(no subject)

[apocalypsos]

A Salon article about that "Terror in the Skies, Again?" thing that's been going around. I didn't read it when I saw the links to it, mostly because nearly everybody's reaction to it that I could see was, "OMG, I'm never getting on a plane again!" and I'm terrified enough of planes as it is.

But now that I've read it, I'm disgusted. Seriously. I mean, I'm a little conspiracy theorist at the best of times, but I don't think I've ever been this paranoid. *eye roll*

Comments

[t3andcrumpets.livejournal.com]

***re-commented with corrected spelling, now that my head isn't going to explode***



*looks around to see that no one is watching*

OMGWTFI'MNEVERGETTINGONAPLANEAGAIN!!!111!!!one-ity-eleventh!!!!

*sits down and laughs*

Jeez. For one thing, she's a stupid alarmist. For another, nothing happened -- they were just musicians. Not everyone is a bad guy.

And finally, I hate Bush for putting us in the position where everyone has become alarmists over nothing. I have Middle Eastern immigrants come through my store all the time -- they aren't there to buy shit to make meth or bombs, they're there to feed and clothe their children and try to make things better for their families in what's supposed to be the most prosperous nation on the planet. I'm not going to go call the police every time someone comes into my store that looks like they're from the Middle East -- how fucking counterproductive to my day would that be? [And, fyi, the ratio of white people stealing shit to "minorities" stealing shit is about 10 to 1 in my store.]

You'd better believe I'm gonna get on my non-stop flight to LA without a tiny bit of "fear" or "terror" in my heart in October -- and damn skippy, if I see someone that looks to be Middle Eastern, my first words won't be "OMGWTF, a terrorist!". They will be, "Hi, can I help you put that bag up there? You seem to be having a little bit of trouble, and I'm tall enough to get it up there."

Kthnxbai.

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

Tell me about it. You know it's ridiculous when I think it's silly, because someone sneezes on an airplane and I think we're going to slam into a mountain and explode. (Which would be why I take Dramamine and go directly to sleep as soon as I get on a plane, 'cause me flipping out on a plane is not outside the realm of possibility.)

[t3andcrumpets.livejournal.com]

See, I guess I've just been on far too many flights in my life, because I'm completely blase about it after the initial "oh my god, I hate heights -- get me out of the window seat!" Of course, if I were on a flight with terrorists, I'd be the last person they'd suspect of trying to take back the plane -- being all quiet, meek, and submissive to the crazy Kewpie Doll stewardesses and all. *innocent look*

That bitch, though, is just plain whacked out. Someone needed to hit her with something as soon as she stepped onto the plane.

[seferin.livejournal.com]

I know you are going to hate me for this, but I need to play devil's advocate for a moment. I feel the need to better define the position, since the person who wrote this article did a poor job.

My fear on planes is not from dark skinned people, nor is it Muslims. It is people who act in a manner, which is suspicious. One way tickets. Gathering in groups, and signaling each other. I can see this bothering some people.

I have a solution. No, seriously, I do. All inspectors should be black. Think about it. Anyone who has been pulled over for DWB is going to be more sensitive to racial profiling and will not likely profile without a good reason.

Also, the profile should apply to foreigners. Not Americans. Why? Because Muslims in America, I think, are less likely to want to blow people up. They are more likely to enjoy the freedoms we have, and are not willing to lose them. They likely have access to different points of view. You know why? Because the issues we have with radical Islam are less likely to occur here because we are not as tyrannical. Think about it. Here, they can disagree.

I am not scared of Muslims. I don't worry about someone who is dark skinned. I worry about a foreigner with a one-way ticket who is on the plane and speaks with an accent. Someone who needs to carry a lot of bags on the plane, which get lighter, unless they are eating from it.

I will admit to being prejudiced. I think many people are. So when I think back to the Muslim Secret Service agent, who was not allowed to board a plane with his firearm, I do not think it was because he was a Muslim, but perhaps because his paperwork allowing him to do so, was incorrectly filled out, multiple times.

You know the difference between profiling and a profile? A profile is when you have foreigners buying one-way tickets, INTO America. Profiling is saying, “Dark skinned man! Flee!” The terrorists were all foreigners. To me, that means that you should watch foreigners. Not Americans. How do you tell the difference? Accent. Dress. Mannerisms. I am the first to say that we should not be profiling. But what percentage of suicide bombers who attack the West are foreigners from Arabian countries? I think ANYONE who buys a one-way ticket should be looked at. I think ALL bags should be looked at. I think anyone who does not speak with an American accent should be looked at more carefully.

I am willing to admit I am wrong. Please do not insult me while proving me wrong. Just use logic.

Agreed?

[mareklamo.livejournal.com]

I think anyone who does not speak with an American accent should be looked at more carefully.
Well, if your objective is to weed out foreigners, looking at their passports might be more reliable. Not only do some foreigners speak with an American accent, some Americans speak with a foreign accent.

[seferin.livejournal.com]

True. But there are certain mannerisms and accents which might cause issues. In addition, I do not think America has any schools to indocrinate to the degree of those countries.

[lots42.livejournal.com]

Same with me. Of course, if he -then- pulls out a gun or a knife, he'll be gang tackled and quite possibly beaten to death.

Such is life.

OMG DarkSkinnedpoeplerunrunrunrun.

I wonder what this woman would think if she sees a mosque filling up with worshippers. She'll probably call 911 and pee herself.

[dargie.livejournal.com]

There's a much nicer rebuttal out there, though I can't recall where I saw it (One of twistedchick's links I think) which points out that people under the sort of stress she says she was under do not remember things in such minute details. They recall "snapshots." And the complicity between her family and the flight crew is unlikely in the extreme.

I'd point out that she writes for "Women's Wall Street Journal" and I have yet to see any columns in any financial papers which are not almost hysterically pro-Bush and pro-neo-con policies.

[vivian-shaw.livejournal.com]

What a twerp.

Me, I'd be happily unconscious if I ever happened to be on a hijacked plane, because I take large quantities of drugs prior to takeoff, then drink as many weensy bottles of nasty red wine as I can afford, and spend the rest of the seven hours to England firmly asleep.

Honestly I get more anxious and terrified when I see a mother with a mound of Baby Paraphernalia coming down the aisle than I do when "Middle-Eastern-Looking Potential Terrorist-Type" people board the plane. At least hijackers don't shriek much.

[lots42.livejournal.com]

When I get on a plane, I stare out the window or doze off. Either way, I'm too interested in the Shiny Clouds or the Star Trek book to notice or care.

[dreamt.livejournal.com]

The arabs! They might... SING at me!! *wails and runs in circles*

[phillyexpat.livejournal.com]

That terror in the skies article disgusts me. Ugh. That woman is something out of The Wave

I'm having an anti-big brother day . . .

[phillyexpat.livejournal.com]

Oh, gross, and she quotes Ann Coulter!!!