Profiling or Security? Take yer pick

SKM, thank you for seeing some of what I was trying to say. My grandfather did not do what he did because he was in a minority viewpoint, but because he felt it was necessary for one, and later he was truly ashamed of what Germany had done and allowed to have done in the name of that country.
That said I have to just bring this up. If you look under my profile you will find that history is one of my interests. I know most people find it very boring, but I find it extremely interesting. One can not understand what and why things happen now if one refuses to learn history. So let me launch into this. What you wrote about Israeli and Palastinine history is only partially right. To me somewhat skewed towards the Palastinines. Palastine was not taken from the Palastinines by the British, Britian obtained the area after WWI from the Ottoman empire, one of the losers of the first WW. In fact that why Iran, Iraq, Lebenon, Jordon, etc... are what they are now. The area was split between France and Britian. By WWI there were already many Zionists in the area, most from Eastern Europe seeking to leave the pograms of that area behind them. After WWI the speed of settlers in the area that were Jewish increased, speeding up even faster after Hitler came to power. The vast majority of Jews at that time settled in areas that no one else wanted. We all know what happened to the Jews in WWII. By 1948 the clamour for Israel as an independent Jewish state was loud enough for the UN to vote to give the area of Palastine that was heavily settled by Jews to them as an independent state. The following day all of their Arab neighbors attacked them. This war is called the War of Independence. It breed Ariel Sharon, Mechan Begin and many other prominant Jewish politicians. The Palastinines chimed right in with the Arabs and against the Jews at this time. They lost their land, they lost their farms and their very lives. After the Israelis beat back their aggressors they denied the Palastinines the right to come back to their homes, even the ones that had simply abandoned their homes because they were afraid to be caught up in the war. To the Israeli's who had to fight for their very existance, so close to the murder of 6 million European Jews it mattered not a lick whether a Palastinine had actively fought against them or not. They were the enemy and were treated as such. It is from this time that the Palastinines have claimed the right of return. Please note that the West Bank and Gaza Strip came into the realm of Israel because of the 6 day war in 1967. Again Israel was threatened by her Arab neighbors, the Egyptians were massed in the Sinai Penisula, Syria had been bombing from the Golan Heights, Egypt cut off the only shipping in or out of Israel, trying to remember but, somehow Jordon was also involved. In any case Israel decided to attack first instead of waiting for what appeared to be the rest of the Arab troops that would be massed on both sides of their border, in essence creating a pincer movement on a very small country. Israel nearly wiped out the entire Egyptian Air Force in a matter of hours, and within 6 days had bested those that had vowed to drive Israel into the sea. Again the Palastinines were on the side of the Arabs, half or better of the population of Jordon are Palastinines. The Israeli's have kept the West Bank and Gaza Strips as a buffer and protection zone. The Sinai Penisula was given back to Eygpt when Sadat recoginzed Israel and it's right to exist. The first land for peace deal.
There have been other wars and I am giving a very simplified version of what took place. This issue is not black and white as much as the Arabs or Palastinines would have you look at it that way. I will be frank and say I believe that the US should support Israel and continue to support Israel. It is the only democraticlly elected government in the area, not only in the middle east, but keep looking further and you will find not one government that can come close to being what the Israeli government is. The only reason that the Saudi's, the Iraqi's and the Iranians have taken up the cause is to avoid having to actually do something for their own people. The Palastinines are not Arabs, the Iraqi's are Persians, definately not Arab or Palastinines. I think it is useful to look at the entire region in the context of how it was governed under the Ottoman empire, a strongly militaristic muslim government and it is easy to see why the area is what it is. I take great issue with the "poor" Palastinines. Oh, sob for them. I don't. It has been the refusal of not only them, but the other Muslim countries to refuse to accept Israel as a country because they are Jewish and not Muslim that has led to so much anger and bloodshed. The death of every Jewish person, man, woman or child has been cheered from each of those surrounding countries since the early 20th century. My country and my fellow citizens have been targeted because we intend to stand on the side of democracy and against the idea that it is ok to kill and main civilians for political purposes, or like lately for God and of course your 72 virgins in Heaven. I hear on MSNBC that 70% of young Palastinines say they would be happy to be a suicide bomber and somehow I am supposed to feel sorry for a people that feel that downtrodden that they would feel the need to resort to this. Horse Puckey. It has more to do with the glorification from the leaders of those that will kill themselves in order to kill others, than it does with the "humilation" and "betrayal" they feel every day. It is the sick parent that glorifies this act, that feels it is the way to serve the cause or the God that they believe in. Does anyone even once consider how different things might have been had the Palastinine leadership been willing to accept Israel? To accept the Jews in their midst as neighbors? This whole thing has been a two way street, it most certainly has not been the Israeli's just always being the butthole. They have felt that they had to fight for their very survival from the beginning. Hell, Arafat wasn't even born in Palastine, he was born in Eygpt. His family, who are Palastinines emigrated back to Palastine in the 1930's if memory serves me right.
Sorry, I could go on and on. I truly do love history. I don't mean to sound like a know it all, it's just my thing. And I personally believe that one must know all the facts, not just the ones filtered through the media. And I also believe that those who yammer about the land the Israel's have taken, should think a bit about the land they are currently on and whose it was to begin with. Me, I'd have to give my place back to the Algonquin Indians. Or maybe the Potawanamee. In any case it sure as heck wasn't land that was owned by some white family even 150 years ago. I don't believe that Israel has always been right, but I also think that it is essential to not give an inch to those that would blow up children. Be it their own children or others children, and who make it even more gross by making it something that is good in the eyes of God.
Suzy K you make me blush! Thank you for your kind words. SKM, I don't mean to make your feelings trival, I just think that one has to see what has occured historically to begin to understand the conflict. Of course you can also look at it as a 5,000 year old inheritance feud too. In any case I don't believe we can afford to give in to people who fly planes into building with the clear intent to murder as many of them as they can, or to people who send 18 year old boys and girls to kill themselves and as many others as they can. There were many, many things that were wrong with the Roman empire but in the end it was the barbarians at the gate that brought down a mighty empire.

