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Israeli Airport Security Makes American Performer Dance to Prove his Identity
When the famed American dance company Alvin Ailey arrived in Israel, one of the troupe was singled out by airport security because of his Muslim name. That's nothing new in a place where security concerns trump political correctness. But this particular situation didn't stop with the usual searches and passport verification. The dancer, Abdur-Rahim Jackson, was asked to perform a dance in order to prove his identity. After being held in a holding room for a few minutes, a different security official asked him to dance again. Jackson claimed that another security official told him it might be wise if he changed his name.
Jackson received his name when his father converted to Islam. He is not religious and is engaged to a Jewish woman whose family he intended to visit while in Israel. Despite being taken aback by the treatment, Jackson said that he did not plan to pursue any sort of official complaint. However, the story has been picked up by the Israeli press and commentators have complained about the negative image the story has caused for their country. Source.
Filed under: Israel, News, Middle East
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Talor Korn Sep 10th 2008 2:12PM
It is quite amusing to read Israeli press and commentators concerned about "the negative image the story has caused for their country."
Perhaps rather than asking one to change their name to something not affilaited with the xenophobic-flavour of the times, the Israeli government should consider changing their intrinsic apartheid and militaristic policies as the first step towards addressing "negative image".
Ryan Sep 10th 2008 7:51PM
That is the funniest thing I have ever seen do you care if i link to this blog from my website?
Home Security Miami Florida
Daniel Sep 11th 2008 8:04AM
A black chopper pilot was subjected to similar treatment in an early episode of M*A*S*H by a crazy general played by Harry Morgan. Morgan later became a regular on the series as the beloved Colonel Sherman Potter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_General_Flipped_at_Dawn
Baron Sep 11th 2008 10:08AM
People always think we are bad here, but other countries really trump us!
A vendor I worked with for warehouse management software was setting up a clients distribution center in either Saudi Arabia or somewhere around there. They showed up (via private plane) at the airport to meet with their clients. Two of their usual setup team are Jewish. Their clients refused to deal with them until the two guys got back on the plane and promised not to work on the project. I don't know if they scrapped the project or not, I tend to think they didn't because it was a significant project early in their start-up.