240,000 dollars awarded to man forced to cover Arab T-shirt

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

I do too. Because why is it necessary to wear a shirt, in Arabic that many people cannot understand, that says "We will not be silent". Who is "we" and why won't you "be silent"? What is the silence about? That shit just makes people nervous and I'm sorry, call me racist but if I was at an airport and saw someone, whatever they look like Arab or not, wearing this shirt I'd be nervous.

The shirt was obviously not meant for you to understand. "We will not be silent" I assume refers to arabs (american and non-american) who won't remain silent, hide or avoid the spotlight so that we (non-arabs) won't feel nervous. He has a right to wear any shirt he wants as long as it doesn't say, "I have a bomb, and I'm going to blow up this airplane!" Unfortunately, the acts of a few extremists has made it okay to discriminate against everyone that speaks arabic. I wish the guy had been awarded more so that people would actually think twice about this issue!

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

The shirt was obviously not meant for you to understand. "We will not be silent" I assume refers to arabs (american and non-american) who won't remain silent, hide or avoid the spotlight so that we (non-arabs) won't feel nervous. He has a right to wear any shirt he wants as long as it doesn't say, "I have a bomb, and I'm going to blow up this airplane!" Unfortunately, the acts of a few extremists has made it okay to discriminate against everyone that speaks arabic. I wish the guy had been awarded more so that people would actually think twice about this issue!

How would you know what it said? This guy was looking for attention.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

How would you know what it said? This guy was looking for attention.

SO ARREST HIM OR KICK HIM OUT OF THE AIRPORT OR WHATEVER!

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

SO ARREST HIM OR KICK HIM OUT OF THE AIRPORT OR WHATEVER!

I don't agree with that.

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

How would you know what it said? This guy was looking for attention.

Just because a man has arabic writing on his shirt does not make him suspicious. The saying was not meant for me or you or anyone who doesn't speak or read arabic. I wouldn't know what it said, and it doesn't matter. He can wear anything he wants on a plane. Would you feel the same if the writing was in yiddish, chinese, japanese, spanish, etc?

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Just because a man has arabic writing on his shirt does not make him suspicious. The saying was not meant for me or you or anyone who doesn't speak or read arabic. I wouldn't know what it said, and it doesn't matter. He can wear anything he wants on a plane. Would you feel the same if the writing was in yiddish, chinese, japanese, spanish, etc?

If it was Spanish I wouldn't feel the same cuz I could read it. And last time I checked it's been a while since a Chinese or Japanese person killed thousands of people using airplanes.

I am around Arabs every day. I went to school in Dearborn for gosh sakes... the most Arab populated city in the country. I've never once felt threatened by any of them. But someone, from a religious background the same as monsters who devastated so many lives, doing something in an airport that is obviously for attention, makes me nervous.

My mixed feelings come from the way he was treated. Yes I think he did it for attention. No I don't think he should have been treated the way he was. I love having freedom of speech but I think sometimes people take it too far.

Out of curiosity, how would you feel if he was wearing one of those red bandana things around his head like the terrorists put on right before they took the planes over? Would that make you nervous or would you feel like "I don't wana racially profile".

[AOII Angel]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

If it was Spanish I wouldn't feel the same cuz I could read it. And last time I checked it's been a while since a Chinese or Japanese person killed thousands of people using airplanes.

I am around Arabs every day. I went to school in Dearborn for gosh sakes... the most Arab populated city in the country. I've never once felt threatened by any of them. But someone, from a religious background the same as monsters who devastated so many lives, doing something in an airport that is obviously for attention, makes me nervous.

My mixed feelings come from the way he was treated. Yes I think he did it for attention. No I don't think he should have been treated the way he was. I love having freedom of speech but I think sometimes people take it too far.

Out of curiosity, how would you feel if he was wearing one of those red bandana things around his head like the terrorists put on right before they took the planes over? Would that make you nervous or would you feel like "I don't wana racially profile".

It actually wouldn't bother me at all. Did the terrorists wear shirts with arabic writing emblazoned on the front on the flights on 9/11? No, so it's like apples and oranges. This is no different than crossing the road to get away from young black men because you know that some young black men have mugged people in the past. At some point,you have to accept that you can't go around expecting all people different from you to be evil.

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

If it was Spanish I wouldn't feel the same cuz I could read it. And last time I checked it's been a while since a Chinese or Japanese person killed thousands of people using airplanes.

I am around Arabs every day. I went to school in Dearborn for gosh sakes... the most Arab populated city in the country. I've never once felt threatened by any of them. But someone, from a religious background the same as monsters who devastated so many lives, doing something in an airport that is obviously for attention, makes me nervous.

My mixed feelings come from the way he was treated. Yes I think he did it for attention. No I don't think he should have been treated the way he was. I love having freedom of speech but I think sometimes people take it too far.

Out of curiosity, how would you feel if he was wearing one of those red bandana things around his head like the terrorists put on right before they took the planes over? Would that make you nervous or would you feel like "I don't wana racially profile".

Your first sentence is what caught my eye. If you could read it...well if you could you'd feel safe. You have fear, which can be a healthy and natural thing, but I think it is misdirected here. It is okay to be scared in life, but it isn't okay to be irrational in the process. There were sarin gas attacks in Japanese subways that were considered a terrorist attack, and some people believe the actions of the Chinese toward Tibetans are terrorist acts as well; however you cannot ethcially and in good conscience associate anything Arabic with terrorism. If you went to school in Dearborn, and I know there are lots of Middle Eastern people and practicing Muslims in your community, you have to know some good people.

