October 25, 2010, - 2:05 pm
Air Marshal: We Worry About Passengers in Muslim Garb, Just Like Juan Williams
A Federal Air Marshal (FAM) friend of mine wrote, last week, regarding the Juan Williams comments on FOX News that got him fired from National Palestinian Radio a/k/a NPR. As you’ll recall, Williams said he worries and feels nervous when he sees passengers in Muslim garb on a plane. My FAM friend agreed with Williams. (Remember, this is a big, tough guy with a gun, not the puny Juan Williams.)
Every Air Marshal I know, including me, gets nervous every time we see a Muslim all garbed up on a plane. We watch them like a hawk…. and I’m sure the passengers expect us to.
I guess that makes me a bigot with a gun and a badge. So be it.
I’d rather be a bigot with a plane that lands safely……. then a politically correct NPR worshiper with a blown up plane over the Atlantic.
Amen, Bruthah!
The politically correct world in which we live seems to forget one thing: the scariest experience in the skies is not “flying while Muslim.” It’s flying while non-Muslim.
Tags: FAM, FAMS, federal air marshal, FOX News, Islamic garb, Juan Williams, Muslim garb, Muslims, Muslims on planes, National Palestinian Radio, NPR
A police officer friend of mine once explained that in a traffic stop, they treat everyone as a possible threat because they have no idea who they are pulling over. It could be someone who had a bad day or just happen to have robbed a bank. Then, if they have even the slightest reason to worry, they call for backup. They prefer to err on the side of caution.
Air Marshals on the other hand, can’t call for backup at 30,000 feet. Then again, neither can Joe Passenger. If fear makes people more aware of their surroundings and personal safety, that’s a good thing. Police work under the same code.
Fred Taub on October 25, 2010 at 2:21 pm