British Man Arrested Under Terror Act for Frivolous Tweet
British Man Arrested Under Terror Act for Frivolous Tweet
Posted 01/18/2010 at 7:31pm
| by Pulkit Chandna
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Do you remember reading about something called the SarcMarc here last week? It is a downloadable punctuation mark for giving adequate notice of the sarcasm that precedes it. Though it may appear rather impractical to the vast majority, especially considering the fact that it costs $1.99, a certain Paul Chambers might even kill for such a contrived punctuation mark after a frivolous Twitter post got him booked under the UK's Terrorism Act.
After inclement weather put his travel plans in jeopardy, the 26-year-old Britisher joked on Twitter that he would blow the Robin Hood “airport sky high.” The tweet followed the airport's closure on January 6, 2009 due to heavy snow. Apparently, he was scheduled to board a flight to Ireland from that airport on January 15. Acting on a tip-off from an unnamed person, the police arrested him on January 13.
"I had to explain Twitter to them in its entirety because they'd never heard of it," Chambers is reported to have said. "Then they asked all about my home life, and how work was going, and other personal things. The lead investigator kept asking, 'Do you understand why this is happening?' and saying, 'It is the world we live in'." Do you still remember the SarcMark? I think “the world that we live in” certainly needs it.
Chambers was released on bail a few hours after his arrest and remains in danger of being tried for perpetrating a bomb hoax. Perhaps it is also worth mentioning that the authorities have banned him from the airport for life and his employer has suspended him until it completes an internal probe.
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RR
January 26, 2010 at 12:36am
Twitter is a -global- PUBLIC forum... it's the same as going out in public, like an airport, and screaming your post for everyone to hear.
Even if it's said in a normal voice... you don't want to say things like that in PUBLIC. It may seem sad that someone 'snooped' his tweets and reported it... but it IS just the same as someone reporting overhearing another say they were going to commit an act of violence. Unfortunately, you can't inject a joking tone of voice in tweets, even with a smiley. A malicious grin looks just like a goofy one.
There are many acts of violence that were preceded by someone making all kinds of warning signs and people failed to act on them.
However, banning that guy for life, and employment suspension for what can be determined to be a bad joke... is an overreaction. Slap his wrist and let him go, ban him for a year maybe, put a note in his employment file, but that's all.
Making tweets private is like whispering... you still don't want to whisper joking violent threats at the airport. Lots of people don't have that kind of sense of humor.
headkase
January 26, 2010 at 6:01am
Here's the rub: I refuse to live in fear that I may be misunderstood. That's not the democracy I signed up for.
Jims45wow
February 01, 2010 at 5:49pm
I'm not sure about every single nation-state, but I would guess that, unless you have changed citizenship, or comperable, you haven't actually "signed up" for any existing democracies. I wouldn't choose to sign up for any. I'm rather fond of the republic that I was bequethed. (Firefox isn't helping my lazy butt with spelling in the forum...)
Anyway, I judge his private message to be private. Whispering is an implied desire for privacy. Jokes are jokes. Private speach is only an open threat if it is made to the subject. Whispering "fire" to your friend in the theater is NOT reckless, but perhaps making to much of that whisper is...
Mob Rule! (jk) (Too cheap to pay $2)
Jim
Mr. Frankentein
January 25, 2010 at 3:47pm
I've noticed some poeple like to criticize peoples english grammer, and because of an inability to articulate thier exasperation use gutterized four letter acronyms feebly attempting to show some from of prepubecent intellegence.
This is a conversation not a letter. This is a fast moving thought process not an english lit class.
When you see a comment and respond to it but instead offer a grammer lesson you show your true colors. Anything to hurt or belittle your opponent are the signs of a troubled mind.
Who cares if it's a run on sentence who cares if it's lacking puctuation what does it matter the brain is geared to filter out such nonsense get to the heart of your response and leave the grammer lessons in skewl
essjay22
January 31, 2010 at 11:30am
Have you not just done the same thing? Albeit more eloquently but didactic just the same. BTW use firefox, it has a built in spellchecker.
Trooper_One
January 25, 2010 at 12:26pm
Wow, his life is in ruins simply because of a tweet.
Can't board planes at the airport, can't get on to flights, and will probably lose his job.
This probably hurts the government more than him being an actual threat; he's no longer paying taxes and will have to collect wellfare.
dullthud
January 21, 2010 at 7:08am
I do think the lifetime ban from the airport and the suspension by his employer is too much. The police released him after a few hours, so they obviously don't believe that he is a real threat, they were just being thorough. This could follow him around for a long time. No way he can hold a security clearance, now. He should get a civil rights laywer involved right away, before his life gets flushed.
