attacking innocent passengers based on racial profiling and directly associating skin color to an automatic terrorist shouldn't be happening AT ALL.
Again, we don't know what went on in the minds of those people. We don't know if it was just based on skin color or if there was something else. So your statement is true, but it's not necessarily what has transpired.
Maybe if more anglos did more to fight racism and stereotyping people wouldn't live in fear of flying with a middle eastern men.
Exactly my point. As long as we allow any middle eastern man on a plane to be judged because of what those 19 assholes did 5 years ago, then we aren't acting with reason, but out of irrational fear. Honestly, I can't imagine passengers on a plane allowing that to happen again. Now that we know the dangers, increased airport security and air marshalls, etc. It seems unlikely that another such attack would succeed even if it was attempted.
Yeah, we can keep going round and round about this if you want. The fear that a middle eastern man might blow up your plane isn't irrational. That's rich. Passengers won't let it happen. Uh, yup - that's kind of the point.
Yes, but with most Muslims at least sympathetic with Bin Laden to some degree, many people feel uncomfortable with Islam now. I mean, Bin Laden is more popular in some Islamic countries then Bush. That's not saying much, but still. Muslims need to step up to the plate and do more to show that Islam is not a religion of violence and terrorism, until then, the terrorists will control the face of Islam to the rest of the world!
I am all in favor of Muslims denouncing terrorism, and doing everything they can to denounce Bin Laden. I think they should also do everything they can to denounce Bush as well. But nothing excuses irrational fear of people from a certain ethnic origin being on a plane. It causes ugly incidents like what we saw. It breeds more resentment, anger and feelings of being picked on and kicked around.
Like I said before I am all in favor of passengers stopping someone from hijacking or blowing up a plane. To fear it happening at all is irrational given the likelihood of it happening on the plane that you are on. To fear it because a middle eastern man is on the flight is also irrational, especially considering that the other attempt(Richard Reid) wasn't from the middle east. One does not need to be in fear to prevent a hijacking or bombing attempt from a passenger on a plane. One can be aware, and alert. Fear causes the mind to act irrationally. It happens when people get scared in the dark, or or anything like that. In the middle of the night when people are scared they will think shadows in the room are human figures, only to later find out it was a coat on a lamp or something silly like that. Fear impairs proper judgement. When people fear flying with a middle eastern man their judgement becomes impaired and they are more likely to make the kinds of mistakes we see hear. That kind of fear is not rational. You can rationalize that irrational behavior all you want (I did that sentence on purpose ) but it doesn't make it helpful or rational.
But it still may be a legitimate fear. You can't tell someone not to fear for their lives. You can't say to a white girl she should be afraid walking down the street when a sketchily dressed large dark skinned male crosses the street to her side in the middle of the night. The line between rational and irrational fear is small. How you see it as irrational, others do not. These people aren't trying to discriminate or oppress, they are trying to protect their lives. Don't blame the people, blame the terrorists for doing this.
Most racist behavior doesn't come from a desire to oppress or discriminate. It comes from ignorance. You are wrong and a coward for not being willing to blame the racists. There can be more than one fault. Terrorists are wrong and don't help. But it doesn't ever excuse the irrational fear, and ignorance that cause the kind of racism we are talking about. We should shed light on that ignorance and hope it changes.
It isn't too much to ask that people don't let irrational fear based on race be allowed to fester and be defended.
how dare he speak in a foreign language on his cell phone at the airport. this is america damnit! we dont do crap like that in the land of the terrorized and the home of the cowards!
But you're the one calling them racists. In my book they are not. In my book, you're overzealous. Is it a very RATIONAL fear. That's what you don't get. You say it's irrational....why? There are currently people of Arab decent that want to blow up planes. This is a fact. There are not people of anglo, african, or chinese decent trying to blow up planes. This is not ignorance...this is fact. Get over your own issues.
