Another dispatch from the Terrorfied States of America...

[warpus]

Of course! I mean, we track down and punish people who make anonymous tips if their tips don't pan out, right?

I agree that this is getting ridiculous, but this suggestion is equally ridiculous, just in another way. There's some middle ground here that we can find without going off the deep end. Punishing people for how they look as nuts; so is penalizing people for reporting suspicious behavior.

How about doing some research before putting people on "this guy might be dangerous" lists?

The people responsible for this guy being on whatever list he's on should be fired, as they're obviously incompetent.

 

[Elrohir]

How about doing some research before putting people on "this guy might be dangerous" lists?

The people responsible for this guy being on whatever list he's on should be fired, as they're obviously incompetent.

As I said: I agree that things are often done badly in this area. Some sort of research should indeed be necessary - just having brownish skin really isn't enough.

 

[Berzerker]

So, a citizen reports something they find as suspicious, it is quickly and judicioulsy investigated and deemed no threat, and he continues on his way? Whats the problem?

The problem is he's still being harassed when he travels

 

[Strider]

GO TO TEXAS! LOL! that place is full of people like that! or even come here to arkansas, there not much better.

I live in Texas and I'd have to say that it's not really true for here. There are a few older people who are fairly racist against arabs/muslims, but they are more likely to go grab a shotgun then run off terrified.

You also have to remember that the majority of this state is not white, it's Hispanic.

 

[Valka D'Ur]

The source site requires registration, which I prefer not to do. So could someone please explain just what this man's project was, and what it had to do with his stamp collection?

 

[Dame Edna]

Why else do so many Americans insist on carrying guns? For protection against the insidious foreigner or their fellow countrymen - shame so many live in fear.

 

[colontos]

Making a jump from "Here's a story" to "This happens all the time" with no supporting evidence (not even anecdotal!) is bad logic, FYI.

1 terrorist in 5 billion? So there's only one or two terrorists left in the world? Man, the War on Terror is going even better than I thought.

EDIT: LOL @ this thread.

 

[Nylan]

If we punished/fired/chided every idiot in this world, there wouldn't be a whole lot of people left.

Chill peeps.

 

[countrygrl]

I live in Texas and I'd have to say that it's not really true for here. There are a few older people who are fairly racist against arabs/muslims, but they are more likely to go grab a shotgun then run off terrified.

You also have to remember that the majority of this state is not white, it's Hispanic.

so what, if i had a dollar everytime i was in public in Texas and heard someone say, "oh look, an ay-rab!" or, "look out for johnny jihad over there" or "it'd just be better if they turned the middle east into a glass parking lot" i'd have a good bit of money. i won't even get into some of the crap my family put up with just after 9-11, simply because we're not white, and we're not hispanic, so we must be some kinda ay-rab!

 

[Elrohir]

Why else do so many Americans insist on carrying guns? For protection against the insidious foreigner or their fellow countrymen - shame so many live in fear.

Oh please. You seriously need to drop your condescending attitude, especially since you clearly know so little about the US.

 

[Tee Kay]

When people start to be paranoid about terrorism, the terrorists have achieved their objective.

 

[amadeus]

When people start to be paranoid about terrorism, the terrorists have achieved their objective.

Well, it's comforting to know that the bombs they plant aren't for, you know, killing us.

 

[hossam]

so what, if i had a dollar everytime i was in public in Texas and heard someone say, "oh look, an ay-rab!" or, "look out for johnny jihad over there" or "it'd just be better if they turned the middle east into a glass parking lot" i'd have a good bit of money. i won't even get into some of the crap my family put up with just after 9-11, simply because we're not white, and we're not hispanic, so we must be some kinda ay-rab!

ive never felt any discrimination, and i live in texas. im also a muslim and an arab.

 

[nivi]

When people start to be paranoid about terrorism, the terrorists have achieved their objective.

Is the point of terror...........terror, or is it simply a means to an end?

 

[DaveShack]

Someone sits next to me in a plane and says he's on a mission to take pictures of every state capital building, you bet I'm going to have concerns. Even someone who doesn't match the traditional "terrorist profile".

The appropriate response by the authorities is to investigate and watch.

My appearance is about as anti-terrorist as you can be, and I've been randomly checked several times, including a couple of bag dumps. It's annoying, and I'm well enough informed to know the airport security system is a joke, but it makes economic sense to allow the sheep to see that we're at least looking for wolves.

 

[Phlegmak]

If the point of terror is to cause terror, as in scaring the populace, then Rudy Giuliani is a terrorist.

 

[amadeus]

If the point of terror is to cause terror, as in scaring the populace, then Rudy Giuliani is a terrorist.

So would just about every other figure in politics and mass media.

 

[Verbose]

That's because the have been suckered by people like the al-Qaeda. They're responding exactly as intended by them when the decided to pick on the US to make an open enemy out of it.

The only reason the al-Q. et consortes aren't reaping any greater benefits from any of this, is that while oh so many Muslim around the world find the US totally odious, they fear and hate people like the al-Q more.

 

[Swedishguy]

When people start to be paranoid about terrorism, the terrorists have achieved their objective.

Are you saying GWB acheived his objective?

 

[warpus]

Someone sits next to me in a plane and says he's on a mission to take pictures of every state capital building, you bet I'm going to have concerns. Even someone who doesn't match the traditional "terrorist profile".

If he was taking the pictures as part of some sinister plot, why the hell would he be telling you about it?

You are far too paranoid for your own good.

The appropriate response by the authorities is to investigate and watch.

1. They can't possibly investigate every "suspicious" (and I use this word very loosely here) traveller
2. They didn't investigate - they put his name on a "harass & search this guy whenever he tries to fly" list.