I bet everyone I don't write to has heard something like this from me at some point or other....

[derien]

"I'm always like that, it doesn't mean I'm not thinking of you, just don't have enough brain in my head to put one word in front of another."

I thought I had something else I was going to paste, but when that came out it seemed appropriate.

Here's what I had thought I was going to paste:
Go to Google, type "failure" and press "I Feel Lucky." (Brought to you by licking_suntan, the number 5 and the letter Q).

By the way - as much as I hate passengers complaining that they're being treated like criminals because of the color of their skin, I am even more disgusted by passengers who complain that we shouldn't be treating them like criminals because they're "Americans" and Americans aren't terrorists. Um, why do I get the impression they're using "Americans" as a synonym for "White" and they're f--ing racist assholes? They must have had their heads "underground" (for which you can read "so far up their asses their brains are wanting for air") to think Americans are never terrorists.

I try my damnedest to be nice to people, but in a sense I suppose, yes, we do have to treat all passengers as though they are criminals. Because they are all potential criminals, even if they'd never willingly be such. (Yes, I've ranted about the possiblity of blackmail before, so I won't go into it again.) But it's the same as in the medical field. Every health care providor has to treat every single patient as though they potentially have a disease which can kill, because they could have and not know it. The first time the nurse gets careless she/he could very well contract Hepatitis or something, and if they then don't know that and spread it to other patients through further carelessness, well... I could be the next patient to catch it from them. I guess I'd rather see a nurse being careful and treating me like I could be contagious rather than being careless - it makes me feel safer.

And yes, you don't have to tell me that if terrorists really want to do something they will find a way. Psychological effect can be very important - confusion and uncertainty engendered by psychological effect have often been important factors in catching people before they commit crimes.

Comments

[derien.livejournal.com]

For a moment I almost took offence, but then I stood back from it and decided that your worry is not unfounded. I was trying to explain was that _I_ don't think of anyone AS a criminal, and I try to be very polite and kind in everything I have to do, but that we necessarily must use Universal Precautions. However, I'm only me, and regardless of the continual browbeating we receive ("Thou shalt not profile"), there are certainly screeners who will profile.

[chn-breathmint.livejournal.com]

I'm not concerned about you per se, there's just this case where INS mistook a non-English speaking Singaporean as a Chinese illegal immigrant and deported his ass.

I'm somehow terrified I'll get deported, because it'll make my K1 visa impossible to get - it's a black mark and I don't want that.

Stakes aren't just a holiday, to wit - it's my future happiness I'm talking about and I'm loath to have it subject to the scrutinity of someone who's had a bad morning.

- Mel