Tuesday, August 15, 2006
If you don't like it, don't fly.
The Times reports here that the government is discussing passenger profiling as part of airport security to help focus on those who pose the greatest risk. Personally I can't see it actually happening, as the government won't have the courage for it.
The Times says "... it would cause outrage in the Muslim community because its members would be far more likely to be selected for extra checks." And there not the only ones to focus in on this. To start with, what is this "Muslim community"? How is it defined? Who are its members? Who speaks for it? In real terms, I say it doesn't exist, of course there are Muslims, but they don't form one solid block of community, they are individual people, and if any individual has an issue with policy, then they can take it up with their MP like the rest of us. So I don't see any reason for any special consideration or treatment.
Secondly why would it cause outrage? Because they are "more likely to be selected for extra checks." What's worse, selecting some people for extra security checks or endangering a flight? If I'm wanting to fly, I'm wanting to arrive in one piece and without a starring role in a Bin Laden media event, I expect people to be security checked, and if a class or group of people pose a potential for a larger threat then I'd expect extra measures to be safe. If I belong to that group or class, then I must be subject to them, if I don't like it, I don't fly. In reality, I wouldn't mind it because I want to arrive safely and even though I'm a member of that group, that group threatens me. Similarly the majority of Muslims will want to arrive safely and I don't believe it will cause outrage at all, if it does, explain the security issue to them, if they still persist, tell them not to fly. Simple isn't it?
Thirdly, if we faced a threat from say the IRA, instead of from these islamofascists and passenger profiling wasn't introduced, the "Muslim community" would be talking (with some justification) about why they were being searched when they pose no threat. They would ask: "Why aren't you focusing on white Irish males?"
A bomb on an aircraft will kill indiscriminately, and these so called self-appointed "Muslim community leaders" are doing no one except the terrorists any favours by their attitude. Any responsible leader would be saying: "Look none of us want to be blown up on the plane, extra security is necessary, let's co-operate and hope we can defeat this threat."
Instead, by demanding and expecting special treatment, my view is they will cause problems for us and problems for them.
The Times says "... it would cause outrage in the Muslim community because its members would be far more likely to be selected for extra checks." And there not the only ones to focus in on this. To start with, what is this "Muslim community"? How is it defined? Who are its members? Who speaks for it? In real terms, I say it doesn't exist, of course there are Muslims, but they don't form one solid block of community, they are individual people, and if any individual has an issue with policy, then they can take it up with their MP like the rest of us. So I don't see any reason for any special consideration or treatment.
Secondly why would it cause outrage? Because they are "more likely to be selected for extra checks." What's worse, selecting some people for extra security checks or endangering a flight? If I'm wanting to fly, I'm wanting to arrive in one piece and without a starring role in a Bin Laden media event, I expect people to be security checked, and if a class or group of people pose a potential for a larger threat then I'd expect extra measures to be safe. If I belong to that group or class, then I must be subject to them, if I don't like it, I don't fly. In reality, I wouldn't mind it because I want to arrive safely and even though I'm a member of that group, that group threatens me. Similarly the majority of Muslims will want to arrive safely and I don't believe it will cause outrage at all, if it does, explain the security issue to them, if they still persist, tell them not to fly. Simple isn't it?
Thirdly, if we faced a threat from say the IRA, instead of from these islamofascists and passenger profiling wasn't introduced, the "Muslim community" would be talking (with some justification) about why they were being searched when they pose no threat. They would ask: "Why aren't you focusing on white Irish males?"
A bomb on an aircraft will kill indiscriminately, and these so called self-appointed "Muslim community leaders" are doing no one except the terrorists any favours by their attitude. Any responsible leader would be saying: "Look none of us want to be blown up on the plane, extra security is necessary, let's co-operate and hope we can defeat this threat."
Instead, by demanding and expecting special treatment, my view is they will cause problems for us and problems for them.
Tags: terrorism, Muslim community, passenger profiling
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 License.
