In light of the recent Christmas day attempt to destroy yet another passenger plane the US, UK and other nations have decided to “step up security measures”
What does this translate into?
“(A) decision to mandate extra scrutiny — including full-body pat downs — for people flying into the United States from 14 mostly Muslim countries”
-Via NY Times <http://bit.ly/67wuiX>
Mostly indeed. Thirteen of the nations are Muslim countries. They are; Nigeria, Yemen, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Iran, Sudan and Syria.
Apparently when they reached this magical number of ‘countries of interest’ some brain at whatever committee it was that set out this directive must have said;
“Hang on, Those are all Muslim countries. Won’t they suspect something?”
At which point his peer said;
“Yea, who are those other guys we hate? Y’kno… the ones with the cigars”
“The Cubans?”
“Yea, them. Add them to the list”
Hence the fourteenth member to this elite list of counties to look out for- Cuba.
Remember the good old days when we used to complain about racial profiling at airports? Apparently targeting people based on their appearance just did not cut it. The very audacity to publish such a list is mind-boggling. Looks like Obama & Co. could do with an edition of ‘Political Correctness for Dummies’
True, steps need to be taken to combat terrorism. But at what expense? Have we done away with all of the political niceties that once existed? How is it that the citizens of a nation that supposedly stands for qualities such as racial equality and cultural integration can stand by in a stupor as the powers that be sink to the low, low depths of xenophobia?
The Brits too, not to be outdone by their trans-Atlantic cousins decided they needed to follow suit. Only they appear to have done so with a bit more tact.
“British Home Secretary Alan Johnson revealed that ministers are actively considering “targeted passenger profiling” — intensive checks based on race, ethnic background, age and gender.
In order to keep potential terrorists in the dark, the public might not be told when the system is brought in and who is targeted.”
via Gulf News <http://bit.ly/4C0JZ9>
Its still offensive even if they don’t say who they’re targeting right?
And apparently Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria, are listed by the US as "state sponsors of terrorism".
It’s a good thing we don't have corporate sponsors of terrorism or next thing you know we’ll have terrorists with suicide belts sporting brands such as Red Bull, Emirates or AIG.
