NationStates Jolt Archive

Yes, if you wear a t-shirt saying "We will not be silent" on to an airplane, you must be a terrorist wanting to blow it up.

Iraqi says had to change t-shirt before US flight

Tue Aug 29, 6:46 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - An Iraqi architect on Tuesday said he was forced to change his t-shirt before boarding a flight in New York because the shirt had "We will not be silent" written on it in Arabic and English.

Raed Jarrar wrote on his Internet blog (http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com) that he was required to change out of the shirt prior to boarding a JetBlue flight from New York's John F. Kennedy Airport to California this month because officials told him people were offended by the shirt.

In an interview with New York Public Radio on Tuesday, Jarrar said, "I grew up and spent all my life living under authoritarian regimes and I know that these things happen. But I'm shocked that they happened to me here, in the U.S."

Jarrar could not immediately be reached for comment.

JetBlue said it was investigating the August 12 incident.

"We're not clear exactly what happened," JetBlue spokeswoman Jenny Dervin said.

The American-Arab Anti-discrimination Committee said the U.S. Transportation Department and the Transportation Security Administration were also investigating the incident after the committee lodged complaints on behalf of Jarrar.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060829/us_nm/security_tshirt_dc_1


One of the two men who approached me first, Inspector Harris, asked for my id card and boarding pass. I gave him my boarding pass and driver's license. He said "people are feeling offended because of your t-shirt". I looked at my t-shirt: I was wearing my shirt which states in both Arabic and English "we will not be silent". You can take a look at it in this picture taken during our Jordan meetings with Iraqi MPs. I said "I am very sorry if I offended anyone, I didnt know that this t-shirt will be offensive". He asked me if I had any other T-shirts to put on, and I told him that I had checked in all of my bags and I asked him "why do you want me to take off my t-shirt? Isn't it my constitutional right to express myself in this way?" The second man in a greenish suit interfered and said "people here in the US don't understand these things about constitutional rights". So I answered him "I live in the US, and I understand it is my right to wear this t-shirt".

Then I once again asked the three of them : "How come you are asking me to change my t-shirt? Isn't this my constitutional right to wear it? I am ready to change it if you tell me why I should. Do you have an order against Arabic t-shirts? Is there such a law against Arabic script?" so inspector Harris answered "you can't wear a t-shirt with Arabic script and come to an airport. It is like wearing a t-shirt that reads "I am a robber" and going to a bank". I said "but the message on my t-shirt is not offensive, it just says "we will not be silent". I got this t-shirt from Washington DC. There are more than a 1000 t-shirts printed with the same slogan, you can google them or email them at wewillnotbesilent@gmail.com . It is printed in many other languages: Arabic, Farsi, Spanish, English, etc." Inspector Harris said: "We cant make sure that your t-shirt means we will not be silent, we don't have a translator. Maybe it means something else". I said: "But as you can see, the statement is in both Arabic and English". He said "maybe it is not the same message". So based on the fact that Jet Blue doesn't have a translator, anything in Arabic is suspicious because maybe it'll mean something bad!

Meanwhile, a third man walked in our direction. He stood with us without introducing himself, and he looked at inspector Harris's notes and asks him: "is that his information?", inspector Harris answered "yes". The third man, Mr. Harmon, asks inspector Harris : "can I copy this information?", and inspector Harris says "yes, sure".

inspector Harris said: "You don't have to take of your t-shirt, just put it on inside-out". I refused to put on my shirt inside-out. So the woman interfered and said "let's reach a compromise. I will buy you a new t-shirt and you can put it on on top of this one". I said "I want to keep this t-shirt on". Both inspector Harris and Mr. Harmon said "No, we can't let you get on that airplane with your t-shirt". I said "I am ready to put on another t-shirt if you tell me what is the law that requires such a thing. I want to talk to your supervisor". Inspector Harris said "You don't have to talk to anyone. Many people called and complained about your t-shirt. Jetblue customers were calling before you reached the checkpoint, and costumers called when you were waiting here in the boarding area".

it was then that I realized that my t-shirt was the reason why I had been taken to the secondary checking.