It also seems likely based on this case that National security groups in some countries are monitoring social networking sites, probably with phrase and pattern detection software. Don't ever believe your public posts are private.
headkase
January 22, 2010 at 6:48am
Monitor? Heh, let them be jackbooted all they want here where I live. There's still quite a while to go yet before I hide and start collecting pee (for the uric acid). In the meantime, getting involved with organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union is a great idea! Look at the issue of "no fly lists" themselves. Look at history, The Trial - published in 1925, is an excellent light to shine on those lists. No real trial, not allowed to see the evidence against you, life ruined, no recourse. Seriously, educate yourself, your neighbour, and your government: before it is too late and you have to refer to your nation as the "USSA." Think it can't happen?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trial
dullthud
January 19, 2010 at 8:34am
I always mean what I say. I am a grown man, not a child who can't tell the difference between reality and fantasy. And if I tell someone that I want to cause them harm, I mean it.
If you tell someone that you are going to commit an act of violence and they ignore you, and you do it, who will be blamed? How do you know which threats are real and which ones are false? All they did was investigate a potential threat. He was questioned and released. His computers were siezed and will be checked and returned to him. He may be charged under the British criminal code. IT WAS ILLEGAL.
Only a foolish troll believes that he can say whatever he wants, whenever he wants, to anyone, about anything on the internet without consequences. If you tell a government agency in any country that you are going to kill or blow up something or someone, prepare to be arrested. You do not have the right to threaten someone with violent acts in any country no matter how mad or even justified you are. It is not considered free speech anywhere. Don't be a STUPID TROLL!
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 10:03am
It's the limits of the medium. Notice the picture says he's now protected his tweets? It's because some a... well ends with "hole" in the ground, was trolling through his tweets, didn't know him from the same hole in the ground and did his brown-nose duty to his ignorance like he was living in Stasi East Germany and "reported the trouble-maker." You want to talk trolls? I'm am being absolutely honest, I swear on everything I hold dear, that I feel my "leaders" are failing to properly lead and that they do what gets votes instead of what is right and they also pander to peoples fears instead of implement effective policy. I don't have enough votes to change that, I have exactly one and I exercise it every chance I get. So, here I am. I'm telling you it's stupid because I actually believe in Democracy. For better or worse I don't think there is anything better at the moment. My true purpose here is to prod you into discourse so that you will become, hopefully, more like me and therefore cast *your* singular vote as I shall. This belief in false protection and ignorance undermines democracy, we are supposed to be as self-reliant and as opinionated as possible: sheeple are to be discouraged because they vote in blocks by what their neighbour said instead of what they think. Until people vote with their own thoughts we have popularity, not wise choice of paths. In a perfect world the terrorists wouldn't win. In the real world people are jumping at their own shadows. I may be wrong on a lot of things but I'm not wrong when I say the the terrorists have won because our reactions to them are stupid.
By the way, did you know it is illegal to say: "I think the president of the United States should be killed by using a mortar attack from the alley across the way. Someone who knows what they're doing and watching that flag conveniently placed on the White House for wind speed could pull it off in one shot." There is nothing about being in charge that makes you special, leaders in democracies live on the whims of those they represent: they should be mindful of that. A single vote could be the difference between being in office and not.
I love my country precisely because we aren't the type of hell-hole that breeds terrorists.
Biceps
January 19, 2010 at 11:41am
Bill Picket... in my humble, yet well-informed opinion, you are bat-shit crazy. You also have some major issues with English grammar and run-on sentences (two further indicators that you are bat-shit crazy, from my point of view). Learn to type, then worry about free speech. Your (poorly-worded) opinion doesn't mean squat if no-one can understand you.
Moreover, threats are bad, mkay? They are not, and should never be, protected by the 1st Amendment. Don't threaten people, because we don't think it's a joke and will call the police. Then you can pitch your run-on sentences from the clink.
I am not a sheep. Honest, open and opinionated discourse is critical to maintaining and improving a democracy (not that a democracy is really what we have got right now). Threats are stupid, ignorant, and violent. Violence solves nothing (just ask Afganistan).
(World) Peace.
