Suggesting that everyone should report “suspicious behavior” is a dumbfuck idea because the public is filled with dumbfucks.
The skeevy slogan of “If you see something, say something” tends to be interpreted by insecure idiots as “you have power over your fellow citizens and should report them whenever you feel uncomfortable”.
How about we take a page from Ben Franklin and go with the motto printed on the first instances of US currency: “Mind Your Business”. Its fucking disgusting to push this constant air of suspicion everyone should have towards each other.
I mean aren’t airline employees trained to identify trafficking? Is it really that big of a deal that they asked the mom questions?
As we can see from this article, the training basically boils down to a vague judgement call. And are you really trying to rephrase a parent and child being detained just for going about their business as “asking the mom some questions”?
It says the cops stopped them and asked them questions. So detained in the same way that a nervous-looking person might be detained because of how their face looks?
I would probably be pissed as that mother but it seems like people trying to do the right thing. I certainly wouldn’t try to sue because I had to answer some questions to help policy which prevents child trafficking.
But that’s the thing, there is literally zero evidence that policy helps “prevent child trafficking”. They don’t release any data about it.
So we have citizens essentially spying and reporting on other citizens under some vague “for the children” excuse and people who can’t spell the word nuance, let alone know what it means, saying “well if its for the children, how can it possibly be bad!?”
It’s like pointing out how every part of the TSA is just security theater and having mouthbreathers say “nuh-uh it’s to stop terrorism”.
Similar to anti-money laundering regulations, the data and strategies might not be released to prevent traffickers from making data-driven decisions to avoid getting caught.
Reporting suspicious persons was done by an employee who has a responsibility to do so. Even if it were a patron, I can’t think of a more fair system than to be judged by my peers.
I would ask you what you think the intent of the employee was. Do you think they were trying to ruin the day of someone with a mixed race child? Do you think they really thought it could be a trafficking situation?
Yes, it’s fair to judge a policy that can offend people. But a policy that saves people from literal enslavement at the cost of potential hurt feelings is a trade off I would make every day of the week. Which is why I’m glad policy and strategy come from professionals and not you.