send tweet, go to jail

[scottzilla]

Not sure if the US gov't monitoring tweets and arresting tourists and holding them in a jail cell for 12 hours is an off topic discussion or a political one.  I'm sorry if I chose poorly.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/30/british-tourists-deported-for-tweeting_n_1242073.html

In any case, this is some scary stuff.  Land of the free indeed.

[bomber]

Strange days -- did I understand it correctly that they were already on some sort of "uh oh" list before the tweets? as usual, Huff Post's writing leaves a bit to be desired.

[Thundergod]

I think it was in Burma recently that several people had been sent to prison for their tweets against the monarchy.

[SuperHans]

We can't let the terrorists win.

[scottzilla]

Strange days -- did I understand it correctly that they were already on some sort of "uh oh" list before the tweets? as usual, Huff Post's writing leaves a bit to be desired.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2093796/Emily-Bunting-Leigh-Van-Bryan-UK-tourists-arrested-destroy-America-Twitter-jokes.html


Someone needs to check the NY Times And Washington Post.  Aren't those the 2 biggest papers in the country?

[pjturbo]

Home of the frightened, land of the paranoid.    

[Dan K]

We will not tolerate debauchery and rowdy behavior in our country!  You will not be allowed access!!!  

(no facepalm if these people were already on some list...)

[scottzilla]

If they were indeed on some "List" then why were they allowed to board the plane in the first place?!

[bomber]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2093796/Emily-Bunting-Leigh-Van-Bryan-UK-tourists-arrested-destroy-America-Twitter-jokes.html


Someone needs to check the NY Times And Washington Post.  Aren't those the 2 biggest papers in the country?

Have at it, Scott!

[scottzilla]

Have at it, Scott!

I am way too busy to concern myself with the freedoms I have lost.

[zer0netgain]

If they were indeed on some "List" then why were they allowed to board the plane in the first place?!

Well, it was established very quickly after the PATRIOT act got shoved through that people are put on watch lists for any number of reasons that have NOTHING to do with suspicious or criminal behavior.  It's largely political.

That their Tweets were being monitored based on this is troubling enough, but that something that can't really be built up into a definitive threat is enough to arrest and charge them is troubling.

[Dan K]

Log in to twitter to find out you are being followed by the NSA!

Or Homeland Security!

Welcome to the internet.

[Frankienuckles]

Herr Himmler would be so proud.

[Tombstone]

Lets pretend Twitter and the Homeland Security Act were both in existence in 2001. Further, lets say one of the 19 raghead terrorists that attacked America twittered on September 10th that tomorrow he was, "going to destroy America".  Based on that info the Feds detain him and at the end of the next day only three planes had crashed instead of four...

I think had that happened a thread like this would be full of bitching about the Feds not doing their job properly.

I don't like losing my freedoms any more than anyone else. I don't have a good answer about how to provide secure airports, etc and still allow the freedoms we once enjoyed. I will say that in this day and age, a little more than a decade since 3000 innocent lives were taken by the raghead terrorists, any dumbass that twitters or facebooks, etc that they are "going to destroy America" deserves what they get.

[zer0netgain]

Lets pretend Twitter and the Homeland Security Act were both in existence in 2001. Further, lets say one of the 19 raghead terrorists that attacked America twittered on September 10th that tomorrow he was, "going to destroy America".  Based on that info the Feds detain him and at the end of the next day only three planes had crashed instead of four...

Granted, you just changed the scenario.

If these two were detained, questioned, and sent on their way once they realized they could make no real case that they were a threat, that would be one thing.

Both were criminally charged on something that amounts to nothing and sent back to where they came.  A bit heavy handed and scary when you consider that if something so obscure can be the basis of a criminal charge, it won't be long before this site gets shut down.

[bomber]

Lets pretend Twitter and the Homeland Security Act were both in existence in 2001. Further, lets say one of the 19 raghead terrorists that attacked America twittered on September 10th that tomorrow he was, "going to destroy America".  Based on that info the Feds detain him and at the end of the next day only three planes had crashed instead of four...