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 12:13pm
Well, we aren't shooting at each other. I take a George Carlin view on life and I really resent any type of authority. If you'll notice I went right to the line and stayed there. I'm a firm believer that rights are meant to be exercised. I'm not correct, especially politically, and honestly if all I am is a stimulus to get other discussions going then I'm satisfied. ;) :p So, "they" can go to hell and I'll see "them" there. In the meantime don't forget that it takes a special kind of psychopath to actually seek to be in control of the lives of millions of people, don't trust 'em, no matter how many babies they kiss.
Edit: I got a second opinion: yes some of my sentences are run on but I do have my points, so: :P
Biceps
January 19, 2010 at 12:41pm
You crossed the line below when you talked about killing politicians, in my opinion.
However, let's pretend we are both rational people here. You mentioned George Carlin - a great man who so firmly believed that the words you use actually affect the way you think. He was right. Swear-words are good, Political Correctness is left-wing soccer mom bullsh*t sponsored by people who don't want to solve problems, just mask them in pretty words. F**k politicians... the largest majority of them are evil, greedy, sick bastards. Religion is just institutionalized mind control with the goal of separating the faithful from their free will and their money. These are sensible if cynical points of view that I happen to agree with.
But I do not and cannot ever condone or endorse violence or promised violence; do not threaten thy neighbor and do not think that if someone else is threatened that they will, for some empty-headed reason, believe you are joking. That is assinine. It is delusional. It is a one-way ticket to a cavity search of your body and your life by The Ones In Charge.
Free speech is the most important thing Democracy can provide to the world. Don't fuck it up for everyone else by abusing it through 'joking threats' or 'hypothetical terror attack plans' just because you think you should be able to. Freedom of Speech is too precious, and (you are correct here) far too rare to be abused. Instead of defending some moron who can't understand why his country's anti-terrorism unit doesn't have a sense of humor (I mean, REALLY?), you should be fighting the real impingments on freedom of speech.
Go support the people of Iran, of China, of Russia (again), who do not have the luxury of expression you so eagerly show you possess. Get a sign and protest. Learn how to write with regular commas and periods so people will actually be able to understand what you say and even maybe agree with you.
But the moment you start threatening, ranting and raving, you lose. Every time.
(World) Peace
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 12:58pm
I don't believe you actually understand what you are talking about! Is this some kind of Vietnam: "We had to destroy the village to save it" kind of logic?! Do not exercise your freedom of speech to keep yourself from losing it?! F. the politicians, give me a gun and a motive and then I'd mow down the lot of them. If you limit what you can think yourself, you are limiting what you are capable of doing. And maybe what needs to be done. Life is not a fairy tale, sometimes the good guys do lose. I happen to think it is happening. Should I shut up? Or should I stand on my feet, say what I believe and if need be accept my day in court while I still get one so I can look my accusers straight in the eye and spit at them? You'll pry my free speech from my cold dead fingers in the darkest depths of hell my friend. And that is that, until you agree you are not a Citizen.
Biceps
January 19, 2010 at 1:33pm
If you call yourself a revolutionary, you are the FBI's favorite kind - loud and trackable. You won't get that day in court... don't you read the news? You, I, anyone can now be declared a non-person by our government.
That means NO trial, NO one phone call, NO nothing. You just disappear and it is 100% legal. The only way anyone will know you are gone is because you will stop posting on the net - unless they take over your account to bring in your friends, too. How many Americans have you heard of who have gone to court recently for making comments like your are referring to? None? Gee... why? Hmm...
I am not endorsing cowardice, I am endorsing you growing a brain and then using it for something a little more productive instead of you getting your ass tossed in a hole without even a chance to spit in someone's eye.
(World) Peace
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 2:00pm
Actually I'm not calling myself a "revolutionary" ;) Revolutions suck, my stuff gets broken. More of a gardener who's sick of the newspeak. Anyone can disappear, however, my vocal network and their networks and their networks know that I wouldn't just stop posting. They love a good conspiracy and love to concoct tall tales. Besides we're redundant, individually we can go off for a walk. You are endorsing cowardice, shaking your boogeyman around. Please, get up off of your knees.
Biceps
January 19, 2010 at 3:03pm
Peace takes BALLS, my friend. I've had guns pointed at me, have you? I've been tear-gassed (repeatedly), and hit with night-sticks, have you? I've been shot with rubber bullets (it hurts A LOT). Have you? I've protested on the streets and supported the causes I believe in, have you? And, sometimes, I've even won. Have you?
Anybody can take a life, it is as easy as breaking a pane of glass. Living well, now that is difficult.
