Pat Oliphant for December 30, 2009

A simple out will be uttered: “It wasn’t our fault – it was the polices of the Regan and Bush administrations.” And it works every time.

See, sometimes even Pat Oliphant gets it wrong. The world is normal after all.

It’s very difficult for the US TSA to do anything, much less racially profile, when the individual in question got on the plane in the Netherlands.

Before some of you try to reply to many of these comments I would like to provide you with the story of an exchange I had a couple of months ago with a Republican who post on these sites.

I had posted that if Bush was going to take credit for keeping us “safe” since 9/11, how come he didn’t have to take the blame for 9/11?

The Republican replied: “Bush didn’t know about it because of the screwed up intellligence system Clinton left him!”

So when we try to use reason we have to remember we are dealing with the type of people who believe, even though their guy had been in power for over a year and half, if over 3,000 Americans get killed it’s “the other guys fault”, where if someone in a huge orgainization screws up and there is a (what was a very) small incident, the our guy, who has been in office less then a year, is responsible and should be thrown out of office.

Seeing as how the anti-terror “czar” appointed by President Clinton was flat out refused an audience with Bush, Bush’s administration slashed the anti-terror budget because they had “other” priorities, and everyone ignored that little memo entitled “Bin Laden determined to strike in US”, yes Bush was a fool for missing and ignoring all the clues.

As for Clinton trashing the intelligence agencies and it being on public record, I call BS. It is complete and utter BS. If you’re going to name an entire group as “godless” at least /try/ to not break one of God’s commandments in the same rant.

To use an old story, If a skunk comes in sprays all around your house, and you bring in someone to clean up the mess and try to get rid of the smell, and when this person mentions the skunk and you say: “Don’t blame the skunk!’ you know what you are? You’re a Republican.

Airport Security Carnival.

Successful profiling is done on behavorial AND physical characteristics. It’s all part of the equation, so why would anybody want less than the equation? Oh, I know, it’s those “politically correct” people who believe you can pick up a turd by the clean end.

Scott, don’t you ever get tired of lying for Bush?

Please quote the speech and the date that G.W. Bush blamed Clinton for the 9-11 attack. You can’t because he didn’t.

Some right wing pundints did – but he didn’t.

When you are the man – you man up.

Profile them, but according to their actions and words, not just their skin tone.

And don’t let fly those on the d@mn no-fly list, for chrissake! (make it buddhassake)

Scotty uses the word “fool” to simply mean “no me”. Of course after all his “racial profiling” rants he foolishly overlooks (omits?) the fact that neither of the last two attempted airplane bombers were middle eastern folks that he would’ve kept off the planes. Fool? Takes one to know one, Scotty.

Hey guys. isn’t the point here that this cartoon is a great satire on political correctness?

Here’s a good article on our air flight security hoax, Richard:

http://tinyurl.com/ydwktsf

cover all the seats in pig skin….and use bomb sniffing pigs in the airports

I think it’s pretty clear that mistakes were made in the lateset incident. When I hear the State Department’s response was ‘It’s not our job to put names on the ‘watch list’ all sorts of alarms go off. It doesn’t really matter if the problem is antiquated procedures left over from the Bush administration; failures due to a hold on the confirmation for the new head of the TSA, infighting between intelligence agencies unhappy with the reorganizations under Pres. Obama, or scanners that aren’t being used become Senator didn’t want anybody to see his privates.

Profiling is a stupid practice, and those who use lame excuses to promote it are even stupider. It is especially true in this case, if you look at a picture of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (Scotty obviously hasn’t). http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8431530.stm

Actually, from the security photos and reports, NOT ONE SINGLE BOMBER, from Tim McVeigh , to 9/11, to Reid, to Christmas day was wearing “traditional” Muslim, or other identifying clothing.

It is indeed checking the behaviors, and some proper questioning, that should take place BEFORE they reach the standard TSA sites where our “security” is lacking.

^ After SF’s rant this morn I had a look at the mugshots of the 19 hijackers and I think 2 had goatees, 3 had mustaches, rest were clean shaven but since they were probably passport photos, I had no idea what they may have looked like on the day.

PlainBIll: He barely looks 16, right? Note the bearded Middle-Eastern appearance.

RichardSRussell said, about 4 hours ago

Timothy McVeigh was hardly the only non-Arab with a grudge against the US. Remember John Walker Lindh? (you suggest religious profiling?) How about David Koresh? ( who he attacted?) Jim Jones?( who he attacted?) The guy at Ruby Ridge?(his wife and boy were murdered and he hurt no one) Moonshiners?(crimnials are not same league) Posse Comitatus? KKK? Aryan Nation? la raza? acorn?

If the BushII/Cheney administration was getting ideas from the TV show, “24,” maybe the Obama administration can get some ideas from “Lie to Me.” It would be useful to have all security screeners trained by the real life equivalent of ‘Dr. Lietner.’

Say it with me, folks: PROFILING DOESN’T WORK! Not if you are relying on superficial indicators, e.g., religion, country of origin, skin color. Even behavior only works so far - it relies on knowing who has done related behaviors in the past, if they have. But it’s the best there is. And I’m more than a little expert on personality profiling and behavioral profiling, admittedly in the positive direction (competencies)…

all must wear buqka…bin laden wins i guess, hire 100 million shovel ready inspectors, spend the money to hire 1/2 of the working people to watch the other half….think of the college loans to be paid off!

What disturbs me is how accustomed we all are to the over emphasis on political correctness, the dehumanizing aspects of air travel, reliance of security on profiling…no matter where you stand on any of these issues, we should not be so used to all of this. Are we even surprised at anything, anymore? Certainly we accept far more than we object to.

What disturbs me is how accustomed we all are to the over emphasis on political correctness, the dehumanizing aspects of air travel, reliance of security on profiling…no matter where you stand on any of these issues, we should not be so used to all of this. Are we even surprised at anything, anymore? Certainly we accept far more than we object to.

Just a reminder, look at the pictures of this guy, I would have classifed him not as Muslin, but as black.

Black. Now that truly is “racial” profiling.

I think it’s a great cartoon.

Scott, Thank heaven it was “metric tons” .. Think what it would have been if it were only regular tons. I’m glad to see you using the metric system.

Yes, let’s completely ignore the fact that the Algerian National Liberation Front was able to use profiling against the French by having their women members dye their hair blonde so they could waltz right past the checkpoints to plant bombs because the scumbags are really going to go through all the trouble of planning an attack only to dress up as obviously as possible just to make it easier to bag them. It’s so nice to know that Pat Oliphant and the gops want to ignore the possibility that the scumbags might use mules and accomplices who don’t fit their precious profile.