Michael Leary - Racial Profiling

[Deskdiary]

Michael Leary has been accused of encouraging racism.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-51596125

But he's right, isn't he?

When it comes to safety, what's wrong with profiling?

[naomi24]

Ludwig, I think that's true. It's akin to making the right noises.

[237SJ]

Passenger profiling takes place 24/7- it`s not based on religion.

[THECORBYLOON]

How would folk at the airport know whether a man is single or no?

[Mozz71]

Given that not all terrorists are asian (there are many Muslims from Africa and the West, as that silly cow who wanted to blow up St Paul's has proven), maybe everyone should be profiled, not just Asian men.

[237SJ]

^How do you propose to do that?

[Mamyalynne]

Corby - single as in unaccompanied.

[THECORBYLOON]

The item says, "The chief executive told the Times that "males of a Muslim persuasion" who are single and travelling alone pose the largest terror threat to airlines."

Single men travelling alone, not men travelling alone.

[Mozz71]

237SJ. Not my problem to work out. But short of going, "He looks a bit Muslim", how do they identify who will be profiled? As I said, not all bad guys have brown skin and a beard?

[naomi24]

Mozz, without doubt, the majority of Islamic terrorists are Asian men - with a few of African descent thrown in - as in the case of the murderers of Lee Rigby. No system can be perfect.

[Mamyalynne]

I didn't read it as unmarried Corby, maybe someone knows.

[naomi24]

//not all bad guys have brown skin and a beard? //

Neither do all Muslims. It's not about colour.

[THECORBYLOON]

If they were unaccompanied, there would be no need to add "single" if meaning "alone", would there?

[Mozz71]

I know Naomi, that's the point I'm trying to make. How do they profile Muslims if they can't tell who the Muslims are? They don't have to state their religions on the paperwork do they? (I don't travel abroad, so I apologise if I am incorrect).

[THECORBYLOON]

Why not have a queue only for Muslims and let everyone else go through without bothering to check them?

[naomi24]

Mozz, the security services can only do their best. Why do you have a problem with them seeking out people who may potentially cause harm to others?

[tonyav]

When it comes to safety, what's wrong with profiling?

Absolutely nothing.

[237SJ]

What you have to remember is that O`Leary's customer base is largely UK and Irish centric. They don't have traffic from other parts of the world. Hence, the man is completely ignorant as to the rest of the world and it's passengers. Scheduled airlines take peope from the Middle East and other parts of the world back and forwards every day and they understand their customer base and they and their staff understand how to recognise who 'safe' and who is not.

[Mozz71]

//Why do you have a problem with them seeking out people who may potentially cause harm to others?//

I really don't, but I'd like it to be called why it is. If they want to profile Muslims, but don't know who those Muslims are, then by default, they will pick the most Muslimy looking people. As a reasult, no matter what the intent is, it becomes racial, because one race are the only ones who will be targeted.

[naomi24]

237SJ, whilst Ryanair doesn’t offer worldwide services, it isn’t restricted to passengers of western ethnicity - far from it - and even if it was that doesn’t preclude someone intending harm boarding one of its flights. Apart from the fact that Islam doesn’t recognise national boundaries and Muslims come in all colours and flavours, in a multicultural society such as Europe has become that’s not an unthinkable possibility. Complacency isn't helpful.

Mozz, Islam isn’t about race or colour - but the likelihood is that Muslims will be either Asian or African and if those people are profiled then so be it. Rather that than anyone be overlooked for the sake of assuaging preciousness. I travel a lot and nine times out of ten I set the security scanner off and am hauled aside to be patted down. I don’t know why it happens but it does. Maybe I’m ‘hot stuff - I don’t know - but whatever the reason I never mind - and neither should anyone, be they Muslim or otherwise, who wants to remain safe. If people are miffed when it happens to them I can only suggest they get over themselves, engage their brain and be grateful that the security services are doing their job to the best of their ability.

[retrocop]

//because one race are the only ones who will be targeted. //

Well currently as things are it's not a bad yardstick. As I'm reminded enough on here. 'Not all muslims are terrorists but most terrorists are following Islam.
Perhaps rather than complain about sterotyping the Muslim Council get get hold of their community and suggest they are more cooperative with intelligence and perhaps a little more outspoken when their brothers commit these outrages.
It is ironic that when wholesale murder is committed in Manchester has been committed you hear nary a squeak from the Muslim Council or the community in general . Little condemnation.
One Muslim man gets a stab wound in the shoulder and neck and Muslims were pretty talkative about it on the 10'oclock News last night.
If the Imams and Muslim Council can't get to grips with their own people then they must suffer the inconvenience of being profiled.