Not sure what difference this makes. They were right to intervene which is the point I was contending. They were right that he was a terrorist, this guy wasn't right apparently. That doesn't mean passengers 'shouldn't intervene because they aren't harrison ford.' You would think that guy should definitely be in big trouble.
Suspicious? What is that as a Black man on an elevator . .shifting from one foot to the other is suspicious "OH MY GAWD!! I THOUGHT HE WAS ABOUT TO SNATCH MY PURSE" This doesn't happen as much as it use too . . but it is an extreme example Had one not been 'arab' looking. . . his actions may not have been suspicious Suspicious for an Arab . . . is different from others on the plane This is the new standard I guess Sucks *ss Rocket River Racism's got a brand new bag
It isn't fear born of racism. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.0.1) - Cite This Source rac‧ism /ˈreɪsɪzəm/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[rey-siz-uhm] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation –noun 1. a belief or doctrine that inherent differences among the various human races determine cultural or individual achievement, usually involving the idea that one's own race is superior and has the right to rule others. 2. a policy, system of government, etc., based upon or fostering such a doctrine; discrimination. 3. hatred or intolerance of another race or other races. It isn't racist to say 'men of middle eastern origin have relatively recently blown and/or tried to blow up airplanes with people in them.' It isn't racist to say 'there are men of Middle Eastern origin who've announced they will strike again soon.' How is it racist to be on the lookout for those men? That concern isn't based on a sense of superiority in race, nor the irrational fear of another race.
I think people are responsible for their own racism. I don't think it is right to blame one person's racism on another group.
it makes every difference. one guy was trying to light his shoe on fire with a match - that is suspicious the other guy was listening to his ipod and getting up to use the restroom - that is not suspicious. both were treated the same - tackled by fellow passengers. you made it sound like the shoe bomber was just sitting there minding his own buisness and fellow passengers somehow knew to restrain him. he was actively engaging in suspicious activity (lighting his shoe on fire). that, sir would be legitimate reason to physically restrain him. using an ipod would not be a valid reason.
It becomes racist when because of a person's guess at their ethnic origin they unreasonably assume negative characteristics about that person. That is what happened here.
That doesn't have anything to do with the point I made in response to GISB's post. He opined that passengers should sit in their seats instead of acting like vigilantes. I responded that passengers had restrained the shoe bomber so we should not make generalizations about passengers not intervening. The difference between the shoe bomber and the ipod user do not affect that point at all.
Oh really? I disagree. Since the man wasn't a terrorist or up to any good, the best you can say is that other people thought he was acting suspicious. But I will base my post on the evidence that we have so far. I hope that will suffice.
No, it isn't (as far as we can tell). If he had tackled the guy and said 'he looks like an Arab,' that would match your version. And again, noticing middle eastern looking men acting suspicious isn't necessarily racist. It isn't based an irrational fear or based on a sense of racial superiority. The problem in this case appears to be the restrainer's estimation of what constitutes 'suspicious behavior.'
It is racist if their race affects what behavior is labeled as suspicious. Would the same behavior by a caucasion be suspicious to the offending passenger? Which is the problem of keeping the eye on someone because they look middle eastern. The mind will jump to conclusions, and their imagination will work against them. It is part of human nature. The person is already suspicious of someone because of their ethnicity. When that kind of suspicion takes over reaching inside a jacket pocket can be seen as threatening. If a white woman reaches in to pull out some reading glasses it wouldn't be judged as suspicious. Now maybe the middle eastern man was also reaching for reading glasses, but because of the racist fear of his ethnicity it is deemed suspicious. Now I am speaking of the specifics of this case sense I wasn't there. But I am trying to use an example.
Any caucasians blow up planes lately? No. The problem in this case is the man's judgement of what was suspicious, not that he might pay more attention to a middle eastern looking male reaching into his jacket than to a white woman reaching into her jacket. It isn't irrational to get on a plane and have a fear that middle eastern men might blow it up. They've done it recently and have said they would do so again. That isn't racism. The restrainer might have acting stupidly, but you don't have the data to say it was racist.
"Gained" or "earned?" Those white women don't exactly mug or rape themselves. I've never come across any self-dealing crack, either.
It is if they represent less than one percent of all Middle Eastern men. Be on the lookout for Jewish people named Sam (Berkowitz), Irish people named Ted (Bundy), and white women named Andrea (Yates). Too much "Delta Force" and Fox News, not enough common sense.
I think there is more to this story. If people were cheering and the like, and others were thanking the guy who made the "citizens arrest" it would indicate to me there was bit more going on. that being said, its not at all a good thing that people get humiliated and treated like a criminal like this.
If every Arab looking person that flew was suspected of being a terrorist, then yeah, you might have a point. But let's face is....race is just one attribute in this case. Other attributes were this guys suspicious behaviors which included a trip to the bathroom before the plane took off (always unusual as normally people would rather use a restroom at an airport then a tiny dirty airplane stall)...and other things. Maybe he was playing with his ipod in a weird way. Who knows...but he freaked some people out. Frankly, if some Arab looking guy next to me started acting suspiciously, I'd start paying more attention too. And if the guy seemed like a threat, I'd get prepared to act. And if I saw something that really worried me...like a bunch of exposed wires, or some sort of weird chemical smell...I wouldn't inform the crew, I'd act.
I think much of this debate is around the fact that one of the reasons for the actions taken was because he was, "arab looking". Question is - can race be used as an attribute in this way? I think it can be. I am not against racial profiling so long as it does not result in someone suffering some kind of disadvantage. If Arabs are searched a bit more on flights - so be it. They still get there at the same time as everyone else. They aren't being penalized. If Blacks are checked a bit more for drugs...so what? It's not because they are only black, it's because they are dressed a certain way. People assume it's just race, but forget it's other things as well. If Hispanics have their ID's checked because they speak with an accent - hey, what's the big deal? None of these things violate someone civil rights. We need to let law enforcement agencies do their jobs and not restrain them too much. It's time people realize that race is just an attribute, and nothing more. So long as it doesn't cost someone a job, or admission to something, or the right to do something.....no harm done in my book!
