Quick airport security ouroboros, sad
[ by Charles Cameron — here’s an example of recursion as farce, closing in on tragedy ]
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This:
The last kid who searched me, a young Muslim boy with an immaculate line-beard and goatee, was particularly apologetic.
“Sorry bro. If it makes you feel any better, they search me before I fly too.”
From a Guardian “long read” with a great deal of airport frisking — and worth yout time:
Riz Ahmed, Typecast as a terrorist
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So the frisker gets frisked by the friskers. I suppose that’s one answer to Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
September 15th, 2016 at 7:02 pm
That’s how the Ottomans did it with their millet system. The sanctioned Dhimmi were allowed some non-territorial autonomy over certain religious and legal matters. As long as they paid their infidel tax and, in the case of the Greeks, surrendered a male child into slavery, local chiefs took care of preserving order. Things went relatively smoothly until the 19th century, except for cases like the Druze, who would get hit by a massacre every now and again for asserting too much independence or the Armenians who would get sacked just because of their unfortunate location at the crossroads of empires.
How about a separate line entirely just for Muslims guarded by Muslims. Any improprieties or suggestions of prejudice would be mitigated by making the line super efficient with VIP service. The price to pay for preferred service would be increased scrutiny and surveillance. I wonder how many would take the offer?
September 16th, 2016 at 2:53 am
Another quick ouroboros today, this time from Chris Bateman:
Even a copy of a book that found its way back to the author to be signed thereafter has an orouboric baraka or charisma to it.
September 16th, 2016 at 7:03 pm
More ouroboros, this time in the inset quote “I joined to protect..”:
September 16th, 2016 at 8:41 pm
And here’s an ouroboric blog post title from emptywheel today:
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HPSCI: We Must Spy Like Snowden To Prevent Another Snowden
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Neat, that.