This morning I was in an airport, waiting to board a plane to come to speak at Ohio State University, which I just did. My flight was delayed, so I opened up the laptop and began to work. Not too long after I began, however, I was approached by two very kind but unmistakably forceful policemen. They explained that they had been told that I was looking at a website about jihad, and they'd like to ask me a few questions.
Of course I was able to explain to them that I was on their side, and that was the end of the matter. But there were a few things that I did not do:
1. Complain about the profiling of swarthy men with black beards.
2. Whine about discrimination.
3. Claim that law enforcement had obviously declared open season on anti-jihad activists.
4. Threaten to sue.
5. Call the ACLU.
I'm glad I was questioned. It shows someone was on the ball -- obviously there was no way to tell from a glance at my screen that Jihad Watch is part of the anti-jihad resistance. I'm glad that political correctness and fear of "profiling" didn't keep the police from approaching me.
Muslims who may find themselves subjected to extra scrutiny at airports should, if they have nothing to hide and truly abhor jihad terrorism as we are told again and again that they do in overwhelming numbers, likewise cooperate with alacrity with authorities.
And in the airport next time I will find a seat against the wall.
Glad yourre reading the site ,Hope you caught my great stuff.
You know, Robert, most people do not know that anything-Watch means anti. So for them Bushwatch is a pro-Bush site, just as PamelaAndersonWatch would be a pro Pam Anderson site. I suppose BayWatch is also a Pro bay site.
So when people see jihadwatch, they think it is a pro jihad site, a site for people who wish to watch all the great jihadings going on.
And it make sense. Do you watch what you like, or what you hate? Generally, we watch what pleases us, not what displeases us. So for many people, jihadwatch could be a problematic term. And jihadwatchwatch, is for people who enjoy watching those who in turn enjoy watching jihad.
Perhaps you need to change the name to Downwithjihad.org.
No confusing that.
Did you give them business cards of jihad watch and encourage them to read it?
Great story thanks for the laugh. I routinely read your site in airports and never had a problem but there is always a first time. Look, you made me paranoid, lol. In all honesty I am glad they picked you over some little old lady from Pasadena. I travel enough that I sometimes question why and how they always seem to pick old white ladies. I figured it is some sick grandma thing left over from their childhood.
"Watch" could be anti or pro depending on whats being done. For example "Media watch" would be a "watchdog" of the media. In all truth the person who glanced his screen just viewed the word "Jihad" which if you are about to board a airplane is good enough for me. If Mr. Spencer started screaming Jihadwatch in a airport terminal he would no doubt be arrested however.
Jihad, Bomb, Allah Akbar etc are all key words for a trip to the holding cell until furthur analysis can be done.
Thanks for doing what you do Robert.
So, does this mean wristwatch would be anti gay?
Long live Jihad Watch, Robert Spencer (PBUH) and all its contributors!
You are so right. If you had been a Muslim and contacted CAIR, they would have had a press conference, declared the airport employees as anti-Muslim, and initiated a lawsuit. Funny how that is.
You deserve to be reported, as often as possible. You look suspicious.
Robert, you should make demands and burn something. Contact the ACLU and ask them to defend your right to cause problems in airports.
LOL, Hugh.
I wonder if Robert's seating wasn't the reason they saw what he was viewing. Could the airport officials rather be monitoring wireless access on their network?
If so, bravo for them.
Robert may indeed have a suspicious appearance, but the little old lady from Pasadena might be communicating with Islamic Jihad about happenings at the airport.
At any rate, it's a great story, Robert. Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Haid
It's not easy to bring the muslim threat discussion into everyday parlance as it seems people are either embarassed or unwilling to discuss or face it.
Your being approached is really a good sign.
Maybe also a sign of change.
A great sense of humor you have Mr. Spencer!
But please don't quit your day job.
Profiling! Yes!
I take it as a good sign when I am profiled for being swarthy and semetic featured.
PLEASE PROFILE ME, because you will get nothing but support from me and you may actually catch a terrorist (and make the trip nicer for a few blue haired grannies who just want to board the plane with their shoes on).
Comet, Watch as a suffix is never pro.
But it was also Robert's swarthy mid-east appearance and dark beard that probably had that person interested in what he was reading, in the first place. If he was wearing that hospital garb that muslims wear, he would put bin laden to shame.
My own mother was initially confused by the name of the site.
Didn't take long to explain.
Now she's proud.
This may be totally "off the cuff" but your experience reminds me of an incident at a local airport as I was heading to Ft Hood for a "temp" assignment back in march, 2002. My carry-on was specifically examined and I was told that my stethoscope was to be confiscated. I explained that I was an Army medical officer and that this particular piece of equipment was sort of necessary for what I do for a living. The TSA folks kindly explained that theoretically I could use this as a weapon, as possibly a way to strangle someone. I thought about that response for a moment and then removed my belt. I held my belt out for them to confiscate as well and I replied that this could theoretically be a weapon as well. I then noted the one TSA employee motion to someone over my shoulder and 2 young NG troops came over to investigate . After a brief exchange of showing my orders and demonstrating that I far outranked either of the kids, I was allowed to carry on---minus the damn stethoscope.
