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Thursday, Nov 26, 2009
A fear-mongering account of "terror in the skies" sparks right-wing criticism of Homeland Security -- and reignites calls for racial profiling.
Jul 21, 2004 | Since early last week, the blogosphere has swirled with intrigue over writer Annie Jacobsen's story "Terror in the Skies, Again?" published by the heretofore little-known WomensWallStreet.com (no relation to the Wall Street Journal). Jacobsen reports her chilling experience on a June 29 flight from Detroit to L.A., during which the unusual behavior of 14 Syrian men onboard left her and several other passengers and crew members fearful of an imminent plot to hijack or blow up the plane. When Northwest flight 327 landed safely at LAX, it was greeted by a swarm of police, FBI and other federal officials. The Syrian passengers, purportedly a group of musicians, were detained, questioned and released. No revelations of criminal activity have surfaced. Debate continues over whether Jacobsen witnessed an aborted terror plot, a "dry run" by terrorists in the planning stages -- or whether she has floated a puffed-up, fear-mongering polemic.
Even a number of right-wing bloggers initially expressed skepticism over the story's authenticity. Some wondered about Jacobsen's account of a flight attendant confiding to her and her anxious husband that several federal air marshals were onboard and monitoring the situation closely -- a revelation that would be forbidden by regulations. Others say Jacobsen is just plain wrong in claiming that a federal guideline banning passengers from congregating in airplane aisles was only instituted following the suspicious activity on her June 29 flight.
But since Monday night, after Jacobsen and her husband appeared on MSNBC's "Scarborough Country," the story has been gaining credence -- and now has many on the political right pounding the table for increased racial profiling in airports and stronger scrutiny of what they consider a woefully inadequate Homeland Security policy. Blogger Donald Sensing (One Hand Clapping) notes that there's "a lot of disagreement over substantial parts of the bona fides of Annie's piece," but that it's getting a wave of attention with very good reason:
"It wasn't kilt-wearing Scotsmen who committed 9/11's grim deeds ... even if these 14 Arab men were entirely innocuous, on another airliner somewhere, somewhen, [sic] there seem certain to be other Arab men who intend destruction. The enemy is still out there and he still wants to kill us."
Conservative journalist and blogger Michelle Malkin, who was also initially skeptical but did some follow-up reporting of her own, has decided it's time to take a much more hardcore stance on the issue of airline security.
"I believe the Jacobsens. I believe they observed what Annie called 'not normal behavior' by an unusually large group of Arab foreign nationals. I believe they witnessed a dry run for a terrorist attack. I don't believe they were 'paranoid.' I believe they were acting as responsible parents and responsible citizens who take their post-9/11 obligation to remain vigilant at all times dead seriously.
"I will be doing a lot of flying over the next few months, and I will act -- without apology or shame -- as the Jacobsens acted on their flight ... Bottom line: I will not be lulled by the fashionable apathy of the blind. And I will not be cowed by the politically correct protestations of the dumb.
"To those who shrug that 'nothing happened' and that this is 'not news,' I say: Wake the *%&^#@ up and stop acting like 9/10 sheeple. Better a false alarm than a flaming plane."
Part 2: Conservative pilots weigh in
Jacobsen herself published a follow-up piece on Monday that cranks up the fear factor considerably. She included several e-mails she received from airline personnel in response to her initial story that depict an industry, and federal government, in denial.
"Gary Boettcher, Member, Board of Directors, Allied Pilots Association, said, 'Folks, I am a Captain with a major airline. I was very involved with the Arming Pilots effort. Your reprint of this airborne event is not a singular nor isolated experience. The terrorists are probing us all the time.'
"During a later phone conversation I had with Boettcher, he told me that based on his experience, it was his opinion that I was likely on a dry run. He said he's had many of these experiences and so have many of his fellow captains. They've been trying to speak out about this but so far their words have been falling on deaf ears ...
"Rand K. Peck, captain for a major U.S. airline, sent the following email:
"'I'm deeply bothered by the inconsistencies that I observe at [the Transportation Security Administration]. I've observed matronly looking grandmothers, practically disrobed at security check points and five-year-old blonde boys turned inside out, while Middle Eastern males sail through undetained. We have little to fear from grandmothers and little boys. But Middle Eastern males are protected, not by our Constitution, but from our current popular policy of political correctness and a desire to offend no one at any cost, regardless of how many airplanes and bodies litter the landscape. This is my personal opinion, formed by my experiences and observations.'"
An emboldened Jacobsen agreed with Peck that p.c. thinking will only result in terror raining from the skies once again:
"This brings us to the heart of the matter -- political correctness. Political correctness has become a major road block for airline safety. From what I've now learned from the many emails and phone calls that I have had with airline industry personnel, it is political correctness that will eventually cause us to stand there wondering, 'How did we let 9/11 happen again?'"