I asked the four people again to let me talk to any supervisor, and they refused.

The Jet Blue woman was asking me again to end this problem by just putting on a new t-shirt, and I felt threatened by Mr. Harmon's remarks as in "Let's end this the nice way". Taking in consideration what happens to other Arabs and Muslims in US airports, and realizing that I will miss my flight unless I covered the Arabic script on my t-shirt as I was told by the four agents, I asked the Jet Blue woman to buy me a t-shirt and I said "I don't want to miss my flight."

She asked, what kind of t-shirts do you like. Should I get you an "I heart new york t-shirt?". So Mr. Harmon said "No, we shouldn't ask him to go from one extreme to another". I asked mr. harmon why does he assume I hate new york if I had some Arabic script on my t-shirt, but he didn't answer.

The woman went away for 3 minutes, and she came back with a gray t-shirt reading "new york". I put the t-shirt on and removed the price tag. I told the four people who were involved in the conversation: "I feel very sad that my personal freedom was taken away like this. I grew up under authoritarian governments in the Middle East, and one of the reasons I chose to move to the US was that I don't want an officer to make me change my t-shirt. I will pursue this incident today through a Constitutional rights organization, and I am sure we will meet soon". Everyone said okay and left, and I went back to my seat.

At 8:50 I was called again by a fourth young man, standing with the same jetblue woman. He asked for my boarding pass, so I gave it to him, and stood in front of the boarding counter. I asked the woman: "is everything okay?", she responded: "Yes, sure. We just have to change your seat". I said: "but I want this seat, that's why I chose it online 4 weeks ago", the fourth man said " there is a lady with a toddler sitting there. We need the seat."

Then they re-issued me a small boarding pass for seat 24a, instead of seat 3a. They said that I can go to the airplane now. I was the first person who entered the airplane, and I was really annoyed about being assigned this seat in the back of the airplane too. It smelled like the bathrooms, which is why I had originally chosen a seat which would be far from that area.

It sucks to be an Arab/Muslim living in the US these days. When you go to the middle east, you are a US tax-payer destroying people's houses with your money, and when you come back to the US, you are a suspected terrorist and plane hijacker.

If you want to call Jet Blue and ask about their regulations against Arabic script, you can use the following numbers:

* If calling within the U.S., Bahamas or Puerto Rico: 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583)
* If calling from the Dominican Republic: 1-200-9898
* If calling from outside the U.S. or Dominican Republic: 001-801-365-2525
* Customers who are deaf or heard of hearing (TTY/TDD): 1-800-336-5530

or you can leave them some comments here. Help make the US a better place by stopping such unconstitutional violations of our rights.
http://raedinthemiddle.blogspot.com/

Idiots


I was going to make a longer or more complex statement but that seemed to be a fitting discriptor

maybe biggot would fit too

Idiots


I was going to make a longer or more complex statement but that seemed to be a fitting discriptor

maybe biggot would fit too

I'm just waiting to hear from the idiots and bigots here on NSG that not only is this violation perfectly reasonable, but that Raed Jarrar was being completely unreasonable, especially insofar as he was clearly guilty of travelling while not being white.

Idiots


I was going to make a longer or more complex statement but that seemed to be a fitting discriptor

maybe biggot would fit too
you got an other bite
you salmon

Its clearly his own fault for being the wrong colour in the wrong race at the wrong time. If the people who he was stereotyped for being one of blew up somebody other than Americans like civilised people, he'd be left alone.

I'm just waiting to hear from the idiots and bigots here on NSG that not only is this violation perfectly reasonable, but that Raed Jarrar was being completely unreasonable, especially insofar as he was clearly guilty of travelling while not being white.

Actually, that's not entirely correct.

I'm not white, and I never have a problem flying (in fact, I'm rather Asian looking).

But I'm not stupid enough to provoke a reaction from ill-trained TSA employees and airport personnel who can't read Arabic as anything but, "I am here to kill you!"

