Paranoia

Link via The Angry Arab News Service.

The New York Times reports on a routine flight from Detroit from Los Angeles--with one exception, of sorts.

It seems as if fourteen men, who looked to be of Arab descent, were on the plane, and didn't scrupulously behave themselves, but instead, chatted with each other, occasionally ignored the fasten seatbelt signs, and even (gasp) took trips to the bathroom during the four hour flight.

Read the article, then check out was As'ad has to say. Also, consider the situation reversed 180 degrees--would YOU like it if people viewed you with suspicion just because of your race/ethnic background.

For the record: I don't fly a whole lot, but these days I make enough to allow for some long distance travel. I DO behave quite scrupulously on flights, because, one, I'm kind of tall, so I ALWAYS request (and usually get) exit row seats (a true blessing for those of us who can't afford first class, but really can use the extra legroom), and two, I take stuff like that seriously. An airline flight is no time to be in a joking mood, if you ask me (not that I'm afraid of flying--quite the opposite--but that's just my style). And, referencing my parenthetical, that's the point (and As'ad's)--the "suspicious" folks look at flying differently--so leave them the hell alone.

At this point, I seriously doubt Al Qaeda or any like organization will hijack an airplane--the level of alert is just way too high. On the other hand, if you'd like to get your paranoia groove going, my advice would be to consider that shoulder launched, surface to air missiles are almost impossible to defend against, given the current level of airline security here in the US. THAT'S what I'd be worried about.

Or, if you actually consider yourself to be a more or less rational individual--realize that your odds of death or injury are hundreds, if not thousands times higher taking the drive to the airport in the first place. Remember, every month, a 9/11's worth of death--and then some--happens on our roads and highways. Funny, though: nobody seems to look suspicious at normal looking folks driving around in monster sized SUV's.