69 million page views

Thought Police

Reader comment on item: [Michael Smerconish and I Debate:] What Kind of Airport Profiling?

Submitted by Diane Krieger (United States), Oct 5, 2004 at 13:10

Mr. Pipes,

While I usually admire your reasoning, in this article your argument seems to lead to the conclusion that "thoughts" be evaluated. Are you in earnest proposing establishing some sort of Orwellian police state that screens the thoughts of ordinary American traveler for Islamist beliefs?

I'm afraid this is where your four questions for Muslims is also leading. Say it ain't so!
Submitting....

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".

Daniel Pipes replies:

There are three levels of awarenes: looking for nervous ticks, looking for Middle Eastern traits, or looking for Islamist intentions. The last is by far the most accurate but also the most difficult. It requires not Orwellian controls but good intelligence.

DP

Submit a comment on this item

<< Previous Comment      Next Comment >>

Reader comments (28) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
people and not what they bring? [24 words]sadieApr 18, 2010 19:47171435
No security at the airport [183 words]J.D.JabachinciskiNov 24, 2005 14:0028814
Profiling as Smeconish proposes is stupid [146 words]JoeOct 19, 2005 17:3827119
Statistically Accurate [50 words]CharlesAug 10, 2005 16:1724553
Statistically Accurate [11 words]LarianeJan 31, 2007 19:1224553
Profiling [100 words]David BerensJan 31, 2005 18:1920018
Stupid Is as Stupid Does [176 words]Rob RolandNov 11, 2004 13:4918239
Profitable Profiling [31 words]Diane KriegerOct 21, 2004 15:5917829
We need to cast off Political Correctness [135 words]Tom PensylOct 12, 2004 11:5117590
How about dogs? [68 words]Olivia M.Oct 11, 2004 23:2917583
Profiling as one tool [163 words]Marcos BerensteinOct 10, 2004 22:1617576
Profiling [81 words]M.WeinbergOct 10, 2004 10:0217574
Question: Sirhan Sirhan [98 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Alan BornsteinOct 8, 2004 12:5217561
A Bit More on Sirhan [16 words]Pro-Israeli DemocratJun 13, 2006 21:5017561
Government action or... inaction [63 words]Tom BurdonOct 6, 2004 18:0717551
Security while flying [170 words]Scott McilwaineOct 6, 2004 16:4417549
Nothing to Fear [14 words]markOct 6, 2004 16:4117548
Political correctness gone awry [77 words]JennyOct 6, 2004 12:1217543
An honor to die? [123 words]Menahem DunskyOct 6, 2004 10:3117542
May be too late [161 words]ChrisOct 6, 2004 10:3017541
Lessons from Israel? [39 words]David W. LincolnOct 5, 2004 21:1317536
What Kind of Airport Profiling Is Effective? [46 words]Peter RonaiOct 5, 2004 20:2117535
Look to radical Islamic intentions [375 words]Paul RhoadsOct 5, 2004 18:3217534
How can "ideological" profiling be accomplished? [62 words]L.Oct 5, 2004 17:5317533
Political correctness [122 words]Carol FischerOct 5, 2004 14:1717531
Thought Police [62 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Diane KriegerOct 5, 2004 13:1017529
What if everyone looks Middle eastern? [99 words]Nick WiesenfeldOct 5, 2004 12:2617528
Looking inside their minds [68 words]Max Hocutt Ph.D.Oct 5, 2004 12:1617527

Follow Daniel Pipes

Facebook   Twitter   RSS   Join Mailing List

All materials by Daniel Pipes on this site: © 1968-2024 Daniel Pipes. daniel.pipes@gmail.com and @DanielPipes

Support Daniel Pipes' work with a tax-deductible donation to the Middle East Forum.Daniel J. Pipes

(The MEF is a publicly supported, nonprofit organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Contributions are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. Tax-ID 23-774-9796, approved Apr. 27, 1998.

For more information, view our IRS letter of determination.)