I think had that happened a thread like this would be full of bitching about the Feds not doing their job properly.

I don't like losing my freedoms any more than anyone else. I don't have a good answer about how to provide secure airports, etc and still allow the freedoms we once enjoyed. I will say that in this day and age, a little more than a decade since 3000 innocent lives were taken by the raghead terrorists, any dumbass that twitters or facebooks, etc that they are "going to destroy America" deserves what they get.

I disagree -- the freedom you so blithely dismiss was priceless -- the suspension of Habeus Corpus and the right to a trial of any kind being deep-sixed is simply not a worthwhile investment.

ALong with that, the folks that were piloting the aircraft, many of em, were already on watch lists, and we let em on through . . .

busting the English kids, and detaining them for no reason, is as unAmerican as I can imagine.

[Frankienuckles]

Bomber, I agree whole heartedly with you on this one! Look at the constitutional rights that have been "lost" or "taken" since this whole thing began(war on terror). Historically any time a mostly "free" society starts losing those freedoms in the name of "safety" or "security" is does not bode well for that society. The Constitution and Bill of Rights and checks and balances were all put in place for very, very good reasons. I am a big fan of due process, that's all. As there is already very ,very little accountability for our elected and appointed officials, why would we ever be ok with suspending many of the safeguards that were put in place to protect our freedoms. Threats to our way of life can come from within as well as from without.

[Frankienuckles]

And I predict that this thread will end up in PO!  

[scottzilla]

Lets pretend Twitter and the Homeland Security Act were both in existence in 2001. Further, lets say one of the 19 raghead terrorists that attacked America twittered on September 10th that tomorrow he was, "going to destroy America".  Based on that info the Feds detain him and at the end of the next day only three planes had crashed instead of four...

I think had that happened a thread like this would be full of bitching about the Feds not doing their job properly.

I don't like losing my freedoms any more than anyone else. I don't have a good answer about how to provide secure airports, etc and still allow the freedoms we once enjoyed. I will say that in this day and age, a little more than a decade since 3000 innocent lives were taken by the raghead terrorists, any dumbass that twitters or facebooks, etc that they are "going to destroy America" deserves what they get.

The problem is not solved by the US gov't having illegal access to everything and suspending our constitutional rights.  It is solved by keeping terrorists out of our country in the first place.  A concept that could have easily been accomplished prior to 9/11/01 had our gov't chose to accomplish it.

[Dan K]

Following Twitter is not illegal access.  It's simple to find posts by anyone - just search.  If these were public tweets (as opposed to private tweets messages directed to specific people) they were available to read after a regular search.  Search America, see what happens.

- Dan

[antvq]

I think the real problem is that there is no room for common sense.   Much like our schools.   If a kid draws a picture of a gun he is suspended as if he brought a real gun to school.

In this case it would have taken all of 5 min. to search they rest of their tweets to see if there was a pattern of threats or if, indeed, the word was being used as slang.   But no.  

Inflexible rules enforced by the unimaginative and this is what you get.

[bomber]

Following Twitter is not illegal access.  It's simple to find posts by anyone - just search.  If these were public tweets (as opposed to private tweets messages directed to specific people) they were available to read after a regular search.  Search America, see what happens.

- Dan

I don't believe anything thinks that searching through Twitter feeds is illegal . . .

Sadly, neither is it to arrest folks on the basis of a tweet, research the situation, and continue to hold the tweeter when there is nothing to suggest they are doing anything wrong.

THAT'S where the problem, lies, I think -- that tweet could fall under the Iroquois Theatre  thing, granted, but when further investigation shows nothing was up, turn em loose . . . .

Pretty sad state of affairs for a system we hold up as a goal for others.

[Giaka]

I think its awesome he was put in a cage in a van and hauled away.   Nothing better than seeing punks that talk smack get their ass handed to them.