You want brighter TSA and airport employees, pay them more money.

Yes, even though I'm not an Arab and not a Muslim, I could do something really simple to provoke a response that would include getting a rubber glove shoved up my ass.

Not saying that what they did was right - but he was pretty stupid to think it would be a fun day to wear the shirt.

Idiots
Yeah, that about sums it up. How utterly ridiculous, both the inspectors and his fellow passengers who called to complain about a T-shirt.

Shoudlnt they publish their dress code for flying if they have one?
Damn and I was going to wear my "I love terrorism" t-shirt thats handed out at all the DNC rallys

Next time I fly, i will buy one of those shirts, in Arabic and see what happens to me.. I will refuse to take it off, and if they try to make me then i will say something in an imaginary language, and see if i get arrested.

Next time I fly, i will buy one of those shirts, in Arabic and see what happens to me.. I will refuse to take it off, and if they try to make me then i will say something in an imaginary language, and see if i get arrested.

Hope you like the taste of latex, from a rubber glove so deep in your colon that you can taste it.

"I feel very sad that my personal freedom was taken away like this. I grew up under authoritarian governments in the Middle East, and one of the reasons I chose to move to the US was that I don't want an officer to make me change my t-shirt. I will pursue this incident today through a Constitutional rights organization, and I am sure we will meet soon".

Ouch. :(

Shoudlnt they publish their dress code for flying if they have one?
Damn and I was going to wear my "I love terrorism" t-shirt thats handed out at all the DNC rallys



Oh you go that one? I got the one that has the big swastika, ya know, since I don't agree with the war in Iraq and all

Hope you like the taste of latex, from a rubber glove so deep in your colon that you can taste it.

Sounds like you have had the experience before? :p

Sounds like you have had the experience before? :p

Not in the same way. But it is possible to be stupid in front of stupid guards, etc.

My experience was making the mistake of taking a 150 dollar DuPont cigar lighter through the checkpoint.

Of course, they confiscated it, and refused to talk while they fiddled with it.

It had a safety (hidden inside) so that the lighter will not ignite unless held perfectly vertical. The woman kept holding her hand over it, and pressing the electronic trigger, and nothing was happenning.

Then it lit, and her latex glove instantly ignited. Bad show!

They were very angry with me, and I missed the flight due to extra searching. No charges. And they kept the lighter. Said it was a "weapon".

TSA employees are, for the most part, people who couldn't make it as a regular cop - and most cops aren't the brightest people. Airline security people are even more stupid.

I see this as less of a political thing and more of a "we're really stupid security people".

Not in the same way. But it is possible to be stupid in front of stupid guards, etc.

My experience was making the mistake of taking a 150 dollar DuPont cigar lighter through the checkpoint.

Of course, they confiscated it, and refused to talk while they fiddled with it.

It had a safety (hidden inside) so that the lighter will not ignite unless held perfectly vertical. The woman kept holding her hand over it, and pressing the electronic trigger, and nothing was happenning.

Then it lit, and her latex glove instantly ignited. Bad show!

They were very angry with me, and I missed the flight due to extra searching. No charges. And they kept the lighter. Said it was a "weapon".

TSA employees are, for the most part, people who couldn't make it as a regular cop - and most cops aren't the brightest people. Airline security people are even more stupid.

I see this as less of a political thing and more of a "we're really stupid security people".

Why did I just get the image of a chimpanzee in a uniform self-immolating in my head.

Why did I just get the image of a chimpanzee in a uniform self-immolating in my head.

You have the picture correctly adjusted.

Nice six centimeter long, conical, nearly invisible blue flame, and a latex glove turned into a glowing orange fireball.

Not in the same way. But it is possible to be stupid in front of stupid guards, etc.

My experience was making the mistake of taking a 150 dollar DuPont cigar lighter through the checkpoint.

Of course, they confiscated it, and refused to talk while they fiddled with it.

