Rusted Sky

Brit Hume interviewed Democratic State Assemblyman Dov Hikind of Brooklyn. The transcript is interesting, considering the attitudes normally shown by Democrats. I predict this gent will get no support from the Democratic Party come the next elections. Which is a shame - because he's actually observing what's going on, and using common sense and thinking about those things he's seen in a way quite beyond what you'd normally expect from someone with a (D) after their name.

FOXNews.com - Special Report w/ Brit Hume - Interview - The Realities of Racial Profiling

HIKIND: Those involved in Madrid, those involved July 7 in London, and those who attempted to kill the people of London on July 21, if you look at the entire group, it is so obvious that this group, they have certain things in common. They are young, they are Muslim, they are of Middle Eastern or South Asian background.

HUME: They’re men.

HIKIND: They’re men. They’re young men. To simply avoid this fact in trying to fight the War on Terrorism and trying to avoid another catastrophe is nuts. It doesn’t make sense.

I’m not saying that, if 15 Muslim men come into a subway station, search all of them. Maybe search none of them, if the police officer feels there’s no need. But the police officer should not be concerned about searching every single one of them if that is what the police officer feels is necessary.

Note the last words there? "IF NECESSARY".

...

HUME:If we’re looking for dark-skinned men of what we imagine to be Middle Eastern descent, that we think may be Muslims, are we not likely, if we place the amount of judgment you seem prepared to take in the hands of individual police officers, to end up with a lot of people who are hassled on the way to work, who will end up feeling like they’re simply going to work while black or trying to travel while black?

HIKIND: Brit, we have no choice. You know, it’s very real out there, in terms of those who want to create havoc in our city, in our country. I have a son-in-law who is of Iranian descent. When he comes to an airport, especially with his name, he gets a lot more questions, a lot more checking of him. People in my community...

HUME: How does he feel about that?

HIKIND: Well, you know, it’s not pleasant. But I think there’s an understanding that we live in a world today — I would love to see the Muslim community and other communities stand with me side-by-side and say that they understand that these are difficult times, that there is no intention of directing anything against them, but the reality we cannot escape.

We can’t escape the profile, the profile of those who committed the dastardly acts of September 11. And looking at all the pictures of all the young men who committed the acts. You know, we need to act seriously.

We haven't been. Random searchs may make people feel good, or at least less targeted. But in all honesty, if I were a terrorist who fit a certain profile I'd LOVE to see random searches instead of profile-directed searches. All I'd need to do is figure out the pattern - and there is one, whether it's every 5, 10, 20 people - and insert myself where I wouldn't get searched.

Yes, it's that easy when you say you can't stop someone based on a profile.

J.