You are, in my opinion, a liar. One who will write great threats about what he's gonna do when he gets a gun. This is America.... everyone has a gun. Need one?, go to Walmart. If you are in Canada, then I guess you'll have to make do with a slingshot.
(World) Peace
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 3:28pm
See, you lost your composure. That is a weakness you should work on. I'm more than happy to continue our discussions, I like the current United States President, I believe Obama's heart is in the right place and I wish that enough of the establishment actually do put aside petty partisan politics and allow him to accomplish the promised "Change." He is a great statesman and has proven his mettle simply by getting to where he is. You think we have balls? Try being the first black President, *he* has balls, he is going to need extra protection for himself and his family for life. I respect that man who against all adversity stood up for what he believed. I can only hope to emulate him in the shadow I am capable of.
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 3:49pm
You don't get it. You know nothing of me besides whats on a page. I've lost everything I've loved: more than once. It appears to me that you would just like to win. I would just like to challenge, not to win but to always move. If frustrating, move on because I'm not done with my convictions and my reciprocal evaluation of yourself also falls short of self-evaluations and you'll just have to accept that. Perhaps, if I do make a difference - along with and because of the people who are like in mind with myself - your children won't know why they should be thankful. Every generation is in danger and a fraction whether right or not pull themselves away from the tv of the day to keep it at bay just a little longer.
Biceps
January 19, 2010 at 4:59pm
I am very sorry for your loss. I do believe that Martin Luther King had it right. Non-violent protest is the only way to effect lasting change. Killing people's brothers, sisters, mothers, daughters is not a way to win hearts and minds.
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 5:20pm
You, sir, are correct. Unfortunately that is part of the reason the terrorists hate us so much: We, the "west", have done those things to "them" while we were self-absorbed in the cold war and at other times too. The cycle of hate is always almost impossible to break. My guess is that an honest confrontation of who did what to whom would be in order, even if it shatters what we thought we were. The terrorists still suck but if you want to effectively stop them you need to win them over by recognizing though the propaganda machine of our media how we have wronged them. The amends will never be made and it will radicalize some even further but crucially it would further moderate what is already the norm: people over "there" who just want to live their lives. And for our own part, a thorough period of questioning is in order for our own governments as well.
I really have to go to bed now, please continue and I'll come back to this page when I get up.
bigbasspa
January 19, 2010 at 6:04am
Do you think, just maybe, that the police forces in the UK have been ordered to follow up any terrorist threat? How are they to know it's false? Sure it's on Twitter but they stil have to follow it up, costing them time and money. They will probably end up charging him with wasting police time and he deserves that for being an idiot. Nanny state? Behave! It's Britain's, and America's vigilance that have helped prevent more atrocities than there has been. You whingers would be the first to complain if your granny got blown up.
And it's not just the UK. Couple of years ago a British tourist joked, at a US airport, that she had bombs in her bags - they didn't see the funny side either and jailed her.
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 8:22am
The problem is actuality. Yes, he should have chosen his words more carefully, he should have prefaced his comment with: "Only idiots will think I actually mean this...", but then again Twitter only allows 140 characters maximum so he would have used up most of his message with that. Also, he didn't actually do anything at the airport: this was noticed after the facts and because of his "thought-crime" he received a visit which given the overinflated perception of the threat is not surprising but what is critical: they are still pursuing it and he has potentially lost his livelihood over something that should never have been escalated if the parties involved had any real intelligence. And finally, the over-perception against terrorist "threats" is an issue in itself. Terrorists kill people, a little bit of people, numbered in the thousands, perhaps say 3000 in a day - worldwide with most of them being in places that do not matter to you or I. If one of those people were in my family I'd be devastated, however, keep in mind that the purpose of terrorism is not to kill as many people as possible but rather to disrupt the systems of your enemy. When you consider the millions of people who have their lives affected *every single day* by the responses to these, in context, small losses then the terrorists have actually won. Every person who is humiliated at a TSA checkpoint is a terrorists victim. And sheep are too stupid to comprehend that they have truly lost, not only to the terrorists, but also that they are losing the principles the terrorists hate as well. As a further comparison, just in the United States, *every year* approximately 150,000 people die from automotive related incidents. We have yet to declare war on GM and Chrysler. Of course that would be stupid, but so is letting the terrorists win: which we are actually doing.
nekollx
January 26, 2010 at 11:45am
I stand by my initial assessment, if you have to get a explanation from the SUSPECT WHAT Twitter is you have no right to arrest them for posting threats on it.
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
Biceps
January 19, 2010 at 11:42am
Dude, did you write this with an internet translator? Craaaazzyy!