There are people in my church (locally, nationally, world wide) who are Middle Eastern and speak Arabic, not everyone is an Islamic extremist with fatwas and a jihad, I wish you could see that and let the hate and fear out of your heart, it makes me sad.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

If it was Spanish I wouldn't feel the same cuz I could read it. And last time I checked it's been a while since a Chinese or Japanese person killed thousands of people using airplanes.

White people killed thousands of American Indians, clearly they should be scared of me wearing a shirt that has English writing into a reservation.

Your ancestors fucking WORKED WITH THE NAZIS. This is such an inane argument I can't believe we're having it.

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

I am around Arabs every day. I went to school in Dearborn for gosh sakes... the most Arab populated city in the country. I've never once felt threatened by any of them.

THIS INVALIDATES YOUR WHOLE POINT GAAAAH.

B

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

ut someone, from a religious background the same as monsters who devastated so many lives, doing something in an airport that is obviously for attention, makes me nervous.

If they're doing it for ATTENTION they are clearly not concerned with BLOWING UP PLANES. Remember how attackers keep a low profile, lest they be caught?

Do you see how illogical you're being here?

[PM_Mama00]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

White people killed thousands of American Indians, clearly they should be scared of me wearing a shirt that has English writing into a reservation.

Your ancestors fucking WORKED WITH THE NAZIS. This is such an inane argument I can't believe we're having it.

My ancestors were Sicilian, not Italian.

And yes, had that happened right after the white people killed the Native Americans, hell yeah they should be scared. Should African Americans be scared if a skinhead came through their neighborhood? Should Jewish people be scared if a Nazi came through theirs?

Yes this has nothing to do with the topic at hand. But oh well. Being attacked for my thoughts and beliefs is fun.

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

.....and I'm sorry, call me racist but.....

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

.....So I choose not to answer you anymore.

....I'm sorry but that's the living truth and I'm not going to be ridiculed for stating my thoughts and feelings on it.

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

But oh well. Being attacked for my thoughts and beliefs is fun.

Couple of things....

"Truth" and "fact" are not necessarily the same thing. One's "truth" can be absolutely ridiculous, and one can absolutely be expected to be ridiculed for it. Facts are not usually ridiculed, if you ask me.

Have you been attacked? I wouldn't say so -- I see a group of people who don't ordinarily agree with each other (or me) questioning your opinions. That happens to all of us every day on GC, no matter how hot some of us are.

I generally think you've said some pretty out there stuff, racially speaking, so this doesn't really surprise me that you would feel this way on this particular topic. But knowing how GC gets regarding these topics, maybe you want to craft your opinions in such a way that they come across as more intellectual than emotional.

I'm not saying that you sound stupid or emotional, but it just doesn't seem that your concerns are coming from a place that many people who have replied already can relate to.

Not that you're here to make friends or have people agree with you, it just seems like this whole thread won't end with any particular new understanding.

And if you've read this far, I just want to say that the term "joker" is stupid and should be abolished.

Thanks for your time.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

My ancestors were Sicilian, not Italian.

You ignored the substantive portion to focus on this?

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

And yes, had that happened right after the white people killed the Native Americans, hell yeah they should be scared. Should African Americans be scared if a skinhead came through their neighborhood? Should Jewish people be scared if a Nazi came through theirs?

This is an improper analogy, since you don't know whether a Muslim is an extremist. Instead you should say:

"Should African Americans be scared if a white person came through their neighborhood? Should Jewish people be scared if a German came through theirs?"

... because this guy is Muslim. He's not a Muslim Extremist (nee "Terrorist"), at least by appearances.

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

Yes this has nothing to do with the topic at hand. But oh well. Being attacked for my thoughts and beliefs is fun.

You're not being attacked, you're being questioned and asked to justify. That's OK - maybe I was a bit over the top, but when you claim something outlandish or beyond the pale, you'll have to defend the claim. This is a meritocracy, not Kindergarten - your ideas are not automatically "ok" just because they exist.

[ThetaPrincess24]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

My ancestors were Sicilian, not Italian.

And yes, had that happened right after the white people killed the Native Americans, hell yeah they should be scared. Should African Americans be scared if a skinhead came through their neighborhood? Should Jewish people be scared if a Nazi came through theirs?

Yes this has nothing to do with the topic at hand. But oh well. Being attacked for my thoughts and beliefs is fun.

I was scared and pissed off when I was walking down the Vegas strip after Christmas and some arabs/palestinians/middle-easterners shouted "Death to Israel" to some Jews who were simply driving down the strip wishing people happy holidays and a happy new year (a nice gesture that had nothing to do with politics or current issues). Husband and I moved to the other side of the strip in both fear of something happening and fear of what we may say in anger to spark an argument/dispute.

I will stand up and support PM_Mama on this issue.

[starang21]

Originally Posted by PM_Mama00

I am around Arabs every day. I went to school in Dearborn for gosh sakes... the most Arab populated city in the country. I've never once felt threatened by any of them.

i'm not racist, my best friend's middle eastern. i even had one in my house a few years ago.

[DaemonSeid]

Originally Posted by starang21

i'm not racist, my best friend's middle eastern. i even had one in my house a few years ago.

I just have one deliver pizza 10 mins ago....MMmmmm...Im still alive!