Editorial: Traveling while Muslim
Nov 10, 2009, 11:24 am
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Editorial: Traveling while Muslim
Traveling while Muslim
By Helen Anders
November 10, 2009
My friend Marium Mohiuddin wrote this piece on this morning’s op-ed page while she was in D.C. over the weekend attending a Muslim spiritual conference. It was the Muslim equivalent of a Bible study retreat — an intensive look at the Quran, with several top scholars as speakers.
She flew home to Dallas, opened her checked bag and found the generic “We looked through your bag” card that TSA leaves when it goes through a bag. I get them fairly frequently myself. But along with that, Marium found some things missing: Every bit of literature, every memento and every workbook she’d completed at the Muslim workshop. It was all gone.
By Helen Anders
November 10, 2009
My friend Marium Mohiuddin wrote this piece on this morning’s op-ed page while she was in D.C. over the weekend attending a Muslim spiritual conference. It was the Muslim equivalent of a Bible study retreat — an intensive look at the Quran, with several top scholars as speakers.
She flew home to Dallas, opened her checked bag and found the generic “We looked through your bag” card that TSA leaves when it goes through a bag. I get them fairly frequently myself. But along with that, Marium found some things missing: Every bit of literature, every memento and every workbook she’d completed at the Muslim workshop. It was all gone.
Nov 10, 2009, 12:09 pm
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“What I hate most is that I lost the notes I made,” Marium told me on the phone yesterday. “The conference was just study — nothing controversial at all.”
What annoys me the most is that the victim felt compelled to assure the American public that her notes contained "nothing controversial."
I am completely tired of people in this country being afraid to freely practice their religion (or not practice it).
As a matter of fact, this theft makes me infinitely more mad than a screener stealing an iPod.
Nov 10, 2009, 1:05 pm
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Incredible. On one hand, TSA allows its personnel to rifle through passenger luggage and confiscate Islamic religious materials that pose no threat to the country whatsoever, and on the other hand, US Army officers who thought that the FT Hood shooter might pose a danger because of his extremist Islamic views were reluctant to report his behavior because of fear of being accused of harrassment. 
Nov 10, 2009, 1:17 pm
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If any evidence is available that would show a TSA employee removed belongings from this persons luggage then they should be charged with theft and let the justice system take over.
If what was removed was not WEI then TSA needs some leadership changes because the ones in charge now aren't getting the job done.
If what was removed was not WEI then TSA needs some leadership changes because the ones in charge now aren't getting the job done.
Nov 10, 2009, 1:50 pm
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Incredible. On one hand, TSA allows its personnel to rifle through passenger luggage and confiscate Islamic religious materials that pose no threat to the country whatsoever, and on the other hand, US Army officers who thought that the FT Hood shooter might pose a danger because of his extremist Islamic views were reluctant to report his behavior because of fear of being accused of harrassment.
Nov 10, 2009, 2:10 pm
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If any evidence is available that would show a TSA employee removed belongings from this persons luggage then they should be charged with theft and let the justice system take over.
If what was removed was not WEI then TSA needs some leadership changes because the ones in charge now aren't getting the job done.
If what was removed was not WEI then TSA needs some leadership changes because the ones in charge now aren't getting the job done.
Nov 10, 2009, 2:30 pm
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shame on the tsa but afaic, it's just another example of fwb/fwm* (and yeah, like FliesWay2Much, i'd like to the see the tsa spin on this)
*flying while brown/flying while muslim
but afaic, it's just another example of fwb/fwm* (and yeah, like FliesWay2Much, i'd like to the see the tsa spin on this)*flying while brown/flying while muslim
Nov 10, 2009, 2:34 pm
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Actually, what bothers me most is the implication that Ms. Mohiuddin stopped wearing a head scarf because of her experiences with security.
It is horrible and unacceptable that Ms. Mohiuddin's study materials were lost or taken from her. (My hope is the former, as it opens up a small chance she might be able to retrieve the materials if she pursues the issue.) It is even worse, in my opinion, if someone, anyone, gives up an element of cultural or religious practice which has nothing to do with the security of the flight because security screening has made the practice too much of a hassle.
Ms. Mohiuddin's piece was also an excellent statement about societal views of Islam and Muslims in the US. Well worth reading.
http://www.statesman.com/opinion/con...rium_edit.html
Marium is used to the post-9/11 rigors of traveling while Muslim. When she wore a head scarf in past years, she was accustomed to undergoing secondary screening. Her sister had secondary screening on her way home from the conference (traveling separately from Marium) and also lost the materials out of her checked bag. Both women used to wear head scarves and say they encountered a lot more secondary screenings when they did.
Ms. Mohiuddin's piece was also an excellent statement about societal views of Islam and Muslims in the US. Well worth reading.
http://www.statesman.com/opinion/con...rium_edit.html
Nov 10, 2009, 10:02 pm
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That is exactly why all checked baggage should be screened while the owner observes then the bag secured in some manner to prevent tampering.
Nov 11, 2009, 12:52 am
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The article says her sister's notes were taken too. Surely not a coincidence.
I know when I have had secondary, they have gone through my phone (which has an Arabic keypad as it was purchased in the Mid East)... they almost always ask me about every Arab name in my phone.
I have done some testing and whenever I have used my UAE drivers license as ID, I get secondary about 80% of the time. When I use my US drivers license, I have never had secondary.
Maybe next time I'll toss an Arabic newspaper in my bag.
I know when I have had secondary, they have gone through my phone (which has an Arabic keypad as it was purchased in the Mid East)... they almost always ask me about every Arab name in my phone.
I have done some testing and whenever I have used my UAE drivers license as ID, I get secondary about 80% of the time. When I use my US drivers license, I have never had secondary.
Maybe next time I'll toss an Arabic newspaper in my bag.
Nov 11, 2009, 5:09 am
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The article says her sister's notes were taken too. Surely not a coincidence.
I know when I have had secondary, they have gone through my phone (which has an Arabic keypad as it was purchased in the Mid East)... they almost always ask me about every Arab name in my phone.
I have done some testing and whenever I have used my UAE drivers license as ID, I get secondary about 80% of the time. When I use my US drivers license, I have never had secondary.
Maybe next time I'll toss an Arabic newspaper in my bag.
I know when I have had secondary, they have gone through my phone (which has an Arabic keypad as it was purchased in the Mid East)... they almost always ask me about every Arab name in my phone.
I have done some testing and whenever I have used my UAE drivers license as ID, I get secondary about 80% of the time. When I use my US drivers license, I have never had secondary.
Maybe next time I'll toss an Arabic newspaper in my bag.
Nov 11, 2009, 6:34 am
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Nov 21, 2009, 1:32 am
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Well, I am American, but have been living overseas for 8 years. My UAE driving license is the one I use everywhere. I have an old US one, but normally don't carry it as it is not valid where I live.