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 12:16pm
If you take the time to tease the meaning out and rewrite it in coherent concepts for yourself and repost here instead of just posturing, maybe I'll take you seriously, easier to destroy than create type stuff.
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 1:17pm
I'm still waiting for an actual examination of the points. One by one.
Biceps
January 19, 2010 at 1:59pm
IF you can somehow come up with a coherent set of points in a reasonably understandable format, I will be happy to comment on each point individually. I will even use bullet-points. But I am not going to try to wade through your full-page sentences to attempt to gleen some meaning from your rambling.
I'm waiting. :)
To0nces
January 26, 2010 at 11:34am
For the most part, your arguments have devolved into attacking his grammar and sentence structure. We can all read plain English, don't pretend you can't read and understand perfectly fine what he is saying. Either debate what he says, or stop posting. If you have to devolve into criticism of his grammar, you already lost the debate. You aren't contributing to the debate at all. I'm not saying I necessarily agree with what he says, but I think the grammar nazi crap is childish.
What you're doing is basically the equivalent of a child plugging their ears and shouting, "La la la! I can't hear you!"
headkase
January 27, 2010 at 4:15am
Well, thank you! I'm glad you may not agree with me: if we are all the same that is weakness. I hope we'll fight together for the right to hold our differences however.
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 2:04pm
See, you're getting all flustered and personal. I was here first, either I am completely delusional and have a special logic all of my own or you are simply being obtuse and refusing to acknowledge what I have said. So, ball's in your court.
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 2:22am
My attitudes have been firming lately and I'd like to share a few with you. Britain especially is being referred to as a "nanny state", the government loves to poke their nose into a private citizens business. This is the path of Evil. And there is Good and Evil in actions whether or not you believe it is real in philosophy. In another discussion I was having somewhere else, a moment of clarity emerged when we were on the topic of China and censorship. The issue at hand was China's crackdown on adult material on the Internet. The response that was agreed to be valid was that: if you will listen when the government tells you what to do in the bedroom then you will do whatever they tell you. If you do not listen in such an intimate setting then you are a trouble-maker and would have needed attention somewhere along the line so now is the time to "re-educate" you. Terrorism and "think-of-the-children" are two of the gravest threats facing Free societies today, not because of the actual threat but precisely because of the threat of what people will accept being done to their lives when those excuses are pranced around in the name of what the Evil party wants you to do. What do I want you to do? Simple, comment on Evil wherever you see it from your value-set. Just like I have done in this post. Evil dies when exposed to light.
DasHellMutt
January 19, 2010 at 11:42am
Glad to see I'm not alone. I really think the US is heading in the direction of being like China or the USSR. all this stuff about detaining people indeffinately and having secret trials all in the guise of protecting people from terrorism. Then they reinforce their actions by saying "There haven't been any more attacks so it must be working". Ya and my keyboard keeps away tigers. Haven't seen any tigers roaming through recently so it must be working.
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 1:21pm
Glad to see I'm not alone. Hook up with me on Facebook if you like. One rule: everything is public, every single last thing. Just like my profile.
_Jono_
January 19, 2010 at 12:50am
If he has to explain twitter to the authorities how can they arrest him for it? Seriously?? If our "security" forces can't discern the difference between a bummed customer and a jihadist who's own father turns him in... I mean cmon! Shame on you UK!
Biceps
January 19, 2010 at 1:00pm
Dude, if I sent you an email telling you I was ANGRY, so was going to blow up your house/office, would you sit back and laugh? Would you lean back and scratch your belly while chuckling at my shennanigans? Or would you piss your pants while running to the nearest fire escape while simultaneously calling 911 on your cell phone?
Thought so. Bomb threats are stupid, and so are the people who make them by accident (or on purpose, for that matter).
(World) Peace
nekollx
January 19, 2010 at 1:10pm
Depends:
Are you a stranger? If so it's spam, how the hell do you know who i am? Why should i believe you bs. Send to trash.
Are you a friend? Y
Are you prone to acts of murder and violence? Are you prone to over acting and grandiose anger posts?
the answer would have to be Y-N for me to call 911, any other combot casts doubt.
even Y-Y (your violent but prone to grandiose statements?)
------------------------------
Coming soon to Lulu.com --Tokusatsu Heroes--
Five teenagers, one alien ghost, a robot, and the fate of the world.
