[Cerek the Barbaric]

Originally posted by Chewbacca: Perhaps we should also profile caucasians using almanacs if we are going to profiling arabs using almanacs: http://www.ironworksforum.com/ubb/no...;f=27;t=000564 And we cannot forget Jose Padila, the hispanic terror suspect whose basic rights of judicial process were recently reinstated by the courts Better yet, lets just profile everybody as it seems that race doesn't neccessarily equate to terrorist activity. Everyone is a suspect just for being present and having an almanac. [sarcasm]If you own an almanac you must contact the department of homeland security and arrange for a full search of your person and property. Then we can start registering people who buy almanacs, travel guides and maps, making sure they have full background check, maybe even a 3 day waiting period for such dangerous items.[/sarcasm] I guess we will see if pestering tourists actually stops a terror attack. In the meantime, I do hope the police and FBI are focused on looking for far more determinable clues of suspicious behavior, like behaving nervously and/or carrying or leaving large out-of-place packages at landmarks for example. What was that quote by an American forefather about gaining security and losing freedom? The trend here is obvious.

In reference to the highlighted text here, I am clipping the paragraph that you highlighted in the original article....


The FBI noted that use of almanacs or maps may be innocent, "the product of legitimate recreational or commercial activities." But it warned that when combined with suspicious behavior -- such as apparent surveillance -- a person with an almanac "may point to possible terrorist planning."

If you will notice, the last line indicates that the FBI is NOT using the presence of almanacs as a sole indicator. They specifically state that the presence of an almanac "when combined with suspicious behavior"...may point to possible terrorist planning.

It is seems evident to me that the police won't be arbitrarily "pestering tourists". Instead, they will be looking for other indicators in addition to the presence of an almanac. This fact is ignored in the paranoid scenarios you and skywalker presented.

I realize you are using sarcasm to make your point, I simply think you are exaggerating the reaction officials will take regarding this issue.

As I said in my first post, I doubt I would have much to worry about if I decided to observe a national landmark and took my almanac with me. My lack of fear is NOT because I'm caucasian - it is because I would have my wife and kids with me. The A.Q. terrorists generally travelled either individually or in groups of 2-3 when visiting areas in preparation for the attack according to information uncovered about their preparations after the 9/11 attack). And, of course, they were all male.

If a group of 2-3 Middle Eastern men showed up at a national landmark that is a potential terrorist target, that would be one indicator. If these same men seemed interested in learning detailed information about the landmark, that would be a second indicator {most tourists just ask general questions in reference to whatever info is provided by the tour guide or recreation center...if someone started asking for much more in-depth info, that would indicate an unusual interest}. By themselves, these indicator could be perfectly innocent...but when combined, they would certainly warrant a little extra attention from the authorities charged with protecting the landmark, IMHO.

I'm sorry - I simply don't see the idea of including the presence of almanacs as one possible indicator of suspicious behavior as an infringement of my rights or freedom.