Middle
Eastern Islamist males between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 1979, the U.S. embassy in Iran was taken over by: (a) A
bluegrass band (b) Dallas Cowboy fans (c) A tour group of
80-year-old women (d) Middle Eastern Islamist males between the
ages of 17 and 40.

During the 1980's numerous Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon
by: (a) A family on their way to Disney World (b) Jesse Ventura
(c) A Boy Scout Troop (d) Middle Eastern Islamist males between
the ages of 17 and 40.

In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by: (a)
A pizza delivery boy (b) The UPS guy (c) Geraldo Rivera making up
for a slow news day (d) Middle Eastern Islamist males between the
ages of 17 and 40.

In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked, and a
70-year-old disabled American passenger was murdered and thrown
overboard by: (a) A girls' choir (b) A hardware store owner (c) A
secretary (d) Middle Eastern Islamist males between the ages of
17 and 40.

In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a U.S. Navy
diver was murdered by: (a) A Marine officer with two weeks leave
(b) A plumber going to visit his mom (c) A Catholic nun (d)
Middle Eastern Islamist males between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by: (a) A college-bound
freshman (b) A cardiac surgeon on his way to Houston (c) A
waitress (d) Middle Eastern Islamist males between the ages of 17
and 40.

In 1993, the World Trade Center was bombed by: (a) A starving
actress (b) A mom with a newborn (c) Twin six-year-old boys (d)
Middle Eastern Islamist males between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 1995, a plot to blow up U.S.-bound international flights over
the Pacific was attempted by (a) Hawaiian school kids (b) An
decorated Vietnam Veteran (c) Twin sisters on their way to
Paducah (d) Middle Eastern Islamist males between the ages of 17
and 40.

In 1998, the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:
(a) A local TV weatherman (b) A dad and his two sons on a ski
trip (c) A widower going to visit his grandchildren (d) Middle
Eastern Islamist males between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 2000, 17 sailors died in an attack on the USS Cole (DDG 67) in
Yemen by: (a) A child in a stroller (b) A high school class on
their way to visit Washington, DC (c) Newlyweds on their way to
Miami (d) Middle Eastern Islamist males between the ages of 17
and 40.

On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked -- two flown into the
World Trade Centers, one into the Pentagon and one into the
ground in rural Pennsylvania. They were hijacked by: (a) A
retired police officer on a mission trip to Haiti (b) A
firefighter going to Maryland for training (c) An paramedic on
his way to vacation in Hawaii (d) Middle Eastern Islamist males
between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 2002 the United States liberated Afghanistan from: (a) USAID
relief workers (b) Jewish Pilgrims (c) Christian missionaries (d)
Middle Eastern Islamist males between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl and other Westerners were kidnapped
and beheaded by: (a) The Peace Corp (b) Scottish clansmen (c)
Cuban refugees (d) Middle Eastern Islamist males between the ages
of 17 and 40.

In 2002, more than 330 hostages in Beslan and 130 hostages in
Moscow were murdered in sieges by: (a) Russian exchange students
(b) The Red Guard (c) Church planters (d) Middle Eastern Islamist
males between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 2004, more than 200 Spanish civilians were murdered on trains
by bombs in Madrid, detonated by: (a) Morning commuters (b) A
three-year-old Chinese girl (c) Flamenco dancers (d) Middle
Eastern Islamist males between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 2005 more than 50 UK citizens were killed by bombs on trains
in London, detonated by: (a) Rail workers (b) Those unable to
hail taxis (c) Wheelchair-bound grandmothers (d) Middle Eastern
Islamist males between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 2005, there were hundreds of casualties, men, women and
children, killed by bombs in Jerusalem, Riyadh and Amman. These
innocent civilians were murdered by: (a) Construction workers (b)
Farmers (c) Christian missionaries (d) Middle Eastern Islamist
males between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 2005, the city of Paris, and other European cities experienced
an extended period of riots and destruction. The unrest was led
by: (a) "Youth" (b) Soccer fans (c) Catholic nuns (d) Middle
Eastern Islamist males between the ages of 17 and 40.

