Threads on Huffington Post and News Hounds are saying that a guest on FOX News's Dayside program was calling for the creation of separate lines at airports for Muslims. Conservative radio talk show host Mike Gallagher was debating constitutional lawyer Michael Gross over the issue. Below is a snippet of the interview:
It’s not just a matter of political correctness, please," responded Gross. "It’s illegal, it’s unconstitutional, unethical, immoral, it shouldn’t be done. We do not in this country prejudge a person based upon their race, creed, color, country of national origin and it’s wrong to do so and it addition it’s not effective. It doesn’t work. It actually perpetuates the problem. That is, it separates us."
Gallagher responded that Gross's statements were "absolutely absurd" and claimed that the Traffic Safety Administration (sp) is aggressively targeting uniformed members of the military. "Let's have a Muslim-only line," Gallagher said, as Gross started to talk.
Jerrick asked Gallagher to repeat what he said.
"It’s time to have a Muslims check-point line in America’s airports and have Muslims be scrutinized. You better believe it, it’s time," Gallagher said, garnering tepid audience applause.
Plus FOX's Bill O'Reilly, on his show "The O'Reilly factor", also jumped into the debate, saying that "Passengers who are Muslims ages 16 to 45 all should be spoken with. And if the ACLU doesn't like it, tough. This isn't racial profiling. This is criminal profiling."
Am I missing something here? Did someone suspend the U.S. Constitution and forget to tell me? I can see three clear violations of the Constitution in these situations for U.S. citizens, including:
- The First Amendment, which covers free speech and freedom of religion;
- The Fourth Amendment, which covers illegal searches and seizures; and
- The Fifth Amendment, which covers due process;
As a black woman who remembers the struggles of the Civil Rights Movement, and thinking of the internment of Japanese-American citizens during World War II, I become very uneasy when I hear people callling on targeting a specific group that isn't considered a part of the majority. The vast majority of Muslims are peaceful, law-abiding citizens. Why should a whole group of people be singled out for the bad acts of a few terrorists, all under the banner of "national security"?
I understand that we live in more difficult times. I understand that people are nervous about flying and security. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't worry just a bit when I see someone that appears to be of Muslim descent on my flight. But I draw the line at condoning separate lines at the airport based just on my own or others vague discomfort. If we allow this, then what will be the next race or religion to get its own "special" line? Where does it stop? At some point, we have end this hysteria.
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