It had a safety (hidden inside) so that the lighter will not ignite unless held perfectly vertical. The woman kept holding her hand over it, and pressing the electronic trigger, and nothing was happenning.

Then it lit, and her latex glove instantly ignited. Bad show!

They were very angry with me, and I missed the flight due to extra searching. No charges. And they kept the lighter. Said it was a "weapon".

TSA employees are, for the most part, people who couldn't make it as a regular cop - and most cops aren't the brightest people. Airline security people are even more stupid.

I see this as less of a political thing and more of a "we're really stupid security people".


What I see ammounting to is that people called and complained about an Arabic man wearing an arabic t-shirt, becuase lets face it, most normal american people are bumbling idiots. I bet we could send a native american man, with a shirt in arabic and he would be discriminated against.

I find this Ironic, given what his shirt said.

I need to get me one of those shirts for the next time I go flying.

Amazing. Utterly amazing.

One wonders if a white person would have had to go through the same thing.

For crying out loud. You people have a real problem with understanding the difference between free speech and total stupidity.

Just because it's his right to wear a t-shirt like that, it doesn't stop him being a total moron for actually doing so when airport security is as trigger happy as it currently is.

You say 'would a white man have been treated in the same way?' The answer is obviously no; if it had been a white man, he would have been ridiculed as the fool he was, as opposed to this media 'OMG racist security!!!!!!!' frenzy.

It's not completely stupid that he was searched and questioned... nobody has to like it but that is what security at the airport is for. Eveyone should be willing to be searched for the safety of all, no matter what the reason.

It was stupid that he had to change his shirt. Really, really stupid.

It's not completely stupid that he was searched and questioned... nobody has to like it but that is what security at the airport is for. Eveyone should be willing to be searched for the safety of all, no matter what the reason.

It was stupid that he had to change his shirt. Really, really stupid.

What are you talking about? No terrorist would ever commit acts of terrorism if he was not dresed properly.

Well, there's free speech and there's common sense. I'd say he showed poor judgement for wearing that T-Shirt when trying to board a plane in the US.
He may have done it on purpose, too. Just to provoke... who knows?

On the other hand, it does seem to me as if the actions of the security personel can't be explained with sheer stupidity, there seems to have been a certain amount of malice involved. Or was there any reason given why he wasn't allowed to speak to their superiors? Or why his seat was changed in the last minute?
That's why I would agree that this is racism... or at least abuse of power.

What are you talking about? No terrorist would ever commit acts of terrorism if he was not dresed properly.

I always wondered about that. Its so easy to spot the terrorists hiding in the US with all those, "Death to Americans" t-shirts that they are never seen without.

For crying out loud. You people have a real problem with understanding the difference between free speech and total stupidity.

Just because it's his right to wear a t-shirt like that, it doesn't stop him being a total moron for actually doing so when airport security is as trigger happy as it currently is.

You say 'would a white man have been treated in the same way?' The answer is obviously no; if it had been a white man, he would have been ridiculed as the fool he was, as opposed to this media 'OMG racist security!!!!!!!' frenzy.

If he was wearing a t-shirt stating 'I blow up people for a living' or 'Blowing up airplanes is a good way to make a point' or something along those lines...then yes.

From the BBC - "We Will Not Be Silent" is a slogan adopted by opponents of the war in Iraq and other conflicts in the Middle East. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5297822.stm)

Or have things gotten that bad that one is not allowed an opinion anymore?

The shirt is not offensive.

This is why I am amazed. And rather shocked. Given that there are a very large number of people all over the world who do not support the war.

If he was wearing a t-shirt stating 'I blow up people for a living' or 'Blowing up airplanes is a good way to make a point' or something along those lines...then yes.

From the BBC - "We Will Not Be Silent" is a slogan adopted by opponents of the war in Iraq and other conflicts in the Middle East. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/5297822.stm)

Or have things gotten that bad that one is not allowed an opinion anymore?

The shirt is not offensive.

