Be careful what you say at the airport…and what you wear. Or so seems to be the case at JFK airport recently. Raed Jarrar walks through security at the airport ,gets the double-check treatment (fine, happens to everyone), but then after he sits down to enjoy a delicious meal of grapes, cheese and orange juice (terrorist food, if ever there was such a thing), he gets the third degree from an airport cop and the Jet Blue lady . His crime? Wearing a t-shirt that read (in both English and Arabic), “we will not be silent”.
Obviously assuming that he is not a member of the Deaf Mute Association of America, he’s questioned rather intensely and asked if he has another shirt he can put on. He refuses and is asked if they can all “end this the nice way”. By that I assume she meant put on another t-shirt and then enjoy some tasty blue chips with your grapes.
Look, I’m as frightened of terrorists on planes as the next guy, but simply wearing a shirt in Arabic smacks of pure profiling silliness. No? Correct me if I’m wrong. You can read his acount here.