Flying while Muslim

Flying while Muslim or Muslim while flying, is an expression referring to the problems Muslim passengers on airplanes can face in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks. It is constructed in an analogy to the older expression "walking/driving while black", which similarly satirizes racial profiling of black people by police and other law enforcement. [ [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/13/usnews/whispers/main2472666.shtml Islamic Activists Ask, Is There A 'flying While Muslim' Bias?] ]

An early usage of the phrase is dated by 2001. ["I've faced both kinds of profiling: driving while black and flying while Muslim" in: " [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00712F9345C0C768DDDA00894D9404482 Metro Matters; Last Week, Profiling Was Wrong] " by Joyce Purnick, "The New York Times", September 15, 2001]

The issue was brought to media attention once more in 2006 when six Muslim imams were removed from a US Airways flight after they reportedly engaged in suspicious behavior reminiscent of that of the 9/11 hijackers. [ [http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/michael_smerconish/20070408_Head_Strong___See_suspicious_acts__Feel_free_to_report_them.html See suspicious acts Feel free to report them] "The Philadelphia Inquirer" April 08 2007] [ [http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0612/S00021.htm "Not Flying While Muslim"] by William Fisher (opinion piece).] Conservative pundits such as Ann Coulter and Robert Spencer argued that airlines have a right to treat Muslim passengers with suspicion as a consequence of Islamist terrorism. [http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=18180 "What Can I Do to Make Your Flight More Uncomfortable?"] by Ann Coulter; [http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=18171 "Muslim Imams: The New Rosa Parks?"] by Robert Spencer.] Omar Shahin, one of the six imams, countered that such fears were unfounded. "All the evidence shows that those involved in this terrorist act [9/11] were not true Muslims," he said. [ [http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20061201-121239-7193r.htm "Imam disputes tie to Hamas"] , "The Washington Times", December 1, 2006]

ee also

*Driving While Black
*Flying Imams controversy

References

External links

* [http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/21/passengers.removed/ "Airline checks claim of 'Muslim while flying' discrimination"] CNN
* [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15856333/site/newsweek/page/2/ "'Flying while Muslim'"] , "Newsweek".
* [http://www.lacrossetribune.com/articles/2006/11/22/mn/00mnnews1122.txt "In some Muslim eyes, another case of 'Flying while Muslim'"] , "La Cross Tribune".
* [http://www.flyingwhilemuslim.com/ "Flying While Muslim"] Website for upcoming documentary.