On June 28, 2007, 6 Muslim men were arrested from a US Airways flight because of a passenger's suspicion. These men prayed their daily prayer before boarding the plane separately and once on the plane, they sat separately. A passenger passed a concern note to the flight attendant and they were soon arrested. Witnesses also claimed that some of these men asked for seatbelt extensions even though the flight attendant had thought that they didn't need them (?!).
I personally do not have a strong one-sided opinion regarding airport security. On one hand, I do want the airports to be secure and safe from terrorists and violent attacks. On the other hand, I feel like the 'airport scare' has caused a plethora of false accusations towards people, especially of the Muslim and Islamic race after 9/11. It is unfair that these 6 men were stripped of their many rights: freedom to travel, right to privacy, freedom to... board a plane and not be accused of being a terrorist?? But the passenger who reported these men may have been very insecure and just wanted to protect the wellbeing of everyone on the plane. Is it better to be safe than sorry if it ultimately limits the freedoms and rights of innocent people? All I know is that those 6 men must have felt emotionally betrayed and hurt because people had judged them not by who they are but by the associations of their appearances.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
I strongly agree with you. I believe that that the airport is trying to keep us safe, but at the same tme it is unfair to the muslims who are being searched. It violates their right to privacy.
yes, i am too a little both sided in this situation. I believe that the airports SHOULD be cautious in protecting us, but i think that some passengers are being a little too paranoid about certain people (aka muslims). We live in the United States, for peet's sake, so why should someone be suspicious of terrorism just for boarding the plane because of their race, we citizens have become very stereotypical. I think that these men were innocent, as many are, because their rights were violated for the "safety" of another citizen.
I know that it was unfair to the muslims who are being searched, but the muslims caused themselves to be searched. Anybody would concern about their strange practice in the airport. I think this is just simple conflic that caused by cultural difference.
I wander the reason why the muslim men did that! I think that the airport had right decision because the passengers should feel safe. But I don't think it's right to decide based on their races.
After what happened on 9/11, I understand why airports are trying to be cautious for our safety. However, I do not think it is necessary to take it so far as to arrest 6 Muslim men because of a passanger that is possibly racist. First of all not all terrorists are Muslim or middle eastern. Also, at an airport people have to go through metal detectors and all kinds of searches to make sure that no one that is going to cause harm is going to board a plane. If these Muslims got through all these searches why should they be arrested for simply praying and asking for a seatbelt extension?
Safety > upholding individual rights. I strongly believe that the government is in its right to profile people for the general safety of public. Is it better to be safe than sorry and violate someone's rights? Yes. If a gathering of people DIE BECAUSE the government didn't do anything, then the public will blame the government. If the government does it and nothing happens, then the government will still be blamed. This is such an awful position the citizens have placed on the government. In a couple more decades, this sort of thing will probably not happen. People should just suck it up for the safety of the nation. However...if these men were convicted BECAUSE they "looked like terrorists" THENNNN we have a problem.
I disagree that they got arrested. Even though is is suspicious that it a Muslim but still they can pray whenever they want because it is not illegal to pray or anything.
Post a Comment