Originally Posted by phoenix80

It's called "Profiling" and is not racism. and I think it should be done. I am for it. Even if I am going to be profiled, I have no problem with it.

tomato tomahto

Originally Posted by senojekips

I agree totally.

But You weren't very happy about it a few posts ago when someone said something to the effect that "That's OK because you are an Iranian"

That's what I meant when I said "It's a two edged sword".

Personally I am in favour of some form of "profiling", but where does profiling end and racism begin? That is the $64 question.

I don't become unhappy if a police officer, who is doing his job, in the airport pulls me aside to question me. I understand why he would do it. I'd be happy to cooperate and help increase the public safety. It happens to me, even when I travel with my Canadian passport in the States. I don't complain.

But being called like that in an open forum by some unknown individual is way different and can be a serious case of racism or bigotry...

Originally Posted by phoenix80

I don't become unhappy if a police officer, who is doing his job, in the airport pulls me aside to question me. I understand why he would do it. I'd be happy to cooperate and help increase the public safety. It happens to me, even when I travel with my Canadian passport in the States. I don't complain.

But being called like that in a forum is way different and can be a serious case of racism.

And if you were the victim of extraordinary rendition, and taken to some other country for a few months for questioning.... because you are Iranian, and were at one time in the Iranian Military..... you would view that as just the way it goes?

Originally Posted by Gator

And if you were the victim of extraordinary rendition, and taken to some other country for a few months for questioning.... because you are Iranian, and were at one time in the Iranian Military..... you would view that as just the way it goes?

It'd never happen to me or to any law abiding individual... I haven't done any thing wrong. Why should I worry?! And if a terrorist is treated that way, I have no problem with it either. Terrorists do terrible stuff and they deserve that treatment. A law abiding citizen shouldn't worry about any thing.

Originally Posted by phoenix80

It'd never happen to me or to any law abiding individual... I haven't done any thing wrong. Why should I worry?! And if a terrorist is treated that way, I have no problem with it either. Terrorists do terrible stuff and they deserve that treatment. A law abiding citizen shouldn't worry about any thing.

Well.....

Maher Arar (born 1970 in Syria) is a Canadian software engineer who was subjected to the United States policy of extraordinary rendition, a process where detainees are transferred from one country to another, with the expectation that they may be tortured in the country to which they are rendered.
Arar, a citizen of both Syria and Canada, was detained during a layover at John F. Kennedy International Airport in September 2002 on his way home to his family in Canada. He was held in solitary confinement in the U.S. for nearly two weeks, interrogated, and denied meaningful access to a lawyer. The Bush administration labelled him a member of Al Qaeda and rendered him, not to Canada, his home and country of citizenship, but to Syrian intelligence authorities, known by the U.S. government to practice torture.[1] While in Syria, he was tortured and detained for almost a year before being released to Canada.
Both the Canadian and Syrian governments have publicly cleared Arar of any links to terrorism. The United States government, however, refuses to clear Arar’s name and continues to have both him and his family on a watchlist.
His U.S. attorneys at the Center for Constitutional Rights are currently pursuing his case, Arar v. Ashcroft, which seeks compensatory damages on Arar’s behalf and also a declaration that the actions of the U.S. government were illegal and violated his constitutional, civil, and international human rights.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maher_Arar


What did he do wrong?..... other than being Syrian.

Canada's western standard magazine ran an article a few month ago on this man who basically lied to the officials and got away with it.

Maher Arrar lied and the Canadian gov't didnt investigate or press more for hard evidence. Arrar was never examined by a physician to check his torture stroy for example.

Did Maher Arar dupe the Canadian taxpayer?

The problem is, Arar's claims of physical torture have gone largely unchallenged. The Canadian media has been eager to report every dramatic detail and columnists write as if the allegations are established fact. But even though the Arar commission wrote that he had been tortured, it did little to substantiate the 34-year-old wireless technology consultant's assertions. The commission, headed by Justice Dennis O'Connor, ran for two-and-a-half years and cost taxpayers $23 million. Yet in all that time and for all that money, no medical evidence was presented that demonstrated Arar had been physically tortured. No doctor testified. A psychiatrist did testify about the psychological effects of torture, but on physical torture, none.


Arar was never cross-examined on his allegations because he did not testify at the commission that bears his name.

Originally Posted by phoenix80

Canada's western standard magazine ran an article a few month ago on this man who basically lied to the officials and got away with it.

Maher Arrar lied and the Canadian gov't didnt investigate or press more for hard evidence. Arrar was never examined by a physician to check his torture stroy for example.

So he wasn't taken away by the CIA? Is that what you are trying to tell me?
He made it all up?.... Just took a vacation?

I pay people in the CIA to do very nasty things to people for the Protection of the United States of America, or turn said people over to other "contracted nations or people".... so if the CIA took him out of the United States of America thinking he was a Threat to my Nation, and he was not tortured, then the CIA has gone soft under this Administration.

Originally Posted by phoenix80

I don't become unhappy if a police officer, who is doing his job, in the airport pulls me aside to question me. I understand why he would do it. I'd be happy to cooperate and help increase the public safety. It happens to me, even when I travel with my Canadian passport in the States. I don't complain.

But being called like that in an open forum by some unknown individual is way different and can be a serious case of racism or bigotry...

That's a fair comment,... but I would urge you to consider that Policemen and Government officials CIA, FBI, IRS etc., are more often convicted of exceeding their powers than are private citizens. After all, the uniform does not guarantee that the wearer has left his prejudices at the station in his change locker, these officials are just ordinary people when it's all boiled down with all of the good points and bad, of the remainder of the population. You only have to have a look at Youtube to see policemen behaving badly, or read the papers to see the inquiries against officials of the other Government authorities.

It's a very sticky question, not even taking it into consideration that it is against the US constitution.

Originally Posted by Gator

So he wasn't taken away by the CIA? Is that what you are trying to tell me?
He made it all up?.... Just took a vacation?

I pay people in the CIA to do very nasty things to people for the Protection of the United States of America, or turn said people over to other "contracted nations or people".... so if the CIA took him out of the United States of America thinking he was a Threat to my Nation, and he was not tortured, then the CIA has gone soft under this Administration.

Read this

Did Maher Arar dupe the Canadian taxpayer?

and then come back with your questions. The article is written by a very prominent canadian journalist.

Originally Posted by senojekips

That's a fair comment,... but I would urge you to consider that Policemen and Government officials CIA, FBI, IRS etc., are more often convicted of exceeding their powers than are private citizens. After all, the uniform does not guarantee that the wearer has left his prejudices at the station in his change locker, these officials are just ordinary people when it's all boiled down with all of the good points and bad, of the remainder of the population. You only have to have a look at Youtube to see policemen behaving badly, or read the papers to see the inquiries against officials of the other Government authorities.

It's a very sticky question, not even taking it into consideration that it is against the US constitution.

Well, if the person wearing a police uniform hurts me or any one, I have enough trust in the US or Canadian or any democratic system to preserve the justice. I trust the system and am sure my rights can be protected if I don't do any thing wrong. Yep, police can be bad, but there are checks and balances which I trust!

Originally Posted by phoenix80

Read this

Did Maher Arar dupe the Canadian taxpayer?

and then come back with your questions. The article is written by a very prominent canadian journalist.

No.

I never follow your links, nor will I, ever.