Just a comment-------completely non sequitur perhaps.
-----jim
August22
Baywatch??
Back in the day very pro...(really bad acting but it could have been silent and who would care??)
Babe-watch
star-watch
Rules of the English language are not my strong point however...so no doubt you are right. I prefer d/dx and fortran.
Robert, I'm surprised your armed undercover bodyguards didn't see the police approaching and could have settled the matter without interrupting your important work.
The most positive aspect of this story is that there are at least two more people who will likely visit JW/DW.
eureka!
hey Robert....
you were speaking a mile down Olentangy-River-Road road from me, & I missed you....
It would have been an honor to meet you...hell, I'd have bought lunch...
Where did you speak...Fawcett Center, Mershon Auditorium, Schottenstein Center, perhaps...
general jihad discussion?...
who was the hosting group?...
maybe next time...
best regards,
Lee
Columbus Ohio
GoBuckeyes!
This young pup was not so gracious about being considered alarming - although he was detained and searched thoroughly before allowed to go.
From the website of the London Evening Standard, apologies if someone else has linked this already.
A Muslim architect student was hauled before police, strip-searched and questioned for hours on suspicion of terrorism - for taking pictures of Canary Wharf.
Kamran Tariq was wandering amongst other tourists who were snapping the dock-lands hoping to gain inspiration for an art project when he was arrested by a troop of nine officers.
"I was singled out for being a young Pakistani Muslim and I was humiliated," said Mr Tariq, who is originally from Walsall and in his final university year. "I was made to feel small and treated like a criminal - all for a piece of university coursework."
Canary Wharf is London's (and I think still the UK's) tallest building. It was the subject of an attack by the IRA in 1996.
If Robert Spencer and Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah stood side by side in an identification lineup, and if ten infidels on the other side of the one-way mirror were asked to pick the terrorist...I expect nine out of ten would pick Robert.
Recently I flew from Gatwick airport in London. I was so peeved about having my shampoo and toothpaste confiscated from my hand baggage that I decided to complain on the spot to security that they were wasting time and focussing on the wrong people,white Anglo-Saxon grannies and children included. I spoke to 4 different security personnel and the interesting thing is that all of them agreed they should be specifically and officially profiling Muslims but that this was not the policy. They added that they in fact do profile Muslims unofficially and asked me to keep that quiet.
So the people working on the front line know what to do but are not supported by politically correct officialdom.
meanwhile , over in the UK, they let burka clad women through without checking their identity...
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2006460721,00.html
And now, we have headlines about the UK being the No.1 AL Qaeda target:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,1925698,00.html
hmmm... I wonder why. (sarcasm)
Robert maybe you should take the beard away, and sport a new look, like a moustache and goatee, something like what is popular with hockey players, it is more a of a crusador look, which would be more
correct. one of my brothers is dark complextion and has a beard, he went to Scotland with his wife who is Irish, very blonde and fairskinned, and he had no trouble, and they flew on nine/eleven! so you might think about travelling with a blonde. lol..
but anyhow its good to see people at airports are profiling.
To me, that's like asking for additional ID when you use your credit card. I am always thankful people are looking out for my benefit (seriously), and I always thank them.
It's probably fortunate that Robert did not do the things he did not do. The police are never in a good mood. Just say 'yes sir', and 'no sir'. Dont 'do' anything. Dont try and cheer them up either. They dont like jokes and have a severe reaction if you try and tickle them. Tickle a cop, and go to jail. Looks like Robert handled the situation perfectly, had he done those things he did not do, the outcome could have been different...
l reread my post, and should of said further my brother and his wife flew last year on 9-11 to Scotland. l always ask him how its for him to fly with a beard, his dark hair and dark complextion, no trouble so far. prol like Robert, says if he takes his beard away, has a baby face lol.. but l still think Robert you would look crusader fashion with the moustance and goatee, you could look like a slayer of islam as well as your words bring truth.
duh_swami,
Not suprising that most police are in a bad mood anyways. They are under so much pressure being on the frontlines of the GWOT that they are going to be in a bad mood to begin with.
Also Robert should consider having a goatee beard instead of a regular bear so that he would not be treated as suspect to the police.
Before anyone makes any more comments about little old ladies from Pasedina, they should remember the liberal lawyer from NY who was sending messages from the imprisoned peace loving Imam to his faithful followers...
Profiling doesn't mean stereotyping. If we profile by stereotyping only Arab males from the ages of 18-35 we will miss the Caucasians. Does anyone remember the 47 Caucasian followers of the religion of peace who kidnapped 1,182 people (mostly children ages 6-8) and killed more than 300 of them after raping the little girls in Beslan- September 1-4, 2004? Which mountains do the Chechens live in? What does their skin tone look like?
One more question- Is Jose Padilla an Arab?
For the religion of peace- "A Peace Process" is an appeasement process.
