# Pants-wetting airline passengers doing the terrorists' job **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 20, 2006, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430 "2006-08-20T06:54:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/21 "2006-08-20T18:21:39Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] Actually, I think I would not be in a fit mental state to fly, if I tried to catch a flight from Manchester to Malaga by turning up at, errrrr, Malaga Airport 😉 [/QUOTE] I meant the passengers were from Manchester ( ie. Mancunians), not the plane. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/22 "2006-08-20T18:24:41Z")
[QUOTE=Rayne Man] I meant the passengers were from Manchester ( ie. Mancunians), not the plane. [/QUOTE] I know, it’s just I spotted that glaring lapse in **The Flying Dutchman** ’s intelligence leading to his otherwise-watertight assessment of the security risk. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/23 "2006-08-20T18:28:25Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] I know, it’s just I spotted that glaring lapse in **The Flying Dutchman** ’s intelligence leading to his otherwise-watertight assessment of the security risk. [/QUOTE] Oh , I see what you mean. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/24 "2006-08-20T18:38:00Z")
There’s a couple of pricelessly-rolleyes quotes [here](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5269106.stm): > [@Terrified Passengers](#): > > Our daughter noticed a couple of guys that were perhaps acting a bit strange. They went to the front of the queue, went to the back of the queue, and then they went and sat down by themselves. > > It became apparent that the reason that some of the people didn’t board the plane was because somebody had overheard the gentlemen in question speaking - I think it was Arabic. Somebody give these guys a job with MI5!! ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/25 "2006-08-20T18:46:15Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] In WWII, German residents of Britain and the US did not run around in Liederhosen with copies of Mein Kampf in their hand. They took a stand and decided that their allegiance lied with there new country. Some changed their names (including Mountbatten) to sever their ties with Germany and people of German heritage enlisted in droves to serve in the Military. . [/QUOTE] Not quite the full story, the Mountbattens changed their name in WW1 when there was a lot of anti-German feeling in the UK . Shop-keepers who had German sounding names over their shop-fronts had their windows broken, and even innocent dachshunds had stones thrown at them. The situation wasn’t much better in WW2. Many Germans and Italians who had fled to Britain to escape persecution from their own country were interned as soon as war broke out. ---
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/26 "2006-08-20T18:53:51Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] I think that if I were in that situation and saw that my religion and culture were formenting so much hatred and violence I would at least be somewhat abashed. In WWII, German residents of Britain and the US did not run around in Liederhosen with copies of Mein Kampf in their hand. They took a stand and decided that their allegiance lied with there new country. Some changed their names (including Mountbatten) to sever their ties with Germany and people of German heritage enlisted in droves to serve in the Military. [/QUOTE] My maternal grandmother attended a catholic school during WWI. The nuns were from Germany and spoke no English. Every morning, they started classes with a prayer for the Kaiser. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/27 "2006-08-20T18:54:35Z")
[QUOTE=coffeecat] and if the only way we can stop terrorism is by [molesting women](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=2707169&postcount=45) and [violating](http://www.aclu.org/natsec/gen/25702prs20060530.html) [people’s](http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=22174) [civil](http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=9395) [rights](http://www.pen.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/688/prmID/278), then I’d just as soon let the terrorists through, and die [/QUOTE] That’s pretty much where I am, too. There’s a nutrition guy, I don’t remember his name, who thinks that people can live much longer if they essentially starve themselves, not to death, but living on a tiny number of calories. But I’d rather enjoy myself until I’m 60 than starve myself to 100. I want to live life not fear death. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/28 "2006-08-20T18:58:16Z")
[QUOTE=Rayne Man] Not quite the full story, the Mountbattens changed their name in WW1 when there was a lot of anti-German feeling in the UK . Shop-keepers who had German sounding names over their shop-fronts had their windows broken, and even innocent dachshunds had stones thrown at them. The situation wasn’t much better in WW2. Many Germans and Italians who had fled to Britain to escape persecution from their own country were interned as soon as war broke out. [/QUOTE] Which underscores the unbelievable retraint of people today for a community which has produced young men attacking their own countrymen. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/29 "2006-08-20T19:00:59Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] Which underscores the unbelievable retraint of people today for a community which has produced young men attacking their own countrymen. [/QUOTE] Or it underscores the unbelievable lack of restraint of people then? ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/30 "2006-08-20T19:28:40Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] Or it underscores the unbelievable lack of restraint of people then? [/QUOTE] Compared to what? It seems like there are two standards of behavior. In the west it is expected (as it should be) that people are judged as individuals, that diverse opionions are tolerated, and that freedom of religions is allowed. In the Islamic world you are not allowed to bring in bibles, women are beaten for not being covered head to toe, crowds march in the street calling for death to infidels, and people that blow up innocent women and children are hailed as heros. Why are we wasting time pitting people that are nervous about terrorism and not pitting the Islamic community in Britain that is deep in denial and expoliting the very freedoms that Islamisists want to deny to others? If the muslim community doesn’t want to be looked upon with fear they need to clean their house from within. Denounce the madrasses teaching hate, be vigilant for signs of terrorism, and look at what is going on in their values and beliefs that produce terrorists that target innocents. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/31 "2006-08-20T19:33:13Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] Compared to what? [/QUOTE] Compared to now. You are saying that people now are showing unbelievable restraint because people then did acts X and Y. But that means you are accepting acts X and Y as the normal, rational acts. It’s possible to pit one group or person for doing something nasty and also to pit another group or person for doing something nasty. All sorts of horrible behaviors are spurred by fear. Fear isn’t an excuse. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/32 "2006-08-20T19:44:43Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] … Contarst this with what is going on now. What I see are a bunch of Islamic apologists. They want to live in countries which extend an enormous amount of freedom to them yet support their Islamic causes which hate Jews and Christians, exploit women, and want to turn back the clock a thousand years. … [/QUOTE] Isn’t it possible though, that instead of those Islamics who haven’t changed their beliefs to support the country that “extend[ed] an enormous amount of freedom to them,” might be because they refuse to abandon their dogma? You know, the one that is _not_ like the fanatical minorities that fly planes into buildings? That peaceful version that doesn’t “hate Jews and Christians, exploit women, and want to turn back the clock a thousand years”? Perhaps that would explain why they wish to retain their heritage and faith rather than to terrorize those whose religion is opposite their own. Or at least, that would be my take on all this. Also what points **Rayne Man** , **saoirse** and **jsgoddess** make. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/33 "2006-08-20T19:44:50Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] Why are we wasting time pitting people that are nervous about terrorism and not pitting the Islamic community in Britain that is deep in denial and expoliting the very freedoms that Islamisists want to deny to others? [/QUOTE] So start a pit thread about it, what’s stopping you? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/34 "2006-08-20T19:50:59Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] I know, it’s just I spotted that glaring lapse in **The Flying Dutchman** ’s intelligence leading to his otherwise-watertight assessment of the security risk. [/QUOTE] So I got the origin/destination wrong. Big deal. I still appreciate the characterization of a “watertight assessment of the security risk”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/35 "2006-08-20T19:52:26Z")
[QUOTE=Priceguy] Man. It must be so tough, living like that. None of the above would have given me a second’s pause. [/QUOTE] What if the two guys were wearing colour matched head bands? ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/36 "2006-08-20T20:17:17Z")
[QUOTE=faithfool] Isn’t it possible though, that instead of those Islamics who haven’t changed their beliefs to support the country that “extend[ed] an enormous amount of freedom to them,” might be because they refuse to abandon their dogma? You know, the one that is _not_ like the fanatical minorities that fly planes into buildings? That peaceful version that doesn’t “hate Jews and Christians, exploit women, and want to turn back the clock a thousand years”? [/QUOTE] You must mean [these](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7MBVMLLuKc) people. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/37 "2006-08-20T20:20:14Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] Terrorism works or otherwise we wouldn’t have so much of it in the world. [/QUOTE] “So much of it”? Dude, statistically, I’m more likely to be killed by lightning. I don’t see anybody declaring a War on Cumulonimbus. Relatively speaking, there isn’t “much” terrorism in the world, because the practical-minded bad guys have learned there needs to be only a little bit of it to make hordes of stupid people panic and run around like frightened sheep. Your extreme overreaction is entirely out of proportion with the actual threat. You’re free to box yourself up inside your own paranoid fantasies, but please don’t invade my reality with your ludicrous twitching anxiety. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/38 "2006-08-20T20:23:03Z")
[QUOTE=The Flying Dutchman] What if the two guys were wearing colour matched head bands? [/QUOTE] I’d probably think “hey, those two guys are wearing colour matched head bands”. If I noticed it at all. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/39 "2006-08-20T20:26:24Z")
[QUOTE=Cervaise] “So much of it”? Dude, statistically, I’m more likely to be killed by lightning. [/QUOTE] Well yah. Thanks to George Bush ! (I’m partially kidding) If you were living in Iraq, Afghanistan or Israel you might think differently. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/40 "2006-08-20T21:03:05Z")
[QUOTE=DanBlather] You must mean [these](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7MBVMLLuKc) people. [/QUOTE] Well, there you go. You’ve got me that those people are _undoubtedly_ the majority _worldwide_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430.md?page=3)