I would think as soon as a Palestinian filmmaker made it as far as LAX there would be safety and welcome for his magnificent accomplishment. But, nooooooooooooo....actually having a peaceful opposition to Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories is too much to tolerate by Homeland Security.
Someone owes someone an apology in a very big way.
Palestinian director Emad Burnat, nominated for Academy Award, detained at LAX immigration, Michael Moore tweets (click here)
This is ethnic profiling. This is NOT national security. His papers were in order. He is a world renowned documentarian. He puts his life on the line everyday in Palestine to make films to bring the plight of his family and his neighbors face due to oppression. But, USA Homeland Security nearly sent him home rather than allowing him to participate in American rewards for such extraordinary bravery.
When he tried to make the trip to Amman he was stopped and detained along with his wife and child. When they finally were on their way to the USA little did they realize the USA was going to profile them for no valid reason as did Israel.
It seems to me if this is the methodology Homeland Security is using at LAX to determine dangers to the USA, it is not a good methodology. At all. Every Palestinian is suspect or did the family actually qualify for intense frisking because they didn't like the x-ray search for the fear of long term effect of their child?
When he tried to make the trip to Amman he was stopped and detained along with his wife and child. When they finally were on their way to the USA little did they realize the USA was going to profile them for no valid reason as did Israel.
It seems to me if this is the methodology Homeland Security is using at LAX to determine dangers to the USA, it is not a good methodology. At all. Every Palestinian is suspect or did the family actually qualify for intense frisking because they didn't like the x-ray search for the fear of long term effect of their child?
...“Not every traveler (click here) or piece of cargo poses the same level of risk to our security,” Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano, said Friday at her second annual “State of America’s Homeland Security” address at the National Press Club.
“Think of it this way: If we have to look for a needle in a haystack, it makes sense to use all of the information we have about the pieces of hay to make the haystack smaller,” Ms. Napolitano said....
I suppose this PRE-CLEARANCE is just for some class of privileged Americans. It doesn't matter that before this Palestinian family boarded their plane to the USA they were cleared to be there. That doesn't matter at LAX. At LAX, when a passenger arrives they are considered contaminated and have to be cleared all over again. Well, then what kind of companies are landing into LAX that have contaminated people arriving on USA soil?
Why would any airliner be allowed to land at LAX with terrorists on board? I want to know why these good people, albeit, controversial due to being a documentarian were DETAINED and THREATENED by Homeland Security at LAX. Yes, threatened. They were threatened to be returned from whence they came as dangerous people. I am sure that would be really well received in Israel. Here come three dangerous people being rejected by the USA from entry.
Emad Burnat was upset about missing his dinner and his friends. Lord knows the man seems to have far fewer friends than most Americans might expect. But, he was upset because he was going to miss his dinner and potential award for his magnificent film.
ME?
I and I am quite confident everyone at the dinner was upset because Mr. Emad Burnat was profiled. I am worried he could be detained and worse. Worried? That is an understatement. His life was in danger the minute he stepped off the plane at LAX along with his wife.
I know that wrath. It is not a good feeling. I was pulled aside in Boston when pumice rock from Iceland was found in my carry on. Four Homeland Security officers showed up out of the woodwork to state I would be arrested and detained for pumice rock from Iceland. Why? Because rocks were considered a potential threat to pilots and a weapon against pilots behind metal doors in the cockpit. Like. What?
It takes a real imagination to believe pumice would survive being thrown at the door yet alone be a weapon.
I had to return to the check in area to ask for my luggage being loaded on the plane to put my SCIENTIFIC material in the luggage (and pack it so it would survive gorilla baggage handlers). I nearly missed my flight. I had to go through this mess called screening under greater scrutiny this time to insure I wasn't being SNEAKY.
I can only imagine the wrath this family met with at LAX. Scary is not the word. I am appalled such a distinguished man and his family were treated like objects and not the decent people they are.
I apologize for the US Department of Homeland Security. They are ignorant people. Their only excuse is that in the USA they ain't paid as well as they should be to demand THEY THINK.
Why would any airliner be allowed to land at LAX with terrorists on board? I want to know why these good people, albeit, controversial due to being a documentarian were DETAINED and THREATENED by Homeland Security at LAX. Yes, threatened. They were threatened to be returned from whence they came as dangerous people. I am sure that would be really well received in Israel. Here come three dangerous people being rejected by the USA from entry.
Emad Burnat was upset about missing his dinner and his friends. Lord knows the man seems to have far fewer friends than most Americans might expect. But, he was upset because he was going to miss his dinner and potential award for his magnificent film.
ME?
I and I am quite confident everyone at the dinner was upset because Mr. Emad Burnat was profiled. I am worried he could be detained and worse. Worried? That is an understatement. His life was in danger the minute he stepped off the plane at LAX along with his wife.
I know that wrath. It is not a good feeling. I was pulled aside in Boston when pumice rock from Iceland was found in my carry on. Four Homeland Security officers showed up out of the woodwork to state I would be arrested and detained for pumice rock from Iceland. Why? Because rocks were considered a potential threat to pilots and a weapon against pilots behind metal doors in the cockpit. Like. What?
It takes a real imagination to believe pumice would survive being thrown at the door yet alone be a weapon.
I had to return to the check in area to ask for my luggage being loaded on the plane to put my SCIENTIFIC material in the luggage (and pack it so it would survive gorilla baggage handlers). I nearly missed my flight. I had to go through this mess called screening under greater scrutiny this time to insure I wasn't being SNEAKY.
I can only imagine the wrath this family met with at LAX. Scary is not the word. I am appalled such a distinguished man and his family were treated like objects and not the decent people they are.
I apologize for the US Department of Homeland Security. They are ignorant people. Their only excuse is that in the USA they ain't paid as well as they should be to demand THEY THINK.
Last night, on my way from Turkey to Los Angeles, CA, my family and I were held at US immigration for about an hour and questioned about the purpose of my visit to the United States. Immigration officials asked for proof that I was nominated for an Academy Award® for the documentary 5 BROKEN CAMERAS and they told me that if I couldn't prove the reason for my visit, my wife Soraya, my son Gibreel and I would be sent back to Turkey on the same day.
After 40 minutes of questions and answers, Gibreel asked me why we were still waiting in that small room. I simply told him the truth: 'Maybe we'll have to go back.' I could see his heart sink.
Although this was an unpleasant experience, this is a daily occurrence for Palestinians, every single day, throughout the West Bank. There are more than 500 Israeli checkpoints, roadblocks, and other barriers to movement across our land, and not a single one of us has been spared the experience that my family and I experienced yesterday. Ours was a very minor example of what my people face every day."
Emad Burnat
He flew in from Turkey. Turkey is an ally. Is there any reason the USA should believe Turkey is sending terrorists through LAX?