This is why I am amazed. And rather shocked. Given that there are a very large number of people all over the world who do not support the war.
What really amazes me is the fact that all they made him do is change his T-shirt, and all of a sudden everything was fine. They didn't confiscate anything (unless they kept the shirt?), and they didn't detain him or ground the plane, so they can't have thought he was much of a threat (unless they're complete morons who thought it was an explosive shirt). He passed the rest of their security checks; it was just the fact that he was wearing something with Arabic script on it that made them single him out. Ridiculous, because the last time I checked it wasn't the business of the airline industry or the TSA to protect people's sensibilities. I have a T-shirt with the name of my university on it in English and Arabic; I should be able to wear that on a plane if I so choose.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=McB9tsabPn0&mode=related&search=

It's amusing, and informative.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=McB9tsabPn0&mode=related&search=

It's amusing, and informative.

What really amazes me is the fact that all they made him do is change his T-shirt, and all of a sudden everything was fine. They didn't confiscate anything (unless they kept the shirt?), and they didn't detain him or ground the plane, so they can't have thought he was much of a threat (unless they're complete morons who thought it was an explosive shirt). He passed the rest of their security checks; it was just the fact that he was wearing something with Arabic script on it that made them single him out. Ridiculous, because the last time I checked it wasn't the business of the airline industry or the TSA to protect people's sensibilities. I have a T-shirt with the name of my university on it in English and Arabic; I should be able to wear that on a plane if I so choose.

Thats pretty much how I read it as well..

However there is a precedent with regards to sensibilities....

I remember a woman taking an internal US flight who wore a 'Fuck Bush Cheney & Rumsfeld' t-shirt...she was refused to fly because of passenger complaints regarding her t-shirt...due to the obscenity...the airlines has a duty of care towards its passengers that includes obscenities.

Which I think is fair enough.

But this was due to the guy being 'middle eastern' and wearing a t-shirt with arabic script...rediculous to make him go through all of that crap basically.

I need to get Arabic tattoos, and soon.

This is nothing.

How about this?

Northwest Airline crew spots muslims behaving "suspiciously" (IIRC, two people exchanged seats while the seat belt sign was on, and somebody passed cellphones around. So they notify the airmarshals and they notify the Dutch, who scramble two fighter jets to escort the plane to land and the Dutch arrest the 12 and deny them consular access and all sorts of drama.

They have now finally been released.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060823/ts_nm/security_airlines_dutch_dc
Dutch arrest 12 on U.S. plane bound for India

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch police arrested 12 passengers behaving suspiciously on a U.S. Northwest Airlines plane bound for India that was forced to turn back to Amsterdam's Schiphol airport on Wednesday.

Police arrested 12 of the 149 passengers on flight 42 to Mumbai, which turned back to Amsterdam due to security concerns after the crew reported suspicious behavior, officials said. Two Dutch fighter jets accompanied the plane back to Schiphol.

An account from the "terrorists"

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1937658.cms
Mohammad Iqbal Batliwala, one of the 12 Mumbai residents detained in Amsterdam, shares the horrific memories of being held captive for 30 hours.

After a long haul flight, they were all dreaming of home. Only terror decided to cast its shadow... and how! Twelve residents of Mumbai were returning home by a Northwest flight when their 'suspicious' behaviour led to their arrest by the Dutch authorities.

Recalls Mohammad Iqbal Batliwala, one of the 12 passengers, "I was extremely tired after a long journey and decided to sleep. I was rudely woken up and handcuffed by an official. He refused to say what was the matter.

I was then taken to the airport where I saw my other colleagues and my brother Noor Mohammad, who were also handcuffed. They confiscated all our belongings, including laptops, mobiles, wallets etc."

What followed was a nightmare. "We were then shifted to a prison. I was given a 3x3 cell where it was difficult to breathe. My brother developed respiratory problems due to this. There were no toilets in the cell.

We had no clue why this was happening and we were not even allowed to communicate with each other. All I could hear were the footsteps of guards on the wood-panelled prison floor," Batliwala says.

