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IX. SECURITY MEASURES AND DISCIPLINE
A. Security Measures
"It's for everybody's protection," explains the FOI guard to the visitor, who must be searched before entering an NOI meeting place. Negro reporters for the "Chicago American" told about their experience before a meeting got under way where Elijah was to speak. You are led into a room, they said, where you register with a smiling Muslim at a desk. Then you are conducted before a team of guards who begin to search you for dangerous weapons. They are gentle but thorough, covering hat to shoes:
- "... A muscular young Muslim tells you to empty your pockets. Your ballpoint pen is clicked repeatedly to make sure it's not a miniature weapon. Anything objectionable in your pockets goes into a brown bag and you get a claim check to redeem it after the meeting.
- "Then you're standing ... arms thrust skyward. The muscular one takes a karate stance and commands you to 'move into me.' His fingers dart up to yours, then flick downward over your arms, across the top of your chest, under your armpits, and down your sides. The hands go inside and under your belt, all the way around.
- "Then the probing fingers glide down your legs, inside and out. The Muslim slaps your thighs and hips, nods to three men standing silently behind you and mutters, 'O.K.' Then in a dull monotone, he apologizes for the frisk and hopes 'you're not offended.'"
Frisking for weapons as the standing line gradually moves up causes long delays. Men search men, women search women. After being cleared, the
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