However, I do want us to be smart in the way we operate our security at airports. Let me give you an example. Shortly after 9/11, I was getting on a plane to go cross country for a business trip. There were two Middle Eastern looking men carrying duffle bags speaking in a foreign language that sounded distinctly Middle Eastern to me. Then they separated in the lobby and stopped speaking. When we got in line, they made sure to remain separated. Their behavior was so odd, it scared the crap out of me. So much so, that I almost didn't board the plane. Later, they were both constantly getting out of their seats to go to the bathrooms both in first class and at the back of the plane. At one point, it scared me so much, I pulled a stewardess aside and told her my fears. She told me not to worry, that there were two air marshals on board and those two men were being watched.
But here's the kicker. Prior to boarding the plane, when the security personnel randomly selected people to check them for contraband or whatever they check for, those two men were not selected. Instead it was a blond with big boobs and a grandma in a wheelchair. WTF!
Did it ever cross your mind that the two Middle Eastern looking men, speaking a Middle Eastern language, were the air marshalls?
I was on a flt after 9/11, and there were some Middle Eastern looking men on the plane......sitting together. A couple of them kept getting up and looking around. The guy next to me got really nervous. Finally, he said to me.....have you noticed those people. I said, yes. He said what do you think we should do....I said nothing. That wasn't good enough for the guy so he called over the flt attendant. It turns out the 'Middle Easterners' were Hindus from India and were nervous as hell because of 9/11 and the problems India has with Pakistani Muslims.....that's why they kept getting up and looking around.
MM, the 9/11 culprits were Middle Eastern and looked it. Richard Reid with his Anglo name could have been S. European. The Nigerian was African. The next suicide bomber could be Latino or even Z's blonde bimbo. The terrorists are not stupid....they know about profiling. |