Interrogation came next with questions being asked about their work, their families and their religion. They were also asked to take their clothes off and do uthak-baithak. Their pictures were also taken.

"Next day, I was shifted to a bigger cell and a Dutch advocate came to talk to me. She told me that I had been arrested for three days, but if the case was not considered immediately, I may have to stay in jail for three months. I lost all hope after that," he recalls.

It was then that the Indian government stepped in. "Later in the evening, I met my friends and brother after almost 30 hours. We were organised in two groups and told that the Indian ambassador Riva Ganguly Das was coming to meet us and we should 'behave ourselves'.

It was such a relief to see her there that my brother broke down. She heard our grievances and apologised for the difficulties we had faced. She also assured us that we would be sent back home soon.

The Dutch officials told her that they thought we were from The Caribbean and not India, and our arrest was the result of a misunderstanding. They also apologised to all of us."

After that the group was shifted to a seven-star hotel and allowed to speak with their families in Mumbai. The director of the airline also came to apologise to them. "We are all simple middle-class people and did not do anything intentionally.

Whatever happened to us was very unfortunate. But we are highly grateful to the Government of India, and thankful to Allah who saved us and had brought us back home to our families," Baltiwala adds.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=McB9tsabPn0&mode=related&search=

It's amusing, and informative.

It is scary actually. Profiling is tempting but it is not an answer to terrorism.

It is scary actually. Profiling is tempting but it is not an answer to terrorism.

Its funny but understandable. an american tourist is likely to photograph unusual things like bridges and nuclear reactors because american tourists will photograph anything because they are morons. Arabs are not typically morons, at least not stereotypically, so must have another reason for taking pictures. like wanting to blow shit up.

With regard to the T shirt, I can see why people might be concerned, as the slogan could be seen as aggressive, but it really was an over reaction. a terrorist would never draw attention to his anti establishment outlook right before boarding a plane.

Profiling is unpleasant and unfair, but we cannot search everyone, and since we are trying to stop Islamic fundamentalists, it would make sense to search those who look the most like muslims. If they were albino findamentalists then we wouldnt be searching black people. it would be laughable.

Profiling is unpleasant and unfair, but we cannot search everyone, and since we are trying to stop Islamic fundamentalists, it would make sense to search those who look the most like muslims. If they were albino findamentalists then we wouldnt be searching black people. it would be laughable.
So you have no qualms, since you're in the UK, to be targeted for additional security sweeps every time you board a plane on the remote chance you either sympahthise with the IRA or, since the last round were Brits, you may have leanings in that direction being British yourself?

Just about everyone looks like some terrorist, somewhere. Where do we stop?

Its funny but understandable. an american tourist is likely to photograph unusual things like bridges and nuclear reactors because american tourists will photograph anything because they are morons. Arabs are not typically morons, at least not stereotypically, so must have another reason for taking pictures. like wanting to blow shit up.

With regard to the T shirt, I can see why people might be concerned, as the slogan could be seen as aggressive, but it really was an over reaction. a terrorist would never draw attention to his anti establishment outlook right before boarding a plane.

Profiling is unpleasant and unfair, but we cannot search everyone, and since we are trying to stop Islamic fundamentalists, it would make sense to search those who look the most like muslims. If they were albino findamentalists then we wouldnt be searching black people. it would be laughable.


Islam is a religion, not a race.

There are 5 million in the US, and I guarantee that the vast majority of them do not look like your steryotypical Arab.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=McB9tsabPn0&mode=related&search=

It's amusing, and informative.

racism.....pure and simple

Its funny but understandable.

Understantable but not agreeable.;)

Profiling is unpleasant and unfair, but we cannot search everyone, and since we are trying to stop Islamic fundamentalists, it would make sense to search those who look the most like muslims.

The problem is that the folks who plan these attacks are not morons. They can and have proved to devise new strategies to circumvent the reactionary measure we throw at them.

They sent John Reid, a black Carribean, with a shoe bomb. We are all taking our shoes off now.

