La Presse: The Ineffectiveness of Profiling

[Lars77]

http://watchingamerica.com/News/42116/the-ineffectiveness-of-profiling/

American conservatives are calling – without jest – for a separate security line for all passengers named Abdul or Mohammed. But that wouldn’t have stopped Richard Reid, the terrorist with the booby-trapped shoe, a Brit with Jamaican origins.

[gateley]

1. And if they're looking for men who look of Middle-Eastern heritage -- they wouldn't

have stopped this last guy.

And, all they have to do is from now on, fly under the name of Bob Smith, check luggage, buy a round-trip ticket, and optimally, use a stolen credit card.

We keep trying to stop what has already happened. We're supposed to be a step ahead.

[ShortnFiery]

2. Yes, it does suck to be profiled.

I don't have a drop of Spanish nor Latin American blood, yet so many people I meet assume that I must speak Spanish. I can barely speak Spanish based on eking through two years of college level courses at The University of Nebraska during the late 70s.

No joke. The two years I lived in Panama many people I encountered casually must have believed I was Special Ed or Retarded. At the bus stops some nice lady would start right into a conversation and in my broken spanish I'd do my best to respond, THEN she'd look at me in "the weirdest way." Sort of like "pity" and "marked confusion" ... "she looks intelligent and carries herself well but must have SOMETHING WRONG." NOPE, I'm an silly American who can't get the accent. :shrug:

All the light skinned blond and light brown tressed dependent wives would never have to show their IDs to get on the governmental buses. But this olive "Latina's" credentials were thoroughly scoured.

One day in the beautiful Republic of Panama, I was walking by a Marine barracks on my way to work and a troop yelled over to me, "I would just love to have a Latina girlfriend as pretty as you!" To which I quipped in my most raw midwestern accent, "Hey! I'm an American, DUDE!" You should have seen the look on his face? It was hilarious. :rofl:

And yes, I've been stopped on the Highways in southern California and Arizona to be asked, "What Country are you from?" :(

Yes, being *profiled* by WHOM-ever and for ANY reason often SUCKS.

[Karenina]

3. The US hasn't the human resources

just as the MIC has few who speak the languages of the countries they bomb...