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A reader took a picture of my Tweet on CNN and emailed it to me. It says, "Passngrs are demanding SMARTER security not more restrictions. Racial profiling goes against the spirit of freedom in the US"

I was recently asked by CNN to Tweet my opinion on racial profiling. That got me thinking a little deeper about the subject. Tonight I have been talking to some of my Twitter about my opinions and realized I needed more than 140 characters to express my opinion (Twitter limits you to 140 characters).

Quite simply I feel that racial profiling is very wrong and it can actually hurt our security. All over the internet people are demanding that we start racial profiling. People feel that concentrating on one type of person (normally middle eastern male in his early to middle 20’s) will make us safer. Here are the reasons why I don’t agree:

* The guy who just tried to blow up Delta flight 253 was Nigerian and he would not have fit into the typical “racial profiling” that people are looking to have. Someone who was  looking  would notice that he was paying cash, had no ID, and I am guessing showed signs of being nervous and could have stopped him.

* If we did inspect people of certain races, wouldn’t terrorist groups  just use people of different races? Remember John Walker Lindh? The American citizen who was captured in 2001 and was being trained by Al-Qaeda? With a nice shave and haircut he would NEVER be racially profiled at an airport. I am sure he is not the only person training with Al-Qaeda that doesn’t match the proper “profile”. While we spend time, effort and money training people to racially profile, terrorists would spend time training people that don’t fit that profile.

* As I said in my Tweet to CNN, we don’t need more security, but smarter security. Part of the smart is getting people who are highly trained to detect a person who is about to kill himself and a few hundred other people. No matter how much they hate America or are ready to die for their cause, that is going to make anyone a little nervous. Professional (not the people making ~$35k with a TSA patch on their shoulder) profilers are able to tell the difference between someone who is nervous to fly and someone nervous that their bomb won’t go off.

* It is just wrong. Even if I honestly thought racially profiling passengers would increase my security, I would rather be less secure than participate in a system that place people into categories based on their race. We have worked very hard as a society for the past 50+ years for racial equality and this would be a HUGE step backwards.

* Will it spread? I hate the saying “it’s a slippery slope” but it kind of works here. If we start racially profiling with flying, then why not with shoplifting or with jay-walking? I am NOT ok with even thinking about what precedent it could set.

I have seen the quote from Benjamin Franklin a lot today (mostly thanks to FlightWisdom) and it is perfect for this concept: “Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.”

Thank you to all my Twitter followers for motivating me to write this. Also be sure to read Lou Young’s, story about racial profiling (thanks to @JonUPS for pointing this out to me)

Ok discussion time, what are your thoughts?

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Thanks Rita for taking the picture

Source: David Parker Brown

Notice the size difference of the Trent 1000 engine that is being used on the Boeing 787

Most of you were right on with the photo I posted yesterday.  It is a  Boeing 747-200 that was the test bed for Rolls Royce to test the Trent 1000 for certification taken at the Future of Flight in 2007. The odd part of the photo was engine #3 was a bit larger than the other three.

The aircraft was purchased by Rolls Royce from Cathay Pacific Airlines. The engine was being tested to be used on the Boeing 787.

One of my readers, Ian, found additional pictures of the aircraft in flight from Flight Global.

Source: David Parker Brown

You don't want to get one of these!

This is a developing story so details are a bit rough at this point. While Christopher Elliot (National Geographic Traveler’s reader advocate, travel troubleshooter, and MSNBC columnist) blogged and tweeted as he was putting his kids in the bathtub, he heard a knock at the door. It was Special Agent Robert Falherty serving him a subpoena from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The subpoena gave Agent Falherty the permission to search any faxes and emails related to TSA Security Directive SD-1544-09-06. Directive 1544-09-06 spelled out all the fun new rules the TSA put into place that were widely panned (even by me).

Fancy I should choose to link to Steven Frischling’s Flying with Fish blog, since he too is reporting via Twitter that the DHS served him a warrant and searched his computer (update: he as now blogged about his DHS experience). Frischling made fun of the fact that he could see many people from the TSA and DHS reading his blog. But now it isn’t much of a joke, it is just crazy!

It seems the DHS is trying to find who leaked the TSA Directive and they are obviously willing to go to ridiculous lengths to do so.

I realize I don’t have all the facts yet, but even in the best case scenario, this is not going to look good for the DHS. It makes them look aggressive by trying to cover it up, seemingly embarrassed by their own directive. I am no legal expert, but I am pretty certain the press have protections from such violations.

Elliott and Frischling are highly respected travel and aviation journalists. When the TSA and government were silent about what was going on, you could count on them to get some answers before anyone else.

Even if DHS is in the legal right, it doesn’t make it right what they are doing. As a Twitter follower of mine said, “If [DHS] were as good on security as they are on chasing bloggers…”

I will be updating this blog as more information becomes available.

* In the gig economy, who protects journalist bloggers? from Chris Around the World
* Government harassing blogger for source of TSA directive “leak” from Gadling
* Follow all the latest developments via Twitter #tsaFAIL

UPDATE 12/30 8am: Elliott and Frischling are reporting via Twitter that the DHS came this morning and took Frischling’s computer and plan to be back around 3pm. This is getting crazier by the hour.

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Source: David Parker Brown

You don't want to get one of these!

This is a developing story so details are a bit rough at this point. Christopher Elliott, National Geographic Traveler’s reader advocate, travel troubleshooter, and MSNBC columnist blogged and tweeted as he was putting his kids in the bathtub, that he heard a knock at the door. It was Special Agent Robert Falherty serving him a subpoena from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The subpoena gave Agent Falherty the permission to search any faxes and emails related to TSA Security Directive SD-1544-09-06.  Directive  1544-09-06 were all the fun new rules the TSA put into place that were widely panned (even by me).

Fancy I should choose to link to Steven Frischling’s Flying with Fish blog, since he too is reporting via Twitter that the DHS served him a warrant and searched his computer. Frischling made fun of the fact that he could see many people from the TSA and DHS reading his blog. But now it isn’t much of a joke, it is just crazy!

It seems the DHS is trying to find who leaked the TSA Directive and are obviously willing to go to ridiculous lengths to do so.

I realize I don’t have all the facts yet, but even in the best case scenario, this is not going to look good for the DHS. It makes them look aggressive, trying to cover up, and embarrassed by their own directive. I am no legal expert, but I am pretty certain the press have protections from such violations?

Elliott and Frischling are highly respected travel and aviation journalists. When the TSA and government were silent about what was going on, you could count on them to get some answers before anyone else.

Even if DHS is in the legal right, it doesn’t make it right what they are doing. As a Twitter follower of mine said, “If [DHS] were as good on security as they are on chasing bloggers…”

I will be updating this blog as more information becomes available.

follow | web | twitter | email | rss |

Source: David Parker Brown

This Boeing 747 is parked outside the Future of Flight

Trying to read airline news now, all I see is “terrorist”, “security”, and “TSA.” Trying to do something a little lighter.

This Boeing 747 is parked outside the Future of Flight in Everett, WA. Notice anything strange with the aircraft? Any idea who might own the aircraft?

The Strato Deck (all the people on the roof) is where I caught the Boeing 787 taxi tests and the Boeing 787 first flight.

So can you spot what is odd with this 747?

SEE LARGER VERSION

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Source: David Parker Brown