Beware: You may be blacklisted from flying!

[Anarchist Patriot]

http://cbsnewyork.com/topstories/lo..._036144559.html

Are You On Uncle Sam's No Fly List?

A CBS 2 Special Report

Feb 5, 2004 11:00 pm US/Eastern
NEW YORK (CBS) The war on terror casts a wide net and has so far prevented a second September 11th. But is that net too wide? CBS 2 has learned of a top secret government list of Americans who are not allowed on any commercial airlines.

Are they terrorists or violent criminals or something else? CBS 2's Cheryl Fiandaca investigates.

The airport counter: This is as far as Rebecca Gordon and Janet Adams say they are allowed to go at San Francisco International Airport. The last time they checked in for a flight to Boston to visit Gordon's 80-year-old father, an airline employee called the police.

"She came back and said you turned up on the FBI no-fly list. We have called the San Francisco police. We were shocked, really shocked,” recalled Adams.

"We were detained. We were definitely detained. I couldn't even get a drink of water," Gordon remembered.

So why would two women in their 50's, U.S. citizens, San Francisco homeowners and long-time peace activists with no criminal records be on a federal watch list with suspected terrorists?

That's just one of the questions the couple wanted answers to.

An ACLU attorney tells CBS 2 the government won’t even tell them if Gordon and Adams are on the list.

Last April, the ACLU of Northern California filed suit against the Transportation Security Administration and the FBI on behalf of the pair and demanded answers to basic questions, including how many people are on the secret list, who is on the it, how do you get on it and how can you get off it.

This what they got back: hundreds of pages of blacked out text that give them no answers to any of their questions.

"The government has blacked out the information about what criteria they use to place people on these lists. So we don't know how someone gets on the list. How they can get off the list if they're on it incorrectly, we don't know. If the government monitors the list, we don't know if any of this makes us any safer. What we do know is hundreds, maybe thousands, of passengers are being routinely hassled, innocent passengers, because of these lists," ACLU attorney Jayashri Srikantiah told CBS 2.

Civil rights activists don't dispute the governments right to keep a watchlist, but they do have a problem with who's on it and why.

"It's very scary that our government is keeping a list. That's scary," Adams said

[james?]

Another huge leap towards an Orwellian state. Motherfuckers.

[AnonT]

I saw an article online not too long ago about a Green Party activist being prevented from flying. I wish I could find a link.

[Poetic_Justice]

Ahh, we seem to have travelled back to the McCartney days. I remember o my recent trip to the states I was apalled by what I saw. First, there WERE random security checks, but EVERY arab-descent type man was "randomly" checked. As were most African-Americans. I too was detained, though I was white, which temporarily gave me hope that there were no double standards. Then when they started the metal detector they noticed my Canada flag pin on my lapel, at which point they went "OH, you're Canadian?" and stopped their search and allowed me to immediately board. This brought up three thoughts in my head, one, man am I glad to be a Canadian, two, what, can't we Canadians get some respect? I'm sure we could cause some damage if we REALLY wanted too and three, how disgustingly biased this process is.

[AnonT]

When I flew a couple years ago (within a few months after 9-11), they were pulling about 5-10 people per plane aside to do random bag searches. It was totally random. I got pulled to have my bag searched, and I'm white, and many whites did as well on all the flights I was on.
That may have changed as the fear has subsided and people are letting their old prejudices get the better of them.

[terstorm]

I'm black and I've never gotten searched at airports. It really depends on where you fly out of...I only fly out of small regional airports.

the trick is to keep a yellow ribbon on your carryon or wear something "patriotic." and look preppy. They probably won't search you then.

[Pooeypants]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (james?,)
Another huge leap towards an Orwellian state. Motherfuckers.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>
Careful there, you might get a visit from the thought police and have a nice time in room 101.

[james?]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Pooeypants,)
</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (james?,)
Another huge leap towards an Orwellian state. Motherfuckers.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>
Careful there, you might get a visit from the thought police and have a nice time in room 101.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>

lol good point.

[TheColdTruth]

only problem about 1984 is he never fought back really. he should've killed that fucker who was torturing him. I know I would have. pacifism is part of the problem. fo course, just talking about it on here and not doing anything about it is part of the problem too. We need action. We need information to spread and people willing to act for freedom. Armed revolt? By all means. Terroisms, in the time of our forefathers, was called being a patriot.

[Haik]

Flying out of Kennedy in NYC a in 2002 I believe...Thoroughly searched me, to the point where they broke the head part off of my belt for some reason..Good times. I remember it also got extremely quiet in there when a group of people in traditional islamic clothing arrived at the check in gate. (I'm not muslim btw )

[laserkid]

I've been pulled over randomly in airport checks and I'm a typical white pasty man, so I'm not quite sure the system is biased, not saying it isnt but thats not been my experience.

Anyway, onto the list, theres nothing wrong with HAVING a list BUT - Citizens SHOULD have the right to see if they are on the list or not, if so why, and what they can do about getting OFF of it. Its part of our rights - we have the right to know what we're charged of.

[Mia]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (Poetic_Justice,)
Ahh, we seem to have travelled back to the McCartney days. I remember o my recent trip to the states I was apalled by what I saw. First, there WERE random security checks, but EVERY arab-descent type man was "randomly" checked. As were most African-Americans. I too was detained, though I was white, which temporarily gave me hope that there were no double standards. Then when they started the metal detector they noticed my Canada flag pin on my lapel, at which point they went "OH, you're Canadian?" and stopped their search and allowed me to immediately board. This brought up three thoughts in my head, one, man am I glad to be a Canadian, two, what, can't we Canadians get some respect? I'm sure we could cause some damage if we REALLY wanted too and three, how disgustingly biased this process is.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>


I think you're right. 80 year old white women are carriers of suicide bombs every bit as often as youngish Arab men.

My best friend is arab and he has no problem with being "profiled". He wants terrorists off his flight as much as any one else and thinks it's a waste of time to search people not likely to be one.

Last year when they were being so politically correct he was not searched but an old white man was and he felt so sorry for him and was actually mad they didn't search him - he fits the profile! And the fact they left him alone means they passed over other more likely suspects therefore putting him in danger.

This year, however, he was searched each time and was annoyed but that's just part of it right now. He doesn't feel discriminated against - he feels they are being logical and it's UNFORTUNATE that it unfairly targets so many inocents but we can't be TOO PC all the time!

Americans are hassled more in other countries right now too. It sucks but we have to suck it up.

I don't mean only Arab people should be searched - that is stupid. But there has to be a heavier influence on people who fit a profile, doesn't there?

[Mia]

</span><blockquote><span class="smallfont">Quote:</span><hr size="1" />Originally Posted by (AnonT,)
When I flew a couple years ago (within a few months after 9-11), they were pulling about 5-10 people per plane aside to do random bag searches. It was totally random. I got pulled to have my bag searched, and I'm white, and many whites did as well on all the flights I was on.
That may have changed as the fear has subsided and people are letting their old prejudices get the better of them.<hr size="1" /></blockquote><span class='postcolor'>



They were very PC at that time - it has changed now. Arabs are singled out a lot more.

[Mia]

Quote by: james?, Careful there, you might get a visit from the thought police and have a nice time in room 101.

lol good point.[/quote]

With the new Patriot Act you're right - need to be more careful ;-)