What is your opinion of profiling people at airports?

Answer 1

It's logical but too many people get emotional about it.

Let's say you have a particular group of people who live in an area where a certain type of disease is rampant let's call it Yahooligan's Syndrome or YS. Now one of these persons travels to say the US and there is a natural disaster and blood is needed so donors are sought. This person wants to donate blood but when it is found out where they are from the person is turned away due to risk of the disease being transfered OR is put up to extra scruitiny to make sure their blood is safe.

This happens everyday when you go to donate blood at any Red Cross center if you come from or have lived in or had sex with someone from a list of certain countries you are not allowed to donate.

Flying is NOT a right it is a priviledge. Airline companies have a responsibility to protect their passengers if it is deemed logical that certain passengers pose a risk then that passenger is subject to profiling.

Now people will say that is unreasonable search and seizure. The unreasonable search and seizure clause of the Fourth Amendment covers searches conducted by the government. If police recieve a report that someone robbed a bank using a red Pontiac Grand Am then would it be logical for police to pull over people in Green VW Passat's?

If you drop the emotion and stick with logic then profiling makes sense.

Answer 2

I'm not a fan of profiling in places like airports. Airports mean international travel, and profiling is detaining anyone who "fit's the bill". In the US right now, this would lead to the numerous detainings of many innocent people just for looking Islamic because of the terrorist stereotype since profiles build off stereotypes. I don't think anything based off of stereotypes is the propper way to assess the terrorist problem. Unfortunately though, studies show profiling can yeild effective results, however the same results, and often better results can be obtained through random searches.

Answer 3

Considering the history of airline hijacking, to not profile is sheer insanity.

For example, my mother was selected for a total search while using an airport provided wheelchair. She was 75, at the time and the TSA spent 10 minutes searching their own wheelchair that was being pushed by an airport employee. INSANITY!!

Answer 4

the very fact that the idioms "ethic profiling" exist confirms the assumption. my father's family is German, Russian, polish but most of all Jewish and any one can tell that by looking at them..my mom's family is Irish/Cherokee and anyone can tell that too...there is no reason to stop a old lady with a blue hairdo and jewelry holding her grandchild's hand when you are looking for a terrorist or drug dealer..i think we are all profiled from the beginning of history and always will be...i think that there should be profiling at the airports there is every where else in life.

Answer 5

It is the only logical thing to do. Yes, people may get their feelings hurt, but gimme a break. Do people want to be politically correct or have their planes fly into buildings?

Answer 6

Hell Yeah I think profiling is Ok. I'm not racist but lets think about this logically. It isn't little ol white ladies blowing up planes now is it?

Answer 7

I think that all people who look like they may be of Middle East background should be strip searched with full body cavity search regardless of age or sex.

Answer 8

whatever works