Posted on 12/27/2001 9:43:03 AM PST by kattracks
Knee jerk aversions to people's ethnic, religious and/or political backgrounds are most often held by Leftists who use them to categorize, and thereby control, their mascots.
Almost all americans were, at one time or another, capable of being characterized as hyphenated. In the Adams administration there was fear of the French-Americans. A vast percentage of Americans who trace there heritage to Arab lands are second, third and fourth generation and many of them Christian.
The media likes to categorize people and get the reader to react off generalities rather than specifics. Don't be a sheep lead by media idiocy.
Have the airline look up the local Secret Service phone number and call them.
Seems impossible.
Have the airline look up the local Secret Service phone number and call them. Oh, yeah...I mentioned that already.
Fake ID, fake phone calls, etc.
As I observed earlier, the airline can look up the Secret Service phone number and call. Am I beginning to repeat myself?
There's just no way to tell.
Have the airline look up the local Secret Service phone number and call them. Ah, jeez, there I go again, using logic and brains to solve those thorny issues.
Drop the hyphen. This Secret Service agent is an American.
What, you're saying that terrorism is some sort of genetic thing?
Maybe they held him off that flight so they could verify his identity and then put him on a later flight after they had.
As far as I'm concerned if someone claims to be a Secret Service agent and can't verify the claim or hasn't had it verified before he gets on the plane I don't care if he's Arab, Anglo or whatever. I want him off the plane until they get it confirmed. Too many nuts out there these days to let someone carry a gun on a flight without having everything verified.
OK, then someone must have questioned the fact that he was carrying a gun before he got on the plane. Which leads to the question, what kind of a check did they do that allowed this man to get on the plane carrying a gun, if he was later removed. Did he flash some credentials? Did they just take his word that he was a federal agent?
I believe there is a procedure that they follow to get into the secured area of the airport. I believe their ID's are verified/inspected by the police.
My guess is that he went through this at the security checkpoint (or was escorted through security after verification at a different place). A passenger probably saw his service weapon, freaked and buzzed the flight attendant who notified the pilot and AA security. THey took it upon themselves to remove him, most likely because it scared passengers (not unlike the irrational fear being propagated on this thread).
Obviously, any terrorist organization would be pleased to have you in charge of security! Calling a local Secret Service office and asking about "Mr. X" is totally useless! Anyone answering your questions would be a total idiot to confirm an individual over the phone! Get real!
In far less stressful times, any such "telephone approval" of the identity of an agent in my organization would have resulted in at least a written reprimand of the agent who took it upon themselves to "OK" an ID of the sort you suggest!
Probably some ignorant (Biblical beast of burden)-wipe squawked, "There's a (misuse of the Judeo-Christian Deity's name deleted) (disparaging characterization of Arabs deleted) on this plane, and he has a (obscenity deleted) GUN! We have to remove the (another disparaging characterization of Arabs deleted) FOR THE CHILL-RUN!!!!"
If this Arab was a Christian Arab, the Airlines made a wrong choice. After all, Arab Christians have had to deal with these people for centuries and are really victims of Islamic oppression. On the otherhand, a Muslim, of whatever ethnicity, should NOT be guarding our President - PERIOD.
Why would we have this guy guarding our beloved President? Isn't that insane!
These are perfect examples of why I carefully consider who I suggest to come to this forum and who I don't. I realize that there are wingnuts in every sector of our society, but when people visit a supposedly conservative forum, they aren't apt to view things in the same light I would.
I accept these comments for the infantile expressions they are. I just can't expect others to be as tollerant and understanding.
This man was a bonified member of the United States' Secret Service. His background check was as thorough as any background check. If he passed that background check, he's not only fine by me, but judged to be fine by people who's business it is to guard one of this nation's most treasured assets, the President of the United States.
The comments these folks have made were shocking. I am amazed at the ignorance displayed.
Racism and bogotry have no place on this forum. If you or anyone else can't refrain from making such comments, please do the forum a favor. Leave and don't come back. These types of comments are the surest way I know of to scare away new members and gutt this forum of it's best assets.
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