WHAT'S SO TERRIBLE ABOUT PROFILING?

While living in the Middle East during a time of frequent hijacking, I often had occasion to fly through the Athens airport.  At that time, Athens was noted for its haphazard security measures, and, in response, major airlines flying out of Athens set up their own security procedures.

I recall that the airline with the best security was El Al, the Israeli airline. Then, as now, El Al based its security operation on profiling, including perceived behavior patterns, appearance, contradictory statements, country of passport origin, language, luggage, nervousness and other personal characteristics.  Certainly, if one is traveling from a nation which has spawned terrorists and terrorist events, then that person would receive special attention.  And this is the essence of profiling.

If law enforcement authorities were looking for a 6'4" blue-eyed male weighing in the vicinity of 200 lbs,. with a white mustache prominently displayed on his visage, then I would certainly understand if I were stopped and questioned.  Furthermore, if blue-eyed, 6'4" Anglo males came from a group with a propensity for crime, drugs and violence, I would be surprised if I were not questioned regarding my activities.  In fact, I would go so far as to wonder if the authorities were doing a proper job, if they did not wish to ask me a few questions.  And, as a law-abiding citizen, I would feel obligated to answer those questions.

In the context of the "mobocracy" which prevails today in the United States, those of us who are law-abiding need to be asking a few questions that pertain to our security:

1.  If you are a law-abiding citizen, why do you use the race-card to manifest your attitude of non-cooperation?

2.  Does your racial or ethnic background bestow upon you special status that precludes your cooperation with the authorities?

3.  If your special group is noted for dysfunctionalism, crime, violence and drugs, rather than to play the race card, shouldn't you be about working toward getting your group's house in order?

4.  And, finally, if you are an American, shouldn't you be concerned about the security of the nation as a whole?