Seth Stein is used to jetting around the world to create stylish holiday homes for wealthy clients. This means the hip architect is familiar with the irritations of heightened airline security post-9/11. But not even he could have imagined being mistaken for an Islamist terrorist and physically pinned to his seat while aboard an American Airlines flight - especially as he has Jewish origins. ... He has since been told by airline staff he was targeted because he was using an iPod, had used the toilet when he got on the plane and that his tan made him appear "Arab". ... In Mr Stein's case, he was pounced on as the crew and other travellers looked on. The drama unfolded less than an hour into the flight. As he settled down with a book and a ginger ale, the father-of-three was grabbed from behind and held in a head-lock. "This guy just told me his name was Michael Wilk, that he was with the New York Police Department, that I'd been acting suspiciously and should stay calm. I could barely find my voice and couldn't believe it was happening," said Mr Stein. "He went into my pocket and took out my passport and my iPod. All the other passengers were looking concerned." Eventually, cabin crew explained that the captain had run a security check on Mr Stein after being alerted by the policeman and that this had cleared him. The passenger had been asked to go back to his seat before he had restrained Mr Stein.This is worse than a police state when random people playing the police. Hell, it's the Ultimate Police State, I guess. This story makes me glad to be a poor web jockey. I can't afford to fly anywhere and even if I could and did, I'm so pale the light reflecting off of my skin and blind any would-be police officers. I shouldn't joke. Events like this are incredibly serious. Events like this are depicted in George Orwell's 1984 when ordinary citizens turn in their neighbors, friends and family. Luckily, the United States isn't so far gone as to imprison a rich, successful architecht who really has no ties to terrorism--but what about someone who is less affluent? What about someone who is less obviously a law-abiding citizen who isn't wealthy enough to afford a lawyer? I just can't wait for someone like that to end up in a secret prison. OH WAIT... those are closed now... Sure, they are...
Orignal From: TANNED BRITISH ARCHITECT KICKED OFF PLANE
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