Out of curiosity, if you were flying, and if you saw a woman wearing a hijab or a man in a turban, would you be nervous? What about a "brown" person in general? If not you, do you think most people would be nervous?
No, honest to goodness no. ETA: Yes, some people would. Especially because we have very little diversity here. If someone from my neck of the woods went to the city where there is a big airport, I could imagine some of them being "aware".
No. I would be more concerned if I went to JFK and everyone looked just like me... it's simply not the norm. Those looking to do harm are extremist, not the norm. The vast majority of people, regardless of dress or ethnic background, simply want to get to their destinations safely.
I can't imagine too many people on this board admitting to that. If you asked me within a year or so of the 9/11 attacks, I may have said yes to be completely honest. May not be right, but I was very young at the time of the attacks. As this point though, certainly not.
I care more about how they're acting. I might look longer, the same as I do when I see Amish or Indian people. I love studying people and their interactions.
Oh, yeah...I would have been concerned soon after 9/11. I was nineteen and ignorant about a lot, though.
RadiantBerg~I would have been concerned shortly after 9/11 as well. I might briefly look at them like I do most people who board the same plane I do, but it wouldn't make me nervous.
It's just frustrating because every time my husband flies, he gets stopped...sometimes for hours. He is Sikh and he wears a turban. Most people say that they aren't nervous, but it just gets so frustrating.
This reminds me of an incident I noticed. I was flying into one international airport. There was definitely profiling occurring. Here I was being asked if I had chocolate or food in my bag because the dog kept going back to my bag. I had forgotten I had food in it and said I did not. If this police dog is sniffing my bag and consistently telling them to go back to my bag, that is a signal--regardless of the reason, to check it. If I'm claiming not to have an item that I'm assuming throws this dog off, then it is even more reason to check. Other people were being checked and it was obvious who. I was raising what I thought was a red flag and was left alone. Still bugs me. This was less than a year ago.
I'm not sure. We were flying to DC this summer, and we got pulled into a room where people were checking passports. There were a lot of people in the room, and it was basically Arabs and South Asians. I think it may have something to do with the fact that my husband is not a US citizen? No idea...
For hours?! That's too bad. To answer your question, no, I wouldn't be nervous. I'd do like I ALWAYS do before boarding a flight, pray & keep going.
That might be it. I know it takes my British aunt a longer time to get through airport security/customs than the rest of her American family. In any case, in the past few years I've noticed that sometimes security at airports is more relaxed (i.e. they just let you through the metal detector without having to do the scanner/pat down step) and sometimes is extra strict, even at the same airport. I think sometimes the TSA receives certain tips/information and they react accordingly and are on a higher alert than other times. In reference to your original post, a passenger behaving erratically/strangely would be what would make me nervous, regardless of ethnicity.
Interesting question. I just flew last Tuesday. I don't remember most of the people I saw. I know that there were people of different races in both the airport and on board. Several people stick out, a couple because they needed assistance to get to the gate. Another just because he was a good looking guy, who looked similar to Neil Patrick Harris. No, it wouldn't make me nervous. I do wonder about their religion, what faith are they, what do they believe in? I'm curious about them. What makes their faith so strong that they follow religious dress codes?
I would be interested, but just because I live in an all-white area. Unless I go to the big city, I don't see anyone different from me. I just find cultural/racial differences interesting since they are new to me. That would be one of the least likely things I'd think about. There is a big Pentecostal population in my area, and they have very strict religious-based clothing rules they follow.
My husband is Sikh. In Sikh, it is important not to cut your hair because he keeps it the way that God made humans, since that is the most beautiful. It's a symbol of respect and love for God. The turban protects the hair from dust and is also a symbol of love for God. Usually, it's just men who wear the turban, but I believe women can and do as well. (Of course, some Sikh men do cut their hair and do not wear a turban.) In the Gurudwara (the Sikh temple), regardless of gender, you need to cover your hair as a sign of respect. Women usually just cover their hair with a dupatta, which is kind of like a scarf. Hope this makes sense.
That makes sense. I know when I was growing up I had a couple of girlfriends who didn't cut their hair due to their religion. I never knew the reason why. I don't think I ever thought to ask, as it was just them. I didn't question it. The older I get, the more I want to learn about different religions and the belief systems behind them.
I love learning about religion in general. The internet is an amazing resource. I've learned a lot by just doing research.
I'd not be nervous at all. Seeing at my partner is non-white, that would put me in a very awkward position I'm just imagining people who are uncomfortable in some of the Middle Eastern airports I've been to - hijabs and/or turbans and "brown" people everywhere. I'd pay to see that!
