01/18/2010
Mikey Hicks is just an 8-year-old Cub Scout who wants to get through airport security like everyone else. But he faces extra security measures because of his name.
■Class discussion: Thousands of innocent travelers face additional security screening and delayed boarding because they share a name with someone on the TSA's watch list. But what's the alternative? Is profiling the answer? (Profiling is defined as "the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is considered likely to commit a particular type of crime or an illegal act or to behave in a 'predictable' manner.") But what if you "fit the profile" of a terrorist and you're subjected to more scrutiny as a result of your background or origin? How does that differ from African Americans being targeted in certain neighborhoods for "driving while black?"