Since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom, more than 2,500
Americans have been murdered by terrorists. 35,000 Iraqi men,
women and children have also been murdered by terrorists. Most of
the combat and civilians casualties were the result of bombs
detonated in civilian population centers by: (a) Fruit vendors in
Baghdad (b) Disgruntled transit union workers (c) Iraqi
schoolteachers (d) Middle Eastern Islamist males between the ages
of 17 and 40.

In 2006, hundreds of Israeli civilians have been killed by
rockets launched by: (a) the Salvation Army (b) remnants of the
'Jackson Five' (c) the cast of 'Friends' (d) Middle Eastern
Islamist males between the ages of 17 and 40.

In 2006, a plot to blow up 10 U.S.-bound planes from the U.K. was
attempted by (a) members of the royal family (b) Japanese
tourists (c) groupies of the band 'Cream' (d) Middle Eastern
Islamist males between the ages of 17 and 40.

Since 2001, the FBI reports that there are major terrorist cells
still in U.S. urban centers. Several of these cells have been
uncovered and cell members arrested. In every case, the
terrorists cell members were: (a) Southern Baptists
Conventioneers (b) Lutheran Youth Groups (c) Presbyterian Elders
(d) Middle Eastern Islamist males between the ages of 17 and 40.

President George Bush said this week, "America is at war with
Islamic fascists who will use any means to destroy those of us
who love freedom, to hurt our nation." The Council on
American-Islamic Relations issued an immediate objection to the
President's reference to "Islamic fascists". Nihad Awad,
executive director of CAIR protested, "We have to isolate these
individuals because there is nothing in the Koran or the Islamic
faith that encourages people to be cruel or to be vicious or to
be criminal. Muslims world wide know that for sure." In light of
this objection, we are left to ponder why every Islamic leader in
the U.S., and the world, does not publicly condemn every terror
action being undertaken in the name of the god of Islam. Their
silence is deafening...
Between 1970 and present, there were more than 60 other notable
examples of terrorism perpetrated by Middle Eastern male
Islamists between the ages 17 and 40, but we think you get the
point. Singling out "Middle Eastern male Islamists between the
ages 17 and 40" is not "ethnic profiling," it's "terrorist
profiling" -- acting on prolific evidence.
Anyone for Terrorist Profiling?

[Juanted]

Sorry, but this post is waaaaay too long, and I have the feeling that it'll go nowhere but downhill from here...

Juan

[blondboinsd]

I'm on the fence on this and thats where I shall stay

[LeMansX5]

Originally Posted by Kaefer

Sorry, but this post is waaaaay too long, and I have the feeling that it'll go nowhere but downhill from here...

Juan

[motordavid]

RE:
"How many would be in favor of "racial profiling" based on threats?"




My less than liberal side oozes out on this topic...to wit:
no AngloAmerican, AfricanAmerican, Native American, Italian, German,
Chinese, Japanese, et al, etc., persons have exhibited a lick of "airplane"/Jihad induced/religous
zealotry inspired 'terroism' against the US or, any of its people or places or things...

Yeah, "profiling" is gonna put an onus and predjudice on some people of "color", and middle
eastern looking apperances. Tough.
White, Black, Brown, green, or orange Grannies are not the freakin enemy.

I'll let it go at that. This thread should get some opins.
BR,mD

PS: I suspect Lambeau's opin; I also suspect we finally agree on a
"political" issue.

Edit: none of my above opin is based upon something W said...he is not my
idol, inspiration or Fave of anything.

[JV]

Yep, we have to give people who have certain ethnic names and certain ethnic appearance an extra look at the security checkpoint. Those who fail to remember history are doomed to repeat it.

