Is Flying While Arab REALLY a crime?

With all the new "security" measures that are adapted and then abandoned shortly thereafter (no liquids on planes, and then only CERTAIN liquids, no carry-on luggage to Great Britain), I'd like to share what's happened in the years since 9/11 at my "home" airport, Portland International Airport (hearafter referred to as "PDX"), in Portland, Oregon. It's the closest-- around 60 km-- to my home in Longview, WA. While it's arguably one of the more beautiful airports to take off or land at, since you see the sparkling waters of the Columbia River and Mt. Hood towering over the landscape, what actually happens if you're guilty of the "crime" of flying while Arab is NOT beautiful. How far have we really come since the civil rights days of the 1960's? Unfortunately, not too far, it appears.

On October 23rd, 2003, a naturalized American citizen, Adel Belazi, who just HAPPENS to have been born in Libya in 1956, although he's lived continually in the US since 1978 and has been a US citizen since 1992, was held at PDX for a short time following a trip to Libya with his wife and two children to visit his sick mother. They had left the US on October 2nd, and while at that time, a US passport holder was unable to visit Libya without jumping through a bunch of flaming hoops, Belazi entered Libya on his Libyan passport, which is of course legal. Upon reentering the country three weeks later, he was detained and interrogated at PDX for 90 minutes, had both of his passports confiscated, and why? Because he was visiting his ailing mother? Because he returned alone from Libya? For what valid reason? It took this man nearly TWO MONTHS, until December 18th, 2003, until he got his passports back. He then sued the Port of Portland, arguing that his constitutional rights had been violated, a very valid claim, but unfortunately, a judge did not agree and threw the case out. The full text about the whole saga can be found at http://www.unknownnews.net/031229muslims.html and the outcome, in which the court case was dismissed, at http://www.mcrcnet.org/Reports/2004/072004/settlements072004.htm

I'd like to say this was an isolated incident for PDX. Sadly, it was not. In 2004, less than six months later, seven members of the Moroccan parliament, here in the Pacific Northwest as part of a "goodwill" tour of the United States were detained, despite the fact that they held diplomatic status and that Delta Airlines knew full well of who they were. One of them had made the BIG mistake of leaving his bag unattended while he went to get a cup of coffee. Even so, officials at PDX detained them for no good reason, causing them to miss their connecting flight and being forced to spend the rest of the day at the airport until they could catch another. To anyone who has ever been stuck in an airport for an extended amount of time, you know how annoying this can be. To know that it was caused by some inept, rather racist security officials makes it even worse. Two links about this incident are at http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2004-02-02-pdx-detain_x.htm andhttp://portland.indymedia.org/en/2004/02/279654.shtml.

Portland has also had its share of "racist" events, such as the African immigrant, Mulageta Suraw, that was beaten to death by white supremacists in the late 1980's. His family ended up suing the WAR (White Aryan Resistance) group for $12.5 million dollars-- which they won, effectively crippling that group. Other hate groups, sadly, have taken their place in the city of Portland and around the nation.

I'm very "northern European" looking-- blonde hair, blue eyes, fair skin that sunburns easily, and a Roman Catholic, but I find racism and religious/cultural discrimination incredibly disturbing. What have we really learned since 9/11? To fear anyone with an "Arab sounding" name, or that happens to be Muslim? What can't we look past such matters, and accept our differences in culture, religion, and even such things as skin color as being part of the tapestry that makes up humanity? After all, Christianity and Islam are both "Abrahamic" faiths, both monotheistic, and have some similarities. I guess the "culture of fear" that the current administration seems to push has had one clear message-- fear Arabs, especially when they're near an airport!