You might be a terrorist if...

Josh Roberts believes the best trips involve long hikes and muddy boots. His life goals haven't changed much since he was a kid: He still wants to be Indiana Jones when he grows up.

Follow him on Twitter (@joshwhowrites) and Instagram (@joshwhowrites), and visit his website (joshrobertsbooks.com) or Goodreads page to learn more about his forthcoming novel.

Josh joined SmarterTravel in 2001, and is an active member in both the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI).

In addition to SmarterTravel, he has written for USA Today, The Boston Globe, Yahoo! Travel, The Huffington Post, Airfarewatchdog, TripAdvisor, Jetsetter, ABC News, Oyster, and Business Insider. His travel photography can be seen in Britain and Ireland's Best Wild Places, published by Penguin UK.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "A lacrosse ball. It's small, lightweight, and works wonders on loosening up tight muscles."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Being the first to discover an ancient lost city. Failing that, visiting as many of the already-discovered ancient ruins as possible."

Travel Motto: "Not all those who wander are lost." -J.R.R. Tolkien

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle."

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The AP reports that over the past four years the U.S. government has “assigned millions of Americans and other international travelers computer-generated scores assessing the risk they pose of being terrorists or criminals,” without public notice. You’re also not allowed to see or challenge your score, which—oh by the way—will be kept on file for 40 years.

Among the criteria to determine if you might be a terrorist: where you’re from, how you paid for your tickets, how often you’ve purchased one-way travel, your seating preferences, and your meal preferences.

It seems clear to me that the program, dubbed the Automated Targeting System (ATS), is essentially profiling by another name. Not just “behavioral profiling,” either, unless you really think the government is looking at your choice of chicken or beef. No, I’m pretty sure they’re looking for meal choice based on religious and ethnic preferences.

Are we safer because of this? Maybe. Are we better for it? That’s open to debate.

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