Don't Fly During Ramadan • Hacker News Board

Re: Don't Fly During Ramadan

#61

Post by eshvk » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 5:51 PM UTC

lukeqsee wrote: post #41

eshvk wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The most popular argument against the TSA that I have heard? They spend too much of their time searching the "wrong people". You know the kind that wouldn't "hurt a fly"? Weasel phrases that in essence mean that the TSA should do what Israel does. Racial profiling. Not that they don't do enough of it. At least on paper, they try to mess up that by searching white grandmas from the midwest and little blonde girls. Of…

I've heard the same arguments. Sadly, I have no good answer for how the TSA should do their job. However, treating someone rudely and, to an extent, inhumanly, doesn't fit the bill.

The point to realize that America is not fucking Israel. We are not under threat the way Israel is. That is a country that is struggling for its existence; in missile range from Iran; surrounded by hostile forces on all sides.

In America, things are different. Sure the borders are porous; sure there is a low probability that the muslim guy down the street is a terrorist, sure there is a possibility that the war of 1812 could be repeated by the Canadians.

However, is the country really going to live its life based on insignificant probabilities? It has been 12+ years since 9/11. Surely, there is a time limit after which this insanity can mellow down.

Re: Don't Fly During Ramadan

#62

Post by Aloisius » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 5:51 PM UTC

The problem here is that he set off the explosives detectors. Regardless of what color skin he had or what religion they thought he was, the second he did that, repeatedly, he was in for a lot of questioning.

Re: Don't Fly During Ramadan

#63

Post by clamprecht » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 5:51 PM UTC

lukeqsee wrote: post #7

Most striking and appalling is the lack of common sense and basic empathy throughout this whole ordeal. For example, he asked multiple times for water , a basic necessity for life, and was denied multiple times. That can't be rationalized in anyway—what did they expect, him to drown someone? His requests as to the nature of his detention were denied. His rights to privacy were utterly ignored. And it goes on… We need…

> When will we say enough is enough and do something about it?

Sadly, much later than most people think. Look at how long things have gone on in history, before people realized how bad it really was. In hindsight, it's easy, but when everyone just seems to be accepting it, it's not so easy. E.g. Germany in the 1930s.

Re: Don't Fly During Ramadan

#64

Post by dccoolgai » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 5:52 PM UTC

Wow this is shocking... I think a lot of this is probably related to the issues that the "bullshit jobs" article that was up on HN earlier this week ( https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6236478 ) covered. A pithy quote I heard from someone earlier this week seems to ring true here: If Al Qaeda’s plan was to cause a massive overreaction that would destroy the very idea of America from within: wow, good plan.

Re: Don't Fly During Ramadan

#65

Post by oinksoft » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 5:53 PM UTC

"You’ve got people from five different branches of government all in here - we don’t do this just for fun."

Exactly. You do it because it's a secure, well-paying job; there's an infinite budget to keep bullies like you working.

Re: Don't Fly During Ramadan

#66

Post by ck2 » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 5:53 PM UTC

dictum wrote: post #54

This is a manifestation of the US institutionalized xenophobia. Good manners and taste should keep me from using this submission as another soapbox against how the US views foreigners, but when you see foreigners as enemies, a citizen who looks or acts vaguely "foreign"— I can't offer a precise definition of what "looking foreign" entails, but it's a combination of being a part of a small demographic group, and being…

It echos of rounding up everyone who is Japanese and throwing them into concentration camps.

It's amazing how many people don't know we had concentration camps in the USA in recent history.

We are just a hop skip and jump away from that again, all it would take is another major nightmare.

Re: Don't Fly During Ramadan

#67

Post by alanh » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 5:53 PM UTC

onli wrote: post #42

What I don't understand: If you are detained for several hours, why don't people call a lawyer? Why did he speak to the police (end even the FBI!) without legal counsel?

Do you have a lawyer on speed dial? I don’t.

Re: Don't Fly During Ramadan

#68

Post by bmmayer1 » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 5:53 PM UTC

dictum wrote: post #54

This is a manifestation of the US institutionalized xenophobia. Good manners and taste should keep me from using this submission as another soapbox against how the US views foreigners, but when you see foreigners as enemies, a citizen who looks or acts vaguely "foreign"— I can't offer a precise definition of what "looking foreign" entails, but it's a combination of being a part of a small demographic group, and being…

It's actually a manifestation of the US security state. Foreigners or foreign-looking people are just the first victims. Rest assured, before long everyone in the country will be suspect.

Re: Don't Fly During Ramadan

#69

Post by krelian » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 5:53 PM UTC

I felt so angry while reading this. It's clear to say that the terrorists have won.

Re: Don't Fly During Ramadan

#70

Post by gk1 » Thu, Aug 22, 2013, 5:53 PM UTC

onli wrote: post #42

What I don't understand: If you are detained for several hours, why don't people call a lawyer? Why did he speak to the police (end even the FBI!) without legal counsel?

It's easy to say that in retrospect, but at the time I would probably think that the questions will end in just a few minutes and I'll get on your flight eventually... So why involve a lawyer and make this an even bigger deal.