Thought Police
Reader comment on item: [Michael Smerconish and I Debate:] What Kind of Airport Profiling?

Submitted by Diane Krieger (United States), Oct 5, 2004 at 13:10

Mr. Pipes,

While I usually admire your reasoning, in this article your argument seems to lead to the conclusion that "thoughts" be evaluated. Are you in earnest proposing establishing some sort of Orwellian police state that screens the thoughts of ordinary American traveler for Islamist beliefs?

I'm afraid this is where your four questions for Muslims is also leading. Say it ain't so!

---

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened for relevance, substance, and tone, and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome, but comments are rejected if scurrilous, off-topic, vulgar, ad hominem, or otherwise viewed as inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the Guidelines for Comments. For informational purposes, we identify countries from which comments are sent.

Daniel Pipes replies:

There are three levels of awarenes: looking for nervous ticks, looking for Middle Eastern traits, or looking for Islamist intentions. The last is by far the most accurate but also the most difficult. It requires not Orwellian controls but good intelligence.

DP