We saw 7/7, the thwarted airline plots etc, by British citizens of Pakistani origin. A Pakistani looks the same as an Indian and Bangladeshi and put together you have 1.5 billion south Asian "suspects".

We already have an instance of airline crew going apeshit over 12 Indian muslims, and diverting a plane and all nonsense over irrational fear. Are we gonna profile every Pakistani looking (meaning Indian/BD...1.5 billion of them)?

I am pretty sure that in the future they would get a white looking Chechen to blow up stuff in US/UK just so to prove that they can still circumvent your profiling.

What to you do then, apart from Kimchi's solution of taking off our clothes and walking to gate with our hands above our head...:p

Some forget how freedom of speech does not apply on a commercial flight. You cannot say what you want and do what you want on a commercial flight. How hard is this to figure out. The man in the story is an attention whore. Looks like he got what he wanted.

Understantable but not agreeable.;)


The problem is that the folks who plan these attacks are not morons. They can and have proved to devise new strategies to circumvent the reactionary measure we throw at them.

They sent John Reid, a black Carribean, with a shoe bomb. We are all taking our shoes off now.

We saw 7/7, the thwarted airline plots etc, by British citizens of Pakistani origin. A Pakistani looks the same as an Indian and Bangladeshi and put together you have 1.5 billion south Asian "suspects".

We already have an instance of airline crew going apeshit over 12 Indian muslims, and diverting a plane and all nonsense over irrational fear. Are we gonna profile every Pakistani looking (meaning Indian/BD...1.5 billion of them)?

I am pretty sure that in the future they would get a white looking Chechen to blow up stuff in US/UK just so to prove that they can still circumvent your profiling.

What to you do then, apart from Kimchi's solution of taking off our clothes and walking to gate with our hands above our head...:p


Just so you know the Dutch profile alot of people. Have any of you been through schiphol and had to go through the interview before boarding a plane? They even do this on flights coming in to connect with another. I missed a flight in Amsterdam because I was profiled as a single male traveler coming from a suspect nation. That time it was Portugal. Was travelling to New York. Apparently I looked like a drug runner. When I didn't produce names and hotel receipts from Portugal they pulled me aside. When they kept asking me questions I told them to piss off. They then got mad and held me for about 4 hours in a room at the airport. They proceeded to look through all my luggage. Would not allow me to use the phone to call anyone. Was complete bullcrap. Also forgot to mention I am a white male.

Some forget how freedom of speech does not apply on a commercial flight. You cannot say what you want and do what you want on a commercial flight. How hard is this to figure out. The man in the story is an attention whore. Looks like he got what he wanted.

There is no place(within the borders of the U.S at least) where freedom of speech does not apply.
Especially in this context, where it's not even semi-threatening to everyone else. It's just stuff in arabic. The shirt could have had "I love america" on it for all the officials knew.
Of course, it really was "We will not be silent". Ironic, that.

There is no place(within the borders of the U.S at least) where freedom of speech does not apply.
Especially in this context, where it's not even semi-threatening to everyone else. It's just stuff in arabic. The shirt could have had "I love america" on it for all the officials knew.
Of course, it really was "We will not be silent". Ironic, that.


Absolutely you do have restrictions on freedom of speech in many areas. Airliners is without a doubt one of them. Jump on a plane and start a speech about how the US is the great satan or something along those lines. How long before you are either beaten and bruised by the passengers and or your arrested?

The shirt also said it in english I believe. Believe it or not there are alot of people that can read Arabic in the US. I can read and write it to an extent and was born and raised here.

Also not defending the airlines in this arguement. Just wanted to stress that you cannot do whatever you like when it is connected to travelling on a commercial airliner in this nation and many others around the world.

Absolutely you do have restrictions on freedom of speech in many areas. Airliners is without a doubt one of them. Jump on a plane and start a speech about how the US is the great satan or something along those lines. How long before you are either beaten and bruised by the passengers and or your arrested?

