Full body racial profiling

November 24, 2010 - 8:37 AM by · 1 Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, General, Israeliness, News, Technology, Travel 

No matter who you talk to in the United States, there’s a strong opinion about the security measures at airports recently instituted by Transportation Security Administration agents.

Whether you choose a full body search or a pat down in intimate areas, there’s something for everyone to complain about. And between Saturday Night Live’s spoof and the “Don’t touch my junk” viral video, it’s clear that Americans aren’t going to spread their legs willingly – at least not for security’s sake.

That’s probably why more Americans are looking to the Israeli model of airport security as the way to go. A Washington Post and ABC network poll revealed this week that 70% of Americans support adopting the Israeli profiling system and its implementation in US airports.

As any traveler from Ben-Gurion airport knows, the Israeli security personnel probe without using their hands – by asking lots of questions, and focusing on passengers who pose greater security risks. Yes, we’re talking about Muslims, and any passenger who may appear to be nervous, shifty, or excited.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs explained on Monday that the reason US authorities refused to adopt Israeli methods was because “Israel has one international airport and we have 450 of them that makes all the difference”.

It’s not clear exactly how that makes a difference, but as the clamor will likely continue to grow in the US against body scans and pat downs, the kinder, gentler behavioral profiling that Israel employs is going to start looking more attractive.

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Here we go again

October 27, 2008 - 1:27 AM by · 1 Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, General, Politics 

kadima_elections.jpg
So, it’s all but a foregone conclusion that we’re headed for early elections. Just what this country needs.

Kadima leader Tzippi Livni, claiming that she wasn’t ready to give in to the ‘blackmail’ of potential coalition partners like Shas, took the high road and went to President Shimon Peres today and returned the mandate he entrusted her with last month to form a new government.

So barring some unforeseen blip, and owing to the convoluted manner the president and the Knesset parties must behave now, we’re looking at mid-Feburary for election day. And guess who’s prime minister til then? Ehud Olmert.
Ain’t Israeli politics grand?

I’m actually looking forward to the campaigning, because the televised election ads are among the most entertaining moments of TV since the original Saturday Night Live in the mid-1970s.

That’s about the only consolation to the whole ordeal, because whether Livni and Kadim come out on top again (highly unlikely), the Labor Party and Ehud Barak make a comeback (even unlikelier), or the Likud and Bibi Netanyahu clean up (Lord help us because it’s very likely), the resulting coalition will be very similar to The Who’s “Won’t Get Fooled Again”, which goes “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.”

I’m sure that despite the fateful issues and decisions facing us, the next elections will have a record low turnout. Until we start producing some new blood and new ideas, more and more Israelis are going to continue turning off to politics. And it’s a time when we can ill afford to leave our fate to others to decide.

Maybe the environmental Green Party will finally galvanize voters and become this next election’s Pensioners’ party or Shinui – a dark horse coming out of nowhere.to capture the minds and hearts of the population.

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