Ok, I know I am windy tonight but one last thing. I am really ****** that 200 armed Palastinines opted to make a last stand in the Church of the Nativity. I know there are Christians out there that don't think much about it, but I do. That bacsillica was established by the mother of Emperor Constantine somewhere in 300 something, though there is little of the original building that exists. Just think of the hoopla if even a minor mosque were taken over by armed Americans. But I'm not supposed to say anything that would offend? I find it incredibly offensive that men with guns are inside the church that is supposed to be the birthplace of Christ. They know the Israeli's won't bomb it or bulldose it, what better place to hide? Now they want everyone to feel sorry for them, are asking Colin Powell to negogiate their being able to get out of the building alive, they have no food left. I want them out too, right into jail where they belong.
Ok, done ranting tonight.

AGREE! I am a blonde, blue eyed middle aged long haired/balding male, who knows I could have been a Eastern block trained terrorist or a drug dealer both of which area group I would not on a plane or doing illict acts on the plane. I would hope that they checked out anyone including myself, if I fit a profile that could be one of those perps

Suzy,
I don't think anyone here suggests not searching people to avoid offending them. I don't know where that's coming from. I think most people want EVERYONE searched, including those who aren't dark skinned 17-40 year old men.

...you've gone into the history of that region much more than I did...I'm not a history buff but I know that the Israelis aren't totally innocent in this whole thing either...I'm not saying that the Palestinians are innocent ...it does take two to tangle as they say. My only concern here is not to become blinded by raw emotions to the point of becoming bigoted....many Palantinines-Amercians as well as East Indians & other Arabs have been attacked by Americans, just after the 9/11 attacks...sadly, many targeted were little children who are just as innocent as those people who died on 9/11. We Americans were understandably upset but to attack innocent people just to get an eye for an eye isn't right either. That's another reason why I'm against racial profiling...too many innocent people are affected by it. I just don't want us to turn to racial hatred as a means to an end.

As far as any country who had been occupied & then conquered...they should have the right to fight for their land until all resources have been exhausted...like the Native Americans did for example. So many countries, down through the centuries, have been occupied & conquered...& I'll bet that those people fought it off tooth & nail to the bitter end...it didn't make them wrong (or even deserve the label of extremists).

Susy, what I stated was... I never said anything about asking people to state their philosophies prior to boarding an airplane, bus, or train. I never stated I'm confused as to where you got that idea as I'm confused as to where you got the notion that people are to be over-looked & not searched due to their racial or religious differences. I never said that either...what I did say was... ...this was just one circumstance...& I also stated... as well as... ...maybe I should've included...since 9/11.

For the third time now...I'm not taking any sides regarding what's going on between the Israelis & the Palestinians even though the Palestinians have all been unfairly labeled as being Terrorists because a few decided to highjack those airplanes & killed thousands of innocent people on 9/11...they're country is no more responsible for it's terrorists as the rest of us are for the Oklahoma bombing terrorist(s).

Look, these are people with serious issues between them that's not going to just go away...but we must at least have some background as to why the terrorists as well as the Palatinates people are so ******-off at America (i.e. us supplying their enemy with weapons against them). I'm not suggesting that we agree or side with them, but we have to know where they're coming from in order to deal with the issue...that's one way to start solving some of those issues, JMHO. - Moe

Just a picky point, none of the high jackers were Palestinians. Most were Saudis, that's a whole different ball of wax....

Susy, just speaking for myself, I am not in favor of profiling because profiling means ONLY picking out people with dark skin and searching them. That's wrong and dumb and racist. I am in favor of searching people equally! I don't understand why Israel has time to search everyone, but Americans and Canadians think it would be impossible to do the same thing here.