Air Travel Paranoia

[Jimsie_Macmutton]

I am the first to admit that I always feel uneasy flying but things seem to be getting out of hand. I just heard that holidaymakers returning home from Malaga (I think) forced two passengers of Muslim ethnicity to leave the plane bound for London. This poor couple who thought they were heading home had to stay in a Spanish airport incase they tried to destroy the plane. Am I the only one who thinks this is starting to border on racism?

[Canute]

It was the fact that these two travellers were wearing thick woolly jumpers and leather jackets (while the other passengers were dressed in t-shirts and shorts), and were constantly checking their watches that aroused the other passenger's' suspicions.

 

I don't think that racism came into it, merely self-preservation.

[McFly]

I don't think that racism came into it, merely self-preservation.

 

Yeah, cos we all know how deadly those wooly-jumper wearing, clock watching types can be

 

Self preservation, my a**e.

[Canute]

Yeah, cos we all know how deadly those wooly-jumper wearing, clock watching types can be

 

As deadly as rucksack carrying passengers on the London underground.

[McFly]

Yeah, cos we all know how deadly those wooly-jumper wearing, clock watching types can be

 

As deadly as rucksack carrying passengers on the London underground.

 

Indeed.

 

I travel on the tube in London regularly. I see people carrying rucksacks almost every time. Sometimes I carry one myself.

 

And I'm still here to tell the tale

[Styles]

It looks like democracy in action as it was surley the majority of the passingers who would did not want to travel with them on the plane. But ultiomatley it should be up to the airport security and airline.

[Jordan]

It looks like democracy in action as it was surley the majority of the passingers who would did not want to travel with them on the plane. But ultiomatley it should be up to the airport security and airline.

 

If this was the case then the biggeted fools should have left the plane and not the other way around.

[Jimsie_Macmutton]

Yeah I mean I must admit if I was sitting next to two people on a plane of their appearance the thought would probably pass through my head (shamefully) but this is mainly down to the government and media tarring British Muslims with the same brush and it is not right. What happened on the Malaga to London flight was terrible. Its bordering on 'a bus for blacks and a bus for whites' in fifties America.

[junior]

Racial profiling happens, its not a case of being racist.

 

When was the last terrorist threat which didn't come from young male muslim? IMO that means that airport security (not the passengers!) should be more wary of them. Again, IMO, this is not racism, its just the reality of the situation.

 

It sounds like in this case the airport security should have been alerted themselves and been in a position to put the fears of the passengers at rest long before they became suspicious (i.e. get that wooly jumper searched and anything dangerous found).

[Ghostrider]

It's neither right or fair all those who "fit" in to any sub-group are tarred with the same brush, but it's human nature, the survival instinct, the will to live etc kicking in, and even with the best will in the world it's extremely difficult, and arguably unwise, to ignore it.

 

In the 70's and 80's when Irish terrorists were a real threat in the UK a large number of people regarded anyone of Irish descent with strong suspicion, likewise in the very recent past when what was described as "youths", before they were identified in court, were committing random serious assaults in the street area, an appreciable number of people were viewing everyone between around 14 and 25 wondering "is he/she one of them?".

 

Currently several terrorist actions/threats have been attributed to individuals or Muslim/Asian descent, it's inevitable that some people at least will see all of Muslim/Asian descent in the same light. I sympathise with the innocent of Muslim/Asian descent who have been falsely accused or come under suspicion, I would not like to be stereotyped simply because of my appearance to such an extreme degree. However, I would suggest that making as much noise in the media as they do, screaming "discrimination" and "victimisation", and expecting all those of non-Muslim/Asian descent to change their ways, is actually feeding the "fear" that perpetrates others treating them this way. You can bet that after this incident, their will be similiar "copy-cat" incidents, and pretty much anyone on a flight who is of Muslim/Asian descent and is wearing a leather jacket and/or wooly jumper will be "Prime Suspect No. 1" for the next few weeks. It simply plants an image in peoples minds putting a "real world" image to their concerns and fears and thereby feeding them.

 

Perhaps, if instead of venting their spleens to the media, they were to use their ire and energy to inspire the vast majority of "good" people of Muslim/Asian descent, to pressurise and restrict, or hopefully eliminate the radical element in their ranks, it would do everyone more good in the long run.

 

To expect the general public not to over-react to anything they find even mildly suspicious in the behaviour of an individual of Muslim/Asian descent at this time, while a radical, suicidally dangerous element is still very active amongst them, is, IMHO, about as sane as breaking a bone and tanking yourself up on painkillers and carrying on regardless. Both simply sweep the symptoms under the carpet, and are ignoring the cause.

 

An individual or Muslim/Asian descent is far, far more likely in the vast majority of cases to be able to be aware what another individual or group of individuals of Muslim/Asian descent is up to, than someone of another ethnic or religious background. If decent individuals of Muslim/Asian descent do not want to themselves be victims of acts of violence perpretrated by others of the same ethnic/religious background, and on occasion find themselves being suspected of being one of those intent on committing said violent acts, they have in their power the ability to do far more about it than any other ethnic/religious grouping.

[Claudias]

 

Perhaps, if instead of venting their spleens to the media, they were to use their ire and energy to inspire the vast majority of "good" people of Muslim/Asian descent, to pressurise and restrict, or hopefully eliminate the radical element in their ranks, it would do everyone more good in the long run.

