A friend recently appeared to me in Google Talk form, with the following link from the Los Angeles Times:

Arabic-language flashcards don’t fly with TSA

I’ve often wondered what sort of flags I’ve raised over the years travelling between the Middle East, China and America, often with multiple Arabic or Uyghur language texts in town, many of them religious in nature. In my undergrad years I spent a good many credit hours on Mideast theological philosophy, and not a boarding pass left my hand without a Qur’an tucked into my carry on.

I’d be lying if I said I ever felt like it would be a problem in America. China, however, is another story. Not a year ago I asked an acquaintance in Ürümchi to send me an Arabic-Uyghur dictionary (which he did and for which I’m eternally grateful. It’s been an excellent resource) through China Post. A small part of me was expecting it to simply not arrive, “lost” like so many pair of knock-off kicks.

But fortunately I’ve yet to encounter any difficulty in moving about the country despite my less-than-perfect destinations in the eyes of the State. Though I have on multiple occasions gotten that vibe from a handful of Imams and scholars with whom I’ve spoken over the years. More often than not it happens shortly after the conversation drops to a whisper.

I’ve posted before on the legal status of religious freedoms here in China. I’ve not, however, spent much time actively seeking out any specific limitations on linguistic religious freedoms, specifically how likely someone would be to getting targeted for searches based on strictly language-based factors. I don’t mean the right to speak Mongolian instead of Mandarin at home, but more on the right to drag 30 kilos of Uyghur-language Qur’ans with you onto a plane. I feel a future project coming on.