The Daily Bongo

How do you know if someone is a terrorist? If you look at the record of acts of terror, you would realize that it's usually someone who is male and probably in his twenties or thirties. A good percentage of that number could safely be said to be people of Middle Eastern heritage. Now, I know, that's a racist comment, isn't it? But look at 9/11 and the recent bombings in London. So far, I have yet to see a little, old blue haired lady with dynamite strapped around her middle who is blowing up children and other innocents. I did some searching and it is actually difficult to find statistics on those who have committed recent acts of terror, and I believe that the reason for that is because to admit to the statistics would provide justification for what is known as "racial profiling". However, just follow the news stories of the suicide bombers since 9/11, and the faces that you see in the pictures accompanying the story will be similar.

Here in the US though, we have issues with terrorist profiling. Profiling is a common tactic that law enforcement officials use to find people who commit crimes. For example, if a child is abducted from his/her home, the first thing that the police will do is to start to question people in the neighborhood who are registered sex offenders. Why? Because statistics will show that the person most likely to be involved in the abduction is someone who has done it before. In fact, at times it becomes disheartening to watch the news broadcasts when the murderer of a child is someone who has a known past of abducting and threatening the lives of others. You have to wonder to yourself what is wrong with our justice or social system that repeat offenders of violent crime are allowed to continue their acts. When it comes to the suicide bombers, we have difficulty in accepting that the source of the bombings is coming from a particular group. We don't want to be considered racist so we ignore the facts that stare us in the face, and pat down grandma because that might be dynamite in her cannoli.

So what were the security forces doing at Heinz Field yesterday for the pre-season Steelers game? They were patting down everyone who entered the stadium. Doesn't it make you feel safer to know that even those in wheelchairs had their arms felt for explosives? Never mind that the hallmark of an explosives laden terrorist is balky clothing, let's pat down the woman in the skimpy shirt and shorts. Heavens knows where she might be harboring the explosive, but don't you feel safer knowing that we just wasted our time and yours in doing it? Well, I don't. I'll feel safer when terrorist profiling is done. Do as the criminal investigators do with serial killers and child abusers. Create a psychological and physical profile of the type of person who is most likely to commit the crime and give them a through search. Look for the bulky clothes in warm weather. Look for the person who is acting nervous. I know, I know. The terrorists will then recruit those who don't fit the profile. In some of the bombings in Israel, the Palestinian terrorist groups have managed to recruit a few women to commit acts of terror. That number is minuscule at this point, and might be due to pressures that the women feel in a male dominated society. Personally I will feel safer with terrorist profiling, wouldn't you?

August 16, 2005