 

To expect the general public not to over-react to anything they find even mildly suspicious in the behaviour of an individual of Muslim/Asian descent at this time, while a radical, suicidally dangerous element is still very active amongst them, is, IMHO, about as sane as breaking a bone and tanking yourself up on painkillers and carrying on regardless. Both simply sweep the symptoms under the carpet, and are ignoring the cause..

 

Pots calling kettles spring to mind as you repeat the platitudes spewed out by the spin doctors.

If you were to use your ire and energy to encourage all your friends to eradicate all the drink related crime in Shetland you could then call on others to police their own kind. People up here just turn a blind eye to perpetual drunkards.

The radical,suicidally dangerous element in these parts are those who stamp on a persons head when they are down. Should we fear and hate the Scots?

[Ghostrider]

 

Perhaps, if instead of venting their spleens to the media, they were to use their ire and energy to inspire the vast majority of "good" people of Muslim/Asian descent, to pressurise and restrict, or hopefully eliminate the radical element in their ranks, it would do everyone more good in the long run.

 

To expect the general public not to over-react to anything they find even mildly suspicious in the behaviour of an individual of Muslim/Asian descent at this time, while a radical, suicidally dangerous element is still very active amongst them, is, IMHO, about as sane as breaking a bone and tanking yourself up on painkillers and carrying on regardless. Both simply sweep the symptoms under the carpet, and are ignoring the cause..

 

Pots calling kettles spring to mind as you repeat the platitudes spewed out by the spin doctors.

 

Well, you tell me what spin doctors are churning out, as I wouldn't know. Having never listened to one word of the garbage a politician produces in several years, and having never seen one of our "sound bite" sensationalist newspapers in longer, I sincerley wouldn't know. Can I help I happen to unknowingly share the sentiment of a spin doctor for once, if they still churn out their speil at the speed they used to, a goodish idea was bound to accidentally surface among it somewhere.

 

If you were to use your ire and energy to encourage all your friends to eradicate all the drink related crime in Shetland you could then call on others to police their own kind. People up here just turn a blind eye to perpetual drunkards.

 

Excuse me?!?.... Firstly, how can you purport to "know" what I do or don't encourage my friends to do?? Secondly, although your sentiments are admirable, what relevance are they to the matter in hand? My statement related to individuals of Muslim/Asian descent, who'd been mistakenly suspected or accused of "terrorist" activities, singing to any section of the media which would listen, about "vistimisation", "racism", "discriminisation" etc.... I am not whining to the media about getting pulled over and breathalysed just because I was on the road near a pub around closing time and someone didn't like my driving style. Nor am I whining to the media about harm caused to me and mine by anyone under the influence, or about being accused of being drunk, when actually I was sober. Where is the comparison?

 

The radical,suicidally dangerous element in these parts are those who stamp on a persons head when they are down. Should we fear and hate the Scots?

 

As far as I am aware the radical, suicidally dangerous element you are referring to is endemic in virtually all towns and cities of a certain size in the western hemisphere. I daresay Scots are no more and no less feared and hated for it than the French, Germans, Americans, Canadians, Dutch etc etc.....

[Claudias]

 

Perhaps, if instead of venting their spleens to the media, they were to use their ire and energy to inspire the vast majority of "good" people of Muslim/Asian descent, to pressurise and restrict, or hopefully eliminate the radical element in their ranks, it would do everyone more good in the long run.

 

Excuse me?!?.... Firstly, how can you purport to "know" what I do or don't encourage my friends to do?? Secondly, although your sentiments are admirable, what relevance are they to the matter in hand? My statement related to individuals of Muslim/Asian descent, who'd been mistakenly suspected or accused of "terrorist" activities, singing to any section of the media which would listen, about "vistimisation", "racism", "discriminisation" etc.... I am not whining to the media about getting pulled over and breathalysed just because I was on the road near a pub around closing time and someone didn't like my driving style. Nor am I whining to the media about harm caused to me and mine by anyone under the influence, or about being accused of being drunk, when actually I was sober.

 

Excuse me?!!? How can you purport to "know" what the "good" people of Muslim/Asian descent are doing to eliminate the radical element "in their ranks." Are they all militant. "good" or "bad"?

Where is the comparison in being gaoled for suspicion of terrorist acts and being pulled over for suspected drunk driving? You tell me.

 

As far as I am aware the radical, suicidally dangerous element you are referring to is endemic in virtually all towns and cities of a certain size in the western hemisphere. I daresay Scots are no more and no less feared and hated for it than the French, Germans, Americans, Canadians, Dutch etc etc.....

 

So. If Scots,French,Germans, Americans, etc. etc. should be equally feared and hated, why should we single out those of Muslim/Asian origin for extra hatred? We are only acting on the advice of those who assured us that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. The spin doctors.

[JAStewart]

Yeah, cos we all know how deadly those wooly-jumper wearing, clock watching types can be

 

As deadly as rucksack carrying passengers on the London underground.

 

You mean the 'terrorists' that bought return tickets?

[JAStewart]

The paranioa is pretty normal after false flag alerts like the 'threat' two weeks ago. Paranoia brings fear which brings the want for better protection/security.. and well, [http]you see what happens[/url]