All Hank, all the time.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
maybe you just need to define the words and Taxwonk will agree. Taxwonk seems to not understand some basic English vocabulary.

I suppose this means you must agree with me. It must be hell to have to bring yourself to the level of sniping based upon semantics.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by taxwonk
Well, I suppose that's true.

Yes, but not "relevant"

[Spanky]

Originally posted by taxwonk
I disagree with the notion that "Arab" per se makes someone more likely to blow up a plane.

I agree with that notion, and I think most people on this board do to. My guess is that Arabs hijack more planes than any other nationality on a per capita basis. I assumed that the issue was for you that taking that statistic into account for profiling causes more damage to our civil liberties than it helps in stopping terrorism.

I find it hard to believe that you think that statistic is wrong.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Spanky
they were focusing on people of middle eastern dissent.

What's all this criticism I hear about people of middle eastern dissent? If there were more dissenting people in the middle east, that would be a good thing.



Oh. Never mind.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by taxwonk
The problem isn't profiling. The problem is making ethnicity a basis for profiling.

That is the crux of the whole debate. When the profile of a likely terrorist is being compiled, can ethnicity be one of the criteria they use? So far I think (and someone can correct me if I am wrong) you are the only one that doesn't think so.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by Spanky
That is the crux of the whole debate. When the profile of a likely terrorist is being compiled, can ethnicity be one of the criteria they use? So far I think (and someone can correct me if I am wrong) you are the only one that doesn't think so.

I think I would feel safer if they were looking at a bunch of other stuff -- religious views, national origin, travel to countries like Pakistan or Saudi Arabia -- rather than ethnicity. The profile is no good if it sweeps up too many people. It becomes an exercise in CYA before the courts rather than a tool to catch the right people.

etfs

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I think I would feel safer if they were looking at a bunch of other stuff -- religious views, national origin, travel to countries like Pakistan or Saudi Arabia -- rather than ethnicity. The profile is no good if it sweeps up too many people. It becomes an exercise is CYA before the courts rather than a tool to catch the right people.

I think National Origin and ethnicty are pretty similar. It depends if you think a U.S. citizen whose parants are from Pakistan is considered a person of Pakistani national origin (similar to the British terrorists).

Where it gets distinct is what about a Kurdish person from Iraq? I think an Arab from Iraq is more likely to hijack a plane than a Kurd from Iraq. That is why I think ethnicity should be taken into consideration. But I agree that race is not good (Caucasian, Black, Hispanic etc.) because they are too broad and are really meaningless.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally posted by Tyrone Slothrop
I think I would feel safer if they were looking at a bunch of other stuff -- religious views, national origin, travel to countries like Pakistan or Saudi Arabia -- rather than ethnicity. The profile is no good if it sweeps up too many people. It becomes an exercise is CYA before the courts rather than a tool to catch the right people.

Spanky's argued more should be done. The "more" is profiling. You say profiling can't be done. You suggest we profile based on religion and national orgin and travel history. I agree with you on the latter two, but the first is impossible.

But you do realize that when we put what you're advocating into action, the effect is the same as a racial profile. It'll still be nearly exclusively Arabs who get yanked out of line.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
What's all this criticism I hear about people of middle eastern dissent? If there were more dissenting people in the middle east, that would be a good thing.



Oh. Never mind.

Maybe it is time I see a therapist. Everytime I type the word descent I type it as dissent. Sometimes I catch it when I edit and sometimes I don't. But if I am not specifically focusing on it, it.happens.every.single.time.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Spanky
Maybe it is time I see a therapist. Everytime I type the word descent I type it as dissent. Sometimes I catch it when I edit and sometimes I don't. But if I am not specifically focusing on it, it.happens.every.single.time.

It's hardly just that word. You are a walking Emily Litella skit.

It's one of your many, or at least several, charms.

[Spanky]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
It's hardly just that word. You are a walking Emily Litella skit.

I don't know who Emily Litella is but you are spot on when you say that is the only word. there are quite a few.

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
It's one of your many, or at least several, charms.

I don't care what you say, I am not putting out.

[Sidd Finch]

Originally posted by Spanky
I don't know who Emily Litella is but you are spot on when you say that is the only word. there are quite a few.

I was going to give you a Wikipedia link, in honor of Penske. But this link is much better:

http://snltranscripts.jt.org/75/75gupdate.phtml


You are old enough that you should know this character well.

[Sidd Finch]

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/US/JonBenet_Ramsey_Murder




Apparently, the guy who confessed to killing JonBenet Ramsey only sort of wishes he had.

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Spanky
I think National Origin and ethnicty are pretty similar. It depends if you think a U.S. citizen whose parants are from Pakistan is considered a person of Pakistani national origin (similar to the British terrorists).

Where it gets distinct is what about a Kurdish person from Iraq? I think an Arab from Iraq is more likely to hijack a plane than a Kurd from Iraq. That is why I think ethnicity should be taken into consideration. But I agree that race is not good (Caucasian, Black, Hispanic etc.) because they are too broad and are really meaningless.

Hispanic isn't a race, it's an ethnicity. Speaking of which, where does it say what ethnicity you are on your passport? Because mine's pretty unclear on that, and I'm not really sure what it'd say if ethnicity were to be identified. Texan-Mexican-Polish-Italian? Same goes for my drivers license. And I've never seen the "ethnicity" section when I'm filling out my creditcard information at Southwest.com. Ditto for all of the above on religion.

Do we have to prove ethnicity back to our grandparents, or is parents enough? What if our grandparents are dead? Is an affidavit from my father saying my grandfather was an 9th generation Texan enough? What if we were born here, but English isn't our first language? If we were confirmed but haven't been to mass in 20 years do we still click off "Roman Catholic"?

[Replaced_Texan]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
http://news.yahoo.com/fc/US/JonBenet_Ramsey_Murder




Apparently, the guy who confessed to killing JonBenet Ramsey only sort of wishes he had.

Gotta admit, it's a good way to get out of a Thai prison. I can't imagine that was much fun.