Let Me Know What You Think

I recently attented the Tampa Bay Lightning in their Stanley Cup game 7 win. While i was at the stadium(for a game 6 watch party) I used the bathroom. Has i entered i noticed an Arab looking man just standing at the door. I thought nothing of it. However When i went again about 35 minutes later he was still standing there. I got a little suspicious. I though about tellin the police that were at the event but i decided not to... UNTIL, i went back another hour later and he was still there. At this point I got a little scared. All over the news and all the Local as well as Federal Gov't law enforcemnt agencies tell you to report anythign suspicious. The citianes speaking out is a way to stop a terrorist event. So i nodified a female law enforcement officer who became interested and told me to tell a male office. I was taken to a male officer who than started to listen. At this point about 8 cops were listneing to my story, when one of them said "mayeb he likes it there" Now in my opinion this is no matter to be taken as a joke. The gov't is constantly telling you to report anythign suspicious but when you do... it becomes the center of a laughing matter? There were more than 300 people at this even possibly more (im not good with estimates so ill shoot low). What does everyone think.. I hope i pasted this under the right topic, if i dind ti appolligize.

[edit on 3-8-2004 by John bull 1]

Well its possible that the day could have ended in a terrorist attack. That was a good idea to tell somebody, good eye. But thats sad that this would be treated as some kind of laughing matter. I'm sure they wouldn't be laughing if a bomb went off. Thats really pathetic that something as potentialy dangerous as that could be so funny to law enforcement.

Could be that they took it seriously but didn't want you to think it was serious. Allay fears.

What I would want to know is, after laughing about it, did they actually go and check this guy out?

I certanlly am not POSITIVE that they didnt..However the comment "he has a right to be there and he isnt hurting anything" would leave me to belive that they didnt. However if it was me, for the safety of everyone, i would want to know why he was standing there for so long. It is possible they did question him , howvere not when iw as there and i never saw them go in. IN NO WAY AM I DISRESPECTING OPUR LAWENFORCMENT, they get up everyday and protect our street for almost nothing and my THANKX go out to you. However i feel this shouldnt have been taken as a joke.

So, you want to turn someone in for "standing"???

I think its your right to turn people in, but just because someone of Arab origins was standing there for so long does not make him a terrorist. If citizens start turning in others, that is one step closer to a police state.

Its ok that you were concerned of course, but I would have been more concerned had you noticed a knife or something. Until you see something bad dont contribute to the fear and paranoia that are running rampant in this country right now!

well i think our country is in its own, self-created "Catch-22" here. on one hand, if we stop and question every person of arab descent, then we are "profiling" and how dare we do that. However, if we keep the same ol same ol, and think "it wont happen here" then we are guilty of neglect.

odds are that as a game as important as a stanly cup, they have pretty tight security. They probably have been watching this guy. also, it isnt a crime to sit there. however, it does seem suspicious, so you did the right thing.

Im not the type who thinks "let the government handle and all will be well" however, i do think that theyre as-es are on the line here, and they pretty much got this stuff handled.

oh, heres a question for you..what was he wearing, and did you notice if he had any "packages" with him? for all we know, this guy was there with his kids and one of them likes the bathromm trips. god knows mine does. try takin him to a movie. he likes goin to the b-room more than the movie..lol even "spiderman"!...

any rate, i kinda feel bad for any mid-easteners here in our country, because Im sure the most of them are descent hard working people , who now, because of this fear of terrorism have to be constantly harrased. it must be difficult. oh well, thats all i have to say about that...

OK... first of all of the 9-11 hijackers most of them if not all were arab or somehting along those orgins (saudi arabian) It is in my opinion to rpeort suspicous activity and for YOU to sit there and tell me that somsoe standing in the smae sopt for an hour and half plus is not suspicous to you. It isnt like they were outside watchin the game he was in a restroom hallway standing at the doors. Thank You for opinion though

The most likely scenario (and I have seen stuff just like what you have described) is that the suspicious looking man was actually an undercover cop who was patrolling that area, looking from crimes or suspicious activity.

That is probably why you got such an off-the-cuff response from the other police officers who were working in the area.

It would look suspicious to me if a man was just standing some were for an extended amount of time. Was he actually watching the game?

If it was some white guy would you have even noticed?

It's media-induced racial profiling.

Being "Arab-looking" is now sufficient for people to suspect you of being a "terrorist".