If you've been through a security checkpoint at an airport recently, it seems like we're all suspect anyhow. I last went through one on my way back from Mexico 3 weeks ago and had to remove my sandals and empty the pockets of my cargo shorts. It's time-consuming and kind of a pain in the ass, sure, but I'm cool with it if the procedures are the best form of preventing something like shoe bombers or hijackers, etc.

JV

[rebound]

Is it overly simple to think that we should be looking for those that are the suspects, as opposed to old ladies?

[Lambeau]

Just flew to BWI today and was in Sacramento last week and it's unbelievable that TSA searches old ladies and others that pose no threat. I've flown over 77,000 miles since March & I see the stupid policies in airports every week. For every one of the people they search that is not a threat someone that could pose a threat is not searched. I show my military ID at the screening points and I still get selected for the extra screening once in a while. And my military job and civilian job involve NBC weapons & anti-terrorism! Just to appease the ACLU they OMG can not single out middle-eastern males who are the ones that will be committing the terrorist attacks. We are at war to protect our way of life. The hell with not offending people while we are at war. If there was a threat of blue-eyed white males to blow up aircraft I would not have a problem with them screening me more often as that would be protecting me also. My son & I fly from London back to the US in September so do you think I'm glad there is the freedom of the gov to listen to phone conversations etc (Patriot Act) to realize potential terror communications? I don't understand how people can have a problem with the gov listening in when they have nothing to hide. If you're not doing anything wrong why shouldn't they listen if it in the long run it protects you? It seems people won't accept this just for political beliefs no matter how much sense it makes. Look past the politics and go with what makes sense in todays world and with the threats present. With my security clearance and access to intel trust me when I tell you there are many more threats out there than you realize. We NEED every means possible to gather as much info as possible to thwart all of these terrorists. Would you rather have your life or your headstone that reads this:
"Here I lie, killed by a terrorist. But, at least I kept my 2nd amendment rights!!"

[Wagner]

Originally Posted by Lambeau

Just flew to BWI today and was in Sacramento last week and it's unbelievable that TSA searches old ladies and others that pose no threat. I've flown over 77,000 miles since March & I see the stupid policies in airports every week. For every one of the people they search that is not a threat someone that could pose a threat is not searched. I show my military ID at the screening points and I still get selected for the extra screening once in a while. And my military job and civilian job involve NBC weapons & anti-terrorism! Just to appease the ACLU they OMG can not single out middle-eastern males who are the ones that will be committing the terrorist attacks. We are at war to protect our way of life. The hell with not offending people while we are at war. If there was a threat of blue-eyed white males to blow up aircraft I would not have a problem with them screening me more often as that would be protecting me also. My son & I fly from London back to the US in September so do you think I'm glad there is the freedom of the gov to listen to phone conversations etc (Patriot Act) to realize potential terror communications? I don't understand how people can have a problem with the gov listening in when they have nothing to hide. If you're not doing anything wrong why shouldn't they listen if it in the long run it protects you? It seems people won't accept this just for political beliefs no matter how much sense it makes. Look past the politics and go with what makes sense in todays world and with the threats present. With my security clearance and access to intel trust me when I tell you there are many more threats out there than you realize. We NEED every means possible to gather as much info as possible to thwart all of these terrorists. Would you rather have your life or your headstone that reads this:
"Here I lie, killed by a terrorist. But, at least I kept my 2nd amendment rights!!"

Tell me about it, I made a government trip to New Orleans and was stopped in four different airports. Each one pulled me aside and I got everything searched, bags, shoes, etc.. Now I'm 6'3", German (so as white as the come) with a buzzed head in a t-shirt and shorts....>BUT< I was carrying a back-pack. Apparently that was the clincher that I was a terrorist.

[Eric5273]

I think we should require all Muslims to wear red armbands. That way it will be easier to profile them. You never know when you'll find an Islamic extremist who does not fit the typical profile, like John Walker Lindh.

(I'm pretty sure this idea has been tried before, but cannot remember when or where...)