The terrorists have won

By Libby Spencer

The greatest weapon a terrorist has isn't a bomb, it's fear. If we allow ourselves to diminish our humanity and toss our common sense out of fear of terrorism, then they've won without lifting a finger. This latest bit of security theater is a prime example.

Officials ordered nine Muslim passengers, including three young children, off an AirTran flight headed to Orlando from Reagan National Airport yesterday afternoon after two other passengers overheard what they thought was a suspicious remark.

And what was this highly suspicious remark? They were speculating about which seat on a plane is safest, one assumes in the event of a crash. This is a conversation I've had myself with fellow passengers at some point in the course of many years of plane travel. There are certain sections of an aircraft that are marginally safer.

By the way, these "Muslims" are American citizens. Somehow I think if it was a group of white Christians on their way to a revival meeting, this would never have been an issue.

(Cross-posted at The Impolitic.)