THE EDITOR, Sir:
BARBARA GLOUDON'S letter on March 2 titled 'Searches - a small price to pay' is an example of the different worlds people live in. When everybody knows you or you stand out from the criterion used to judge the masses you can afford not to be affronted by the indignity of an unwarranted search.
There is still respect for 'light skin' and money in Jamaica and those charged with the searching are no fools. They profile their victims based on their cultured opinion of who is privileged and who is not. For it to be fair all and sundry should get the same treatment.
How many times has Mrs. Gloudon and her ilk been the subject of the irrational rummage of her person and possessions at the airport in Jamaica? There is indeed something wrong with our system if there continues to be a singling out of individuals because of how they look instead of a random selection. If the system required the enforcers to "show cause" for the search and equality in the choice of who is and who is not, there would be less likelihood of profiling.
We have fallen prey to the hysteria surrounding the contraband society and have obviously moved to the extreme of incivility against the less fortunate. Free travel is about to move back to the time when it was available only to the privileged.
As to her reference to search dogs and the indifference of the authority in foreign countries, at least everyone is treated with a modicum of suspicion. There are laws here in America that protect me from the over-zealous officer who would think twice about violating my rights. I have been subjected to the in-depth search and questioning as I have travelled through the world. However, I am satisfied that it did not appear as if I was being singled out above and beyond all the other travellers. We cannot ignore injustice or justify it in the name of anti-drug or anti-terrorism. Drug mules and would be shoe-bombers are aware of the possibility of detection by just and legally announced means.
Contrary to the parochial opinion of some, all Jamaicans have not been painted with a broad brush with regard to smuggling and shoe-bombing operations. We are still respected by and large by the citizenry of any country we live in as hard working and honest.
The authorities should take a closer look at how searches are conducted and train those front-line workers in how to and how not to. Let Mrs. Gloudon remember that "duppy know who fi frighten" and that those in her stratum fear no alarm of being discriminated against by a bigoted enforcer at the airport.
I am etc.,
S. PETER CAMPBELL Sr.
E-mail: speterc@aol.com
Philadelphia, Pa
Via Go-Jamaica
