Jeremy Clarkson Controversy, again...

Name one that has targeted an airport/aircraft.
I don't recall airport security being this high in the days of the IRA.

I can't read minds, so I have no idea. Also, unless you see someone in full Islamic dress, how could you spot a Muslim on sight anyway?

Facial features? Language? Passport? Other Islamic dress such as a headscarf or Taqiyah? The whole point of Clarkson's argument is that airport security should be targeting certain races, so your point contradicts his surely, if you are saying it is impossible for them to do that?

Religion =/= ethnicity

If they were to look for suicide bombers, chances are they would be young, male and black/Arab/Middle Eastern/possibly from some part of Africa (Egypt, Ethiopia etc.).

I think you are kind of arguing for the sake of arguing now. Your points are kind of irrelevant to what I was saying.

Ok so religion doesn't equal race, I agree. My original post was that Clarkson is missing the point that not all terrorists are Muslim. I just meant to say that there are terrorists of races other than the ones he is thinking of. Yes I said 'Muslim', maybe I should have phrased it better for all the nit pickers. Yes maybe he didn't mean Muslims exclusively. Maybe he meant Islamic people or black people or whatever. The point still stands though.

Well yes, there is still the possibility of the Real IRA bombing us (or just a random person like Breivik), but by no means is that our biggest threat right now.

Yeah I do agree with that, most of the threat comes from extremist Islamic organisations like Al Qaeda. Although I could imagine that they would be able to/do have white (British looking) people working for them, and I think they would resort to that if they really couldn't get Islamic bombers onto the planes.

I think if we keep targeting certain races it also has the massively detrimental effect of increasing racial tension within Britain, and let's face it that's what fuels these terrorist groups and that's what led to the 7/7 bombings.

Plus I think if someone really did want to blow up a plane, chances are they probably could manage it if they really tried, regardless of increased airport security.

I'm not one of the 'PC brigade' or whatever, I just think Clarkson's logic is stupid.

You are joking? You're not honestly trying to argue that 'racial tensions' cause terrorism?

Definitely. You should watch some documentaries on radical Muslims in Britain. I can't remember what it was called, but I watched one in particular on channel 4 that was really interesting. A lot of these guys who are joining groups like that are angry at the way the rest of British society views Muslims (I can sympathise, racism is never nice if it affects you), and this anger is what the leaders of the groups play on. People are joining groups like that because they feel segregated from the rest of British society.

It's a similar story for groups based in the Middle East. They are founded on racial tension. What else would they be founded on?

Being against Islam is not racist. It'd basically be the same as legions of Catholic priests joining terrorist groups because they're frustrated with the stereotypes associated with them.

At the end of the day, the UK is incredibly accommodating to Islam (far more than it should be in my opinion) and so all this guff about feeling discriminated against is simply that. Tell me, do drawings of Mohammed get published in the press? Do people freely criticise Islam on television? Do people make jokes about Mohammed or Allah on television or in the press? No, no they don't, because if they do, they get someone with an axe storming into their house.

I don't remember groups of black, Indian and Chinese kids going around bombing people or calling for fatwas, and they truly were discriminated against in the UK. Muslims have no excuse.

When he mentioned "blowing up", what did you think he was on about?

Don't know if its been pointed out, but airport authorities DO do this already. Perhaps not based on race, but based on country, yes. I flew from the caribbean to New York - they checked everyone's bag for drugs 3 times! Fly in from the UK, they won't do this once.

why am i uptight about clarkson? because he said that anyone going on strike "should be shot in front of their families". my mum went on strike, so excuse me if i take a little offence to that.

"I think they have been fantastic. Absolutely. London today has just been empty. Everybody stayed at home, you can whizz about, restaurants are empty," he said
"It's also like being back in the 70s. It makes me feel at home somehow," said the Top Gear presenter, before adding: "But we have to balance this though, because this is the BBC."
Mr Clarkson went on: "Frankly, I'd have them all shot. I would take them outside and execute them in front of their families. I mean, how dare they go on strike when they have these gilt-edged pensions that are going to be guaranteed while the rest of us have to work for a living?"
When the presenters pointed out that these were Mr Clarkson's personal
views, he said: "They're not. I've just given two views for you."

The quote in context:



Here's the video, even:

Terrorists.