PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Terrorist 'lookalike' wins $27.5 million from Southwest

15th Apr 2006, 17:22

#8 (permalink)

ExSimGuy

Sims Fly Virtually

Join Date: Jun 2001

Location: Used to be 3rd Sand Dune from the Left - But now I'm somewhere else somewhere else.

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"Profiled" !

I suspect that I'm "profiled", when travelling on USA flights. I have usually come from the Middle-East and transiting (via LHR and LGW) to an American flight.

I wear a beard, of similar style to that which is popular among a lot of Arabs (no, not the "long shaggy" type! - just small beard and mustache) it just naturally grows that way with me. I also have a dark complexion (working in the Middle-East, often outdoors - I call it a tan, especially in the Summer!) and a passport almost full to the brim with stamps in Arabic (I have a good friend in the next country

to visit often on weekends)

So I find myself frequently the "randomly seleted" pax for extra security - about 50% of the time! Maybe I haven't noticed the "random selection" tattoo on my forhead!!

However the security guys/gals are always courteous, and it doesn't cost me tooooo much pre-flight-beer-time, so I don't really mind, they are doing their job (as it should be done, to my mind)

Not their fault that the "profiling" does not give them the information that I am "Anglo-Saxon and Celt" in origin, a practicing Christian, and occasional lay preacher, C of E

(US - "Episcopalian")

Could I claim, maybe, at least, please, just a couple of mill?