The Soapbox

Joined: 06/03/2005 Posts: 31275
Likes: 52979

What's this?

I have a confession to make. I get nervous when I board a flight with

young middle eastern men speaking arabic. I was in Europe last summer with my family and our return flight connected through Heathrow. While waiting to board the flight, I noticed a group of young middle eastern men speaking Arabic. If it's just me, I don't give it too much thought, but when I have my kids with me, my mind starts wandering. If they were near me on the flight and I overheard something that sounded like remotely "allah akbar", I'm not sure what I would have done.

A few years earlier, I was in Madrid with my family and we were riding the metro when two young middle eastern men boarded our car carrying a massive crate of some sort. It seemed really heavy, and both of them were struggling to carry whatever the heck it was. At the next stop, I told my family to get off and we waited for the next train. Obviously nothing happened, but I wasn't going to take a chance, however remote.

I know the odds are very remote of being the victim of a terrorist attack, and we are way more likely to die in a car accident on i-95 heading to/from the airport, but it's sort of one of those fears that you can't rationalize your way out of (like the person who worries about a shark attack while swimming in the ocean no matter how unlikely a shark attack may be, that doesn't stop people from worrying about it).

And although the odds are very remote, it's not like this is an entirely baseless fear. Perhaps I should be ashamed of my thoughts/actions, but I'm not. Until the attached list starts getting shorter instead of longer each year, I'm afraid incidents like this are going to continue to occur.

[Post edited by BocaHoo91 at 04/19/2016 12:11PM]

(In response to this post by Beerman)

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Islamist_terrorist_attacks

Posted: 04/19/2016 at 12:10PM

PREV NEXT REPLY

Insert a Link

Enter the title of the link here:

Enter the full web address of the link here -- include the "http://" part:

Current Thread:

Land of the free, home of the ... well something at least ... -- Beerman 04/19/2016 10:21AM

All thanks to the Orwellian, "see something, say something" campaign ** -- hoothat 04/20/2016 04:00AM

Airlines are privately owned and generally exempt from anti-descrimination -- 757 04/19/2016 12:50PM

Sucks for that kid, but it's totally understandable why his fellow -- SixerHoo 04/19/2016 11:15AM

Re: Sucks for that kid, but it's totally understandable why his fellow -- Beerman 04/19/2016 11:38AM

I have a confession to make. I get nervous when I board a flight with -- BocaHoo91 04/19/2016 12:10PM

Interesting that in 2009, there were only 4 incidences and 2 were in US. -- JohnHoo2 04/19/2016 9:22PM

That's an amazing list you posted! -- PhillyHoo 04/19/2016 9:07PM

Ok, so why are we scared? -- Beerman 04/20/2016 09:35AM

We just can't all be as tough and macho as you. -- BocaHoo91 04/20/2016 09:49AM

*lol* -- Beerman 04/20/2016 10:00AM

I was once about to board a flight from Amsterdam to Athens when the -- SixerHoo 04/19/2016 1:40PM

I'd take a flight that has been 'profiled' before one that hasn't given the -- Mr Wahoo 04/19/2016 1:07PM

That's a fair enough reaction -- Beerman 04/19/2016 12:36PM

What exactly is my lack of understanding? ** -- BocaHoo91 04/19/2016 12:44PM

You stated very clearly -- Beerman 04/19/2016 12:46PM

Sorry, but I'd never let whatever white guilt I may hold for profiling -- WahooRQ 04/19/2016 1:52PM

Seriously? You people are downvoting this? -- Beerman 04/19/2016 12:44PM

You people? -- WahooRQ 04/19/2016 1:49PM

Yes. ** -- FfxStationHokie 04/19/2016 12:51PM

Probably downvoting the lack of understanding line as it was silly and rude ** -- KCHoo 04/19/2016 12:49PM

He SAID he didn't understand... -- Beerman 04/19/2016 12:57PM

I understand what you are saying with your additional -- BocaHoo91 04/19/2016 1:08PM

Thx for the response -- Beerman 04/19/2016 1:13PM

Rule 37 of Soapbox, complaining about downvote will bring mroe downvotes :) ** -- JohnHoo2 04/19/2016 1:20PM

Eh. I hang my downvotes in a frame alongside my 27" rainbow and deer heads ** -- Shenhoo 04/19/2016 2:23PM

They are a badge of honor! ** -- Beerman 04/19/2016 1:22PM

I pay attention in that situation. Seems foolish not to try to stay aware ** -- KCHoo 04/19/2016 12:18PM

Why do I suspect your "outrage" wouldn't be the same if it were -- Hoodafan 04/19/2016 12:07PM

Oh it would be -- Beerman 04/19/2016 12:32PM

Thankfully my name or at least passport # is no longer on the list. -- SixerHoo 04/19/2016 12:03PM

Let's jog that memory a bit -- Beerman 04/19/2016 12:30PM

There's an exception to every rule. My point still stands. ** -- SixerHoo 04/19/2016 1:23PM

It's a crappy point -- Beerman 04/19/2016 1:26PM

Part of the security system is "if you see something, say something" -- Sabremetrician 04/19/2016 1:54PM

Absent any further explanation of the facts of the case... -- Beerman 04/19/2016 4:15PM

The race of "middle eastern"? -- BocaHoo91 04/19/2016 5:24PM

Exactamente. ** -- SixerHoo 04/19/2016 6:32PM

You're comin' off as a tad self-righteous here, Brewskiguy. ** -- SixerHoo 04/19/2016 1:46PM

Perhaps, but ... -- Beerman 04/19/2016 2:09PM

It's an unfortunate example of how we're all reacting to the fear -- Late 80s Hokie 04/19/2016 11:52AM

On the latter matter, it probably depends on where she looks..... -- SchmHoo 04/19/2016 11:52AM

Hard to say whether the woman acted rightly or wrongly, as we only reading -- JohnHoo2 04/19/2016 11:50AM

Yeah. it is always best to get both sides. if he was talking loudly about -- KCHoo 04/19/2016 12:17PM

That's a ridiculous suggestion -- BocaHoo91 04/19/2016 12:14PM

The closest thing in the air to the DC-to-Atlanta Trailways buses of my -- southdenverhoo 04/19/2016 3:04PM

Elderly Transsexual Behind the Bathroom Stall in a Small Town -- jackethoo 04/19/2016 11:12AM

Can never be too careful** -- FfxStationHokie 04/19/2016 11:03AM

Fear sells ** -- FfxStationHokie 04/19/2016 11:58AM

But who's buying? -- Beerman 04/19/2016 4:55PM