High Kicking to Freedom: American Dancer Told to Dance in Airport by Israeli Security

The arrival of the famous Alvin Ailey dance troupe in Jerusalem has resulted in a growing controversy over the treatment of a black dancer with a Muslim name. Abdur-Rahim Jackson was told twice to dance before security personnel before he was eventually released. When he successfully danced for his freedom, one security agent reportedly suggested that he might want to change his name.

He told security that he was a professional dancer –which led to demands that he prove it. When he was asked to dance, Jackson seemed to take it with remarkable understanding:
“I stood up. I asked what type of dance?” He said, “Just do anything.’ I just moved around.” That would not be have been my answer and I probably would still be sitting in the holding cell.

A little while later another officer told him to dance again. It appears that terrorists cannot dance.

I suppose that he should consider himself lucky that he did not claim to be a taxidermist or proctologist.

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