Are you going to proclaim a "Day of JihadWatch Rage"?
I am stopped and searched EVERY time I travel, DOD identity card not-withstanding, and I have a typically "nordic appearance." It's never bothered me.
DevilDoc you are correct in some ways, but most terrorists are muslim men from ages 18 to 50. islam is not a race, but an ideology. just ask the arabs from Saudia Arabia who sits on the top of the heap of islam. its arabs, sunni to be exact and only saudis. look at how Saudis treat other non saudi, even those precious Paliestines born in Saudia arabia, they are not real Saudis.. one of my stupid liberal brothers, throws the race card at me, and he cannot understand the most racist of all are the Saudis. and l have tried to tell my brother muslims use the race card to avoid you juddging their religion (cult). it stops a white man in his tracks... l agree with Michael Savage, being liberal is a mental disorder.
but going back to Robert's beard, we should have a vote, should he have a makeover change for his beard fashion? lol...
Hey robert this is my first time so i hope to be approved.i really think the world should be aware of the threat on their hands.thank goodness more and more people are becoming aware.thanks to mr straws bold comments last week.we the people of britain must regain our country and to do so we need another churchill.not dhimmi politicians we have now.
August22 wrote "So when people see jihadwatch, they think it is a pro jihad site, a site for people who wish to watch all the great jihadings going on."
Though people should know better -- that "watch" overwhelmingly has connotations of a critical, wary eye -- most probably don't. What August22 observes here has often occurred to me when I contemplate printing up little cards or brochures with suggestions for people to check out this site: many, if not most, people on glancing at the cards or brochures might well think they are referring to either a pro-Islam site or a site neutrally educational about Islam.
August22 elsewhere notes: "But it was also Robert's swarthy mid-east appearance and dark beard that probably had that person interested in what he was reading, in the first place."
I don't see Robert as particularly "swarthy"; it's more his beard and facial structure that, combined, convey a vaguely Middle Eastern gestalt. In terms of the exigency of a rational profiling methodology for our general safety, any man with a beard and a vaguely Middle Eastern gestalt who is reading about "jihad" (et al qaeda) should be questioned. However, I wonder if those two officers let Robert off too lightly. If Robert had been a jihadist looking at a real pro-jihad site, it seems that all he would have to do is deftly switch the screen window on his laptop to "Jihad Watch", then explain to the officers that he and his site are on the right side -- and they would leave him alone and able to return to his pro-jihad work.
Remote Control:
You say: "However, I wonder if those two officers let Robert off too lightly. If Robert had been a jihadist looking at a real pro-jihad site, it seems that all he would have to do is deftly switch the screen window on his laptop to 'Jihad Watch', then explain to the officers that he and his site are on the right side -- and they would leave him alone and able to return to his pro-jihad work."
That's not what happened. What I said above was: "Of course I was able to explain to them that I was on their side, and that was the end of the matter."
This is a vague statement. I didn't explain how I established to them that I was on their side -- not out of a desire to conceal it, but because I didn't think it important or relevant. But evidently it is. I see now that my statement could mean that they just took my word. They didn't. Besides explaining about the site, I had a copy of my new book "The Truth About Muhammad" with me, and showed it to them to establish that I was indeed someone who worked in this line, and wasn't just claiming to be. I accompanied this by showing them ID to establish that I was indeed the author of the book and the operator of this site. They took my name, address, and place of birth. They made some phone calls. Only then were they satisfied.
I hope you find this reassuring.
Cordially
Robert Spencer
DesertDawgN29 wrote:
Are you going to proclaim a "Day of JihadWatch Rage"?
.................
Hah! This is great--I really did laugh out loud when I read your post!
Well, that's a comfort. I'm glad to hear that people are taking it seriously and are on the ball.
Robert
This is reassuring. Although for non-authors like us, we'd probably have to show them our posts, and prove to them that we really are the authors of the posts we put here. Although given that multiple people can log in under the same name, I'm not sure that would necessarily be adequate.
You should have more productive time when the day comes that you can access the internet during the flight.
robert, didn't they at least bellyslap you?
world4christ ,
Welcome to the UK Wing of the vast Right Wing Zionist world conspiracy ! After a short internship , you will receive secret insider need-to-know eyes-only information regarding the plots we are currently conceiving to advance by stealth our agenda .
It's fun ... a bit like being a member of the Masons but without the funny handshakes .
In the meantime , please ensure Robert has your contact details correct as otherwise your stipend sheque may be delayed .
Back on topic , it is gratifying to note that airport security is on the ball as regards suspicious activity . If you've seen a picture of Robert , you would agree that he does look middle-eastern . Add a casual observation of him visiting a Jihad site (pro or Anti is not apparent in a 2 Second glimpse) on his laptop in a public place and even I might be suspicious . I would prefer a hundred peacable Muslims - or those who look like them - to be minorly inconvenienced than for one genuine Jihadi to get through because Security were fearful of the consequences of offending one of the hundred . You pay extra on your air fares for Security screening activity ... Get value for this money by them actually doing their paid employment .