Hi Fox,

Im crying myself to sleep now, first MA and now you....

;-)

I haven't exonerated anyone, but neither do I try them by media.

I guess when one is used to being frisked, one grows numb to it. Raoul was strip searched and I don't see him suing anyone. They didn't do a body cavity search, so all she suffered was a patting down. Granted it was in front of some guys - but it appears eventually they got two women in there.

If I were on the jury and could hear BOTH sides of the incident then I could make a decision - and I might surprise you and find that the security folks were pervs or were clearly out of line.

But when MA posted this to suggest that profiling was out of control, I couldn't help but want to offset her remarks. If we hadn't been profiling for the past year we would have had countless more terror incidents and failed to apprehend numerous Al Qaeda terrorists. By looking closely and monitoring the Muslim communities (including infiltrating suspect Mosques with personnel) we would be a lot worse off than we are. It's not prejudice - it's common sense. The Synagogues are unlikely to be the gathering place of those planning to bomb us.

I do feel compassion for those who feel unjustly persecuted - but I wouldn't play a martyr if I were in there shoes.

When US servicemen rape a girl in Okinawa, making Americans as welcome as a tsunami, I don't take this resentment personally but make sure I speak out in condemnation of the acts and try to illustrate clearly how unusual such pathological behavior is. If one is to win the hearts of those who fear one - one has to make extra goodwill measures and compensate for others transgressions.

We are constantly being held up to the British Imperialist model whenever we war abroad - yet in each instance we have never lived up to this oppressive model.

Will this ACLU lawsuit lessen profiling? Heck no. It will likely agitate security services and they will take it out on other less outspoken, less argumentative Muslims.

Yes, in this environment it would be far wiser to write articles and offer positive contributions to Muslim voice in this country, than to engage in lawsuits. A spoonful of honey catches many more flies than vinegar and this woman would make a much better voice for reason if she had not employed the ACLU and their lawyers to make her case.

Is holding this sort of belief really that frightening or horrifying?

Perhaps. Perhaps not.

I guess after you live long enough...you know how this sort of scenario plays out. You learn to lose the personalization and "self" factor that so often accompanies youth, so when people stare, or discriminate against you - you embrace them as friends instead of enemies. You joke and befriend your captors - not spit at and condemn them.

You smile at those who frown at you. You hold the door open for those who jostle you.

When pulled over, you don't argue, but smile and cooperate fully - realizing this person is not the enemy but someone doing their job and replaying their own pasts.

A smile and a joke will often loosen tense situations and change the magnetics of the replay.

As for my vortices - they are wound infinitely tight...no space between them at all.

;-)

Take care Fox, and believe me - I do appreciate the concern.

SDAI-Tech1