Traveling While Muslim
Salam Al-Marayati, the executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council writes in today's LA Times (here) that he and his family were detained for a bit while traveling over Thanksgiving.
The MPAC has a lot of moderate positions sprinkled around its Web site, but it is against the Patriot Act and calls racist most nations' military actions against Muslims (i.e., Putin's "desire to destroy the Chechens" who kill school children by the hundreds), even if it is a well-deserved effort to defeat terrorists. (I said "most nations" because the site doesn't criticize the rampant killing of Muslims by Muslims.) Hat tip to Rantburg (here) for noting that MPAC gave its highest honor this year to Alex Baldwin for his efforts against the Patriot Act and "other post-9/11 policies that threatened civil liberties."
So Mr. Marayati was miffed when he was pulled aside and questioned for a bit upon his return to Los Angeles. The toughest thing that happened was this:
One officer asked whether we had committed any criminal act in the past or had done anything that would warrant an investigation. I looked at my children, and my heart sank. Of course the answer was no, but just being asked such a question in front of your children was appalling.
Oh. My. Gosh. The torture of being asked if he had committed a criminal act. Let's see, if I were asked that in front of my children, I would honestly answer "No," and they would first admire me, then admire the political system that did not then try to torture a different answer out of me.
Al-Marayati concludes with this little heartstring-puller:
While sitting in the detention area, my 12-year-old son asked: "What about the Pledge of Allegiance, where it says liberty and justice is for all. Don't they have to believe in it, too?" Apparently not.
Apparently you don't get it, Mr. Al-. You were questioned legitimately and respectfully, then you were released to pursue life, liberty and happiness. That would be liberty, and it would be justice, and you would be part of the "all." Perhaps you'd be happier in Syria, Iran or Somalia.
The MPAC has a lot of moderate positions sprinkled around its Web site, but it is against the Patriot Act and calls racist most nations' military actions against Muslims (i.e., Putin's "desire to destroy the Chechens" who kill school children by the hundreds), even if it is a well-deserved effort to defeat terrorists. (I said "most nations" because the site doesn't criticize the rampant killing of Muslims by Muslims.) Hat tip to Rantburg (here) for noting that MPAC gave its highest honor this year to Alex Baldwin for his efforts against the Patriot Act and "other post-9/11 policies that threatened civil liberties."
So Mr. Marayati was miffed when he was pulled aside and questioned for a bit upon his return to Los Angeles. The toughest thing that happened was this:
One officer asked whether we had committed any criminal act in the past or had done anything that would warrant an investigation. I looked at my children, and my heart sank. Of course the answer was no, but just being asked such a question in front of your children was appalling.
Oh. My. Gosh. The torture of being asked if he had committed a criminal act. Let's see, if I were asked that in front of my children, I would honestly answer "No," and they would first admire me, then admire the political system that did not then try to torture a different answer out of me.
Al-Marayati concludes with this little heartstring-puller:
While sitting in the detention area, my 12-year-old son asked: "What about the Pledge of Allegiance, where it says liberty and justice is for all. Don't they have to believe in it, too?" Apparently not.
Apparently you don't get it, Mr. Al-. You were questioned legitimately and respectfully, then you were released to pursue life, liberty and happiness. That would be liberty, and it would be justice, and you would be part of the "all." Perhaps you'd be happier in Syria, Iran or Somalia.
posted by Laer at 10:06 AM
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