Thank you CNN and FOX!

Originally posted by raas32
OK... first of all of the 9-11 hijackers most of them if not all were arab or somehting along those orgins (saudi arabian) It is in my opinion to rpeort suspicous activity and for YOU to sit there and tell me that somsoe standing in the smae sopt for an hour and half plus is not suspicous to you. It isnt like they were outside watchin the game he was in a restroom hallway standing at the doors. Thank You for opinion though

Just to make sure there are no problems the above quote was to the user "Jazzerman"

Now to answer your question. No I do not believe he had any packages with him. Most Stuff was searched however he could have been there looking it over becuase it did infact go to game 7. Ya never know he could have been checking the area out. I do not harass arabs or anything it just caught my eye that he was standing there for so long. I didnt notice any kids in the bathroom of arab decent, hwoever im not saying there wasnt. I just found it strange so i reported it, what harm could reporting it do. Thank You for your view.

This is the second post I have read today about someone telling authorities about something that doesn't look right, and being ifnored or laughrd at. We have been told time and time again to report strange things, but what good is it if they ignore or laugh at you when you do this.
This is very poor and could lead to a disaster. I am not saying arrest everyone who seems to be doing something odd, but at least check it out and then if nothing, reasure the reporter that all is well-is that too much to ask-looks that way doesn't it.

Originally posted by Jakomo

If it was some white guy would you have even noticed?

It's media-induced racial profiling.

Being "Arab-looking" is now sufficient for people to suspect you of being a "terrorist".


Thank you CNN and FOX!

I can not guarentee you anything... I may have or may not have noticed if it was a white man. Somone standin in a hallway at the bathrooms im sure i would have noticed. However i am not positive. I am an American doing what my gov't asks.

Originally posted by cyberdude78
It would look suspicious to me if a man was just standing some were for an extended amount of time. Was he actually watching the game?

Exactly, ethnic origin has little to do with suspition in something like this. Had he been white, black, asian, whatever, what was his motivation for "hanging around"? As stated before, the thought occured that he may have been a cop. Can't have police of middle-eastern origin?

I never said he wasnt a cop. However most of the "undercover" secuirty at the event had ear pieces as well as some sort of clearance ID. He may have been a cop but for the fact that a police officer would joke aorund about an American reporting suspicious activity is in itself wrong. THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REPLYS

Jakomo nails it!

It is racial profiling.


Raas32...So if your country asked you to shoot an innocent man, you would? Authority always needs to be questioned. That is why a potentially harmless man "standing" near a restroom, may have been taken behind closed doors an interrogated just for "standing"!

...and what if this was before Civil Rights were granted to African Americans? Would you have turned in a suspicious looking African American simply for "standing" for a period of time in a white establishment, especially if your govt. told you to look out for these people?

There is no need to answer the above questions, because I already know your answer

Originally posted by Jazzerman
Jakomo nails it!

It is racial profiling.


Raas32...So if your country asked you to shoot an innocent man, you would? Authority always needs to be questioned. That is why a potentially harmless man "standing" near a restroom, may have been taken behind closed doors an interrogated just for "standing"!

...and what if this was before Civil Rights were granted to African Americans? Would you have turned in a suspicious looking African American simply for "standing" for a period of time in a white establishment, especially if your govt. told you to look out for these people?

There is no need to answer the above questions, because I already know your answer

NOO.. i will answer your questions becuase... other may not be as INTELLIGENT and as smart as you and may not know waht i have to say. I am simply saying that i reported what i thought was suspicous. And for somsoen like yourself to sit there and aim away at accusations with no proof behind them is UN HEARD OF. IN NO WAY was it becuase of racial or color or anything. Its not like i sat there and made fun of him and called him names. I sia dnothign to him i simply went and reported it to let the right people know of it. Let the police handle it, they are the ebst there is. YOU ARE A DISCRACE TO THIS MESSAGE BOARD

"And for somsoen like yourself to sit there and aim away at accusations with no proof behind them is UN HEARD OF"- quote by raas32

Ummm....isn't this exactly what you did to this individual you speak of?


"YOU ARE A DISCRACE TO THIS MESSAGE BOARD"- quote by raas32

If you feel I am that is your opinion, although I would like to know how its a "disgrace" to tell you my opinion of the matter

NO that is NOT what i did to this individual. I reported an activity that was in my mind suspicious. NOTHING MORE