Hamas, TSA ............. what's the difference? Thanks for the insight, GU.

He was on a local radio station this morning. He is a Christian born in the United States and is of Palestinian descent. His family emigrated to the US about 40 years ago.

If the lyrics to his songs are as stated, then I'm sure that people have issues with that person having access to checked luggage just before it goes to the planes.

I don't think that a Secret Service agent detailed to guard the President would be around very long if the agent released a song about wacking the President.

Given this tidbit of info about the "christian" Bassam ;) , does it become evident that the ill-informed use weak reasoning, misinformation and ignorance to jump to incorrect conclusions? Unfortunately, that's typical too often. (Apparently some -- present company excluded -- failed to understand that Arabic last names are often not as indicative of religion in the way an Arabic first name may be.)

A quick look at what was supplied by a prior poster here makes it clear that this individual's lyrics are vulgar; and, regardless of his faith, he who uses that kind of vulgarity so loosely is probably likely to use that against TSA subjects too.

Who wants to bet that this "controversy" puts a few extra dollars in his pocket as a result of this publicity that a simple termination would not have?

What makes him a Christian (or a Muslim) for that matter?

He just sounds like someone who has some anger issues. ;)

Although I appreciate that you jumped to the aid of this idiot because you feel that the "security at all cost" fools should have no say in the government, and that true Americans feel that everyone has the right to due whatever whenever, sometimes common sense should play a role in people's actions. This guy should be fired for stupidity, if nothing else. I don't want my police chief wearing shirts glamourizing marijuana, my school teachers telling kids to drop out, my pastor going to Marliyn Manson concerts, or my screeners rapping about destroying America. How tight would your butt get if your pilot played this over the p.a. after take off? If removing these people from their position for this type of behavior is a violation of their rights, then violate their rights and ship them to a more "accepting" country. It time we stopped apologizing for using common sense in this country, and started worrying more about the rights of all against one. For too long we have held the attitude of "We would rather die than to violate someone's rights and hurt their feelings". How many more times will others take us up on this before we wisen up?

Have a great day "security at all cost" types! :p

I would just as soon not have Moslem, Christian, or Jewish [intelligence analysts] who [write books praising terrorism] in sensitive security positions, thank you very much.

Amen.

GUWonder's defense of the self-described "Arabic Assassin" is mind-boggling. Newsday describes Mr. Khalaf's lyrics thusly:

Even if Mr. Khalaf was all talk and no action, I'd just as soon not have him screening bags at IAH. If nothing else, he demonstrated a clear lack of judgment. And good judgment is the one thing that we most need in our airport security screeners. The most vociferous critics of the TSA should certainly appreciate this.

I hope that GUWonder can take some comfort in the fact that Mr. Khalaf will now be able to concentrate all his energies on his wonderful and uplifting artistic endeavors. :rolleyes:

Going to church to take communion perhaps. ;)

Yes, he does seem to either have some anger issues or a strong desire to do anything for money or fifteen minutes of "fame".

His reference to a "plane crashing into a building" in the one song whose written lyrics I decided to review was a sexual reference where plane = male sexual organ and the building = female genital area.

As I noted earlier, I don't care for this fellow, his lyrics, his messages or even his style of music.

What are the lyrics, in full context of the entire song/album, where he is claimed to be praising terrorism? Just give the song name (with appropriate expletives marked up to make it PG-rated).

Your unsubstantiated claims left to their own devices (of trying to put words in other people's mouths), this

is what I expect from defenders of authoritarianism and more. Authoritarianism, like a love for "fifteen minutes of fame", is apparently quite seductive for some. Thankfully, it's not seductive for all.

Specious reasoning-type claims left to their own devices, how convenient that you left this out:

and this:

;) You're all feeding his desires.

No secret that GUWonder and I don't see eye-to-eye on many things. This is one of those exceptions where we see it exactly the same way.

While Khalaf's lyrics may be offensive and not consistent with the job, I have to question TSA's justification of firing this screener for off-duty activities that do not violate any laws. If Khalaf was wearing his TSA uniform on the cover of one of his CDs, regardless of the nature of the CD, then I could see him being fired because he would be marketing himself as a TSA screener and this could be construed as deliberately misrepresenting TSA. It would fall under the same principles of making a public statement while wearing the uniform on behalf of TSA without proper authorization. (Same prinicple applies to most corporations where you need clearance from whatever management staff is responsible for public releases on behalf of the corporation/organization.)

The greater harm here is that TSA acted on its own to fire this employee for activities that did not interfere with the workplace nor involved any criminal act. I mean, this is still America, right? We still have a right to express ourselves, right? Again, there's a difference between his making whatever brand of "music" he calls it on his own time and using his official position as a TSA screener to market that music, doing it while on the TSA clock or otherwise misrepresenting TSA. From what I read, he was discreet about it. It was TSA's "eyes and ears in the workplace" that sought him out and discovered his off-duty activities. Sorry, folks, that turd just doesn't flush.

In the long run, this may actually boost Khalaf's budding music career. However, don't be surprised if some opportunistic lawyer jumps on this case to have Khalaf win back his job based on wrongful termination.

While I try to explain why it is we do what we do at airports, I criticize TSA manglement for the way it handles certain issues. This is just another example of the overzealousness of certain TSA bosses who get carried away with their version of right and wrong or who cave in to public perceptions for all the wrong reasons.

TSA dropped the ball on this one.

When I think of this situation, I think of the employer who fired employees for smoking off-premises and on their own time. The justification given there was what? Higher insurance rates? Well, then charge the employee more than their colleagues.

Now, if this indivídual was marketing himself as a TSA employee while peddling his music, then I consider that fair grounds for termination ... much akin to police officers or firemen or flight attendants posing in various states of undress while using their uniform (including paraphernalia thereof) or something intended to be akin to their uniform.

I just might fall into that category... :D

Thankfully, not everyone wishes to put there head in the sand and ignore their surroundings. Common sense better describes my views than authoritarianism. I feel that any group of people should be run by the desires of the majority. In present day America, the rights of 99 out of 100 will be squashed as long as the 1 can play the race/religion/handicap/any other thing I can think of card. I'm reminded of the port-o-johns installed in on the streets of a CA city a few years ago. Everyone was happy, until a person in a wheelchair complained. Granted, the johns were not accessable, but the complaintant was unwilling to make any compromise. The johns were removed and thousands of people lost a convinience because of one person. This skewed logic led to braille on drive-up ATMs. I feel that everyone in America has a right to live their life to it's fullest extent, but we have to use common sense in allowing them to achieve this goal. Sometimes life is unfair and we need to stop making excuses for stupidity. The reality is that everyone is not equal. Some are smarter, better looking, taller, richer. Some have a chance to become president and others will be lucky to find work at all. That is life. This TSA idiot should be fired and no excuses made to him. Of all the crap that the good TSA screeners have to take from the public, the last thing they need is one of their own spewing rap about destroying America. I get the same feeling when I see a mid 30's middle eastern male with headdress on, screening a Marine capt. in uniform at the airport. It seems like bizarro world in America more and more lately.
The ideal of everyone in a country being totally equal in pay, position, assets, ability, opportunities and status may be seductive to some. Thankfully, it's not for all. Some realize that this is an flawed Utopian logic that is best left to children's books.

Have a great day all! :p

"Everybody wants to label all Arabics terrorists just because a couple of people messed up."

-The Arabic Assassin



Because a couple of people messed up???!!!???!!!

Don't quit your day job, Arabic Assassin. Oh wait. You can't. Because YOU WERE FIRED!!!


Ahahahahahahahahahaha