You could still do that.
The problem is that will make everyone around you assume you're a terrorist and act as such.
It's not a smart thing to do by any means, but you still could do it.

The shirt also said it in english I believe. Believe it or not there are alot of people that can read Arabic in the US. I can read and write it to an extent and was born and raised here.

What's the point of this? You seem to be arguing for the other side.

Also not defending the airlines in this arguement. Just wanted to stress that you cannot do whatever you like when it is connected to travelling on a commercial airliner in this nation and many others around the world.

You can say whatever you like.
Or at least, you can legally say whatever you like. Again, if you give people fair reason to believe you're a terrorist, then everyone around you will treat you like they would a terrorist.

Just so you know the Dutch profile alot of people. Have any of you been through schiphol and had to go through the interview before boarding a plane? They even do this on flights coming in to connect with another. I missed a flight in Amsterdam because I was profiled as a single male traveler coming from a suspect nation. That time it was Portugal. Was travelling to New York. Apparently I looked like a drug runner. When I didn't produce names and hotel receipts from Portugal they pulled me aside. When they kept asking me questions I told them to piss off. They then got mad and held me for about 4 hours in a room at the airport. They proceeded to look through all my luggage. Would not allow me to use the phone to call anyone. Was complete bullcrap. Also forgot to mention I am a white male.

don't annoy dutch officials, it's always "yes sir, no sir" they can lock you up for a lengthy time if they want. A very liberal country but they can be very nasty when need be. My experience in Schipol couldn't be more different, I strolled through security and customs without a problem, Canadian airport officals were completely anal/paranoid in comparison.

I can picture a man standing up in a plane in mid-flight and screaming "Listen paranoid yanks! Look at my t-shirt with this crazy foreign goobledy-gook on it and fear it! Run this plane into the statue of liberty now or I'll start doing crazy weird foreign terrorist things!"

Idiots


I was going to make a longer or more complex statement but that seemed to be a fitting discriptor

maybe biggot would fit too
That will do.

Not in the same way. But it is possible to be stupid in front of stupid guards, etc.

My experience was making the mistake of taking a 150 dollar DuPont cigar lighter through the checkpoint.

Of course, they confiscated it, and refused to talk while they fiddled with it.

It had a safety (hidden inside) so that the lighter will not ignite unless held perfectly vertical. The woman kept holding her hand over it, and pressing the electronic trigger, and nothing was happenning.

Then it lit, and her latex glove instantly ignited. Bad show!

They were very angry with me, and I missed the flight due to extra searching. No charges. And they kept the lighter. Said it was a "weapon".

TSA employees are, for the most part, people who couldn't make it as a regular cop - and most cops aren't the brightest people. Airline security people are even more stupid.

I see this as less of a political thing and more of a "we're really stupid security people".
That's it. I'm never travelling to the U.S. again.

For crying out loud. You people have a real problem with understanding the difference between free speech and total stupidity.

Just because it's his right to wear a t-shirt like that, it doesn't stop him being a total moron for actually doing so when airport security is as trigger happy as it currently is.

You say 'would a white man have been treated in the same way?' The answer is obviously no; if it had been a white man, he would have been ridiculed as the fool he was, as opposed to this media 'OMG racist security!!!!!!!' frenzy.
You don't seem to understand that the concept of "rights" applies to airport security personell.

You say 'would a white man have been treated in the same way?' The answer is obviously no; if it had been a white man, he would have been -

- told he had a bitchin' t-shirt. Don't kid yourself.

...It's with no surprise whatsoever that I note there's been no witless retort as yet to my previous post.

Dobbs FTW.;)

Just to explain this to everyone:

"I'm a terrorist" t-shirt - bad
"Down with the US" t-shirt - bad

"we will not be silent" t-shirt - not even CLOSE to being a threat. The language it's written in is of no relevance either, even because somebody needs to tell these MORONS that most terrorists don't have "I'm a terrorist", in Arab or in other language, written on their frickin' shirts! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!

That said, they should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, and the guy that got his freedom of speech curtailed should get some damages money.