"I'm not a terrorist, I'm a student!"

My friend Hamad was talking the other day about how much he likes going to Europe, because he can travel with no one stopping him. "You're more free in my country than I am," he says. And it's true.

He told me a story from a time two years ago when he was in college, and late for a lecture.

'I was on the road headed back to Jenin, and stopped at a checkpoint. The soldier looked at my ID and said, "You are from Jenin. Are you a terrorist?" (Let's just stop here for a second and think about whether that question would have any effect whatsoever, and then continue our story.) "I'm not a terrorist," I said. "I'm a student."
"Pull over there, please."
An hour passed.
The soldier returned and said, "Tell me a story."
"I'm sorry?"
"Tell me a story! When were you born?"
"Ah, 1980."
"Alright, you can go." I never did tell him the story.'

I honestly have no idea what to make of that. I suppose it's what happens when you put children in charge of security.