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 1:38am
Seriously, this is getting out of control. It is a witch hunt and I'm starting to think it is time to get a rope, go to your capitol, select a random politician, and commit a terroristic hanging against them! Who's with me? ... Sheep. It won't get better until all the stupid ones have been killed: literally or figuratively, make your choice. Idiots, and yes please charge me so I can enter the word: "idiot" into evidence, have no issue with destroying a random person's life over their moronic attitudes and lack of common sense. And in return they expect no consequences? In past times, the ropes would have already been pulled out.
Pball1224
January 18, 2010 at 10:18pm
This isn't Twitter's or the athority's fault. This guy is a fool for puting something like that into text form. Everyone knows sarcasm is not conveyed in text.
If I emailed a coworker saying I was bored enough to shoot up the place and he reported it, well good for him, I'd hope something like that would get reported!
It's the times when something like this doesn't get reported and it turns out to be a real threat that everyone is left thinking after the fact, why the hell didn't anyone do anything about this before hand, the guy advertised what he was going to do?!?!?!
It's hard to judge without seeing the entirety of the tweet, but I'm leaning toward this having been handled correctly.
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 2:23am
Self-censorship so you don't upset the delicate sensibilities of others is crap. There are idiots in this situation, he could have phrased his frustrations with the idiotic transportation better, perhaps he was an idiot. Also, once the lower level idiots were done with the moment, the "authoritative" idiots steps in and handled this situation in a completely idiotic manner. And now his employing idiocracy has put his life into an situation that is a classic idiom to learn. Idiots all around, the point being: If I want to call anyone an idiot, especially my Prime Minister here in Canada, and I get ARRESTED for it?!? then it is past time to cull those responsible for the idiocy by the means of the day. Generally here, that means elections and depending on your convictions other methods as well, interpret how you will.
Tenhawk
January 19, 2010 at 12:14am
Look, no terrorist is going to twitter his target in advance, I think we can agree on that, yes?
So the potential group of people you're referring to are disturbed people who do crap like shoot up schools and such. Now, while if these people were reported and action was taken they COULD be caught, I think you're ignoring something very important.
If EVERY comment of this nature was reported then police and authorities would be entirely UNABLE to investigate them due to the sheer number. It's just not feasible. So completely screwing some guys life over because he was, yes foolish enough to put something like that down on twitter is just insane. They looked into it, good for them. If they don't find bombs or crap, just write it off as a false alarm and tell the guy to be more careful in the future.
A police investigation should NOT ruin the life of a person who's done nothing more than say the wrong thing.
Biceps
January 19, 2010 at 11:50am
I disagree. If you are stupid/crazy/drunk enough to post terrorist-style death threats on the internet, then the authorities HAVE to assume you are stupid/crazy/drunk enough to actually follow through. I expect that they do track down and talk to every person who makes terrorist-style public comments - or at least make an effort. That's why we have Homeland Security in the US, my friend.
People need to realize that there is a limit that exists that cannot and should not be crossed. If you call me on the phone and tell me you are going to come to my house and shoot me and my dog with a sawed-off shotgun, do you expect me to laugh and hang up the phone? No, I am going to call the cops and have your ass thrown in prison, STAT. The same goes for the moron who twitted (a twit?) he was going to blow up an airport. It is just not done.
headkase
January 19, 2010 at 12:26pm
See the thing is individually yes, but as a group "authorities" are wagging their butts the wrong way. No matter how slight a comment they jump down your throat with full force. If I say: "I'm going to blow J.F.K." (last good president you guys had) "Airport sky high with 500 pounds of C4!" in a semi-private channel intended for my friends mainly but, yes, visible to the public and I'm sent to prison for 200 years even when absolutely no C4 is found and I have no friends who are jerks... Well, there's something wrong. The reason people should be championing this gentleman's cause is not for him in particular but rather because there is a witch hunt going on. It's happened before in your, suggestable, nation with McCarthyism and if left alone will just get worse. Your founding fathers believed with all their hearts that a day would come when your nation would need to be wrestled back from an elite that gradually turned it into an autocracy. Such dramatic events can be avoided if small corrections are taken as they arise, rather than waiting until it is neccessary to spill large amounts of blood to refresh your proverbial tree. You may not see the logic or the history but that does not nullify it's existence.
arkarkwin
January 18, 2010 at 9:19pm
Its the guy that tips the police. They must have some kind of thing going on between them. You have to be very careful on your words. I came from Burma, its one of those heavily policed state in the world. There are agent provocateurs every where. One slip of words in work, bar or even in coffee shop, you are done for good. I see that , the west is catching up as well.
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