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Apr. 28th, 2004 06:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
disneydream06Since when did the USA become a Police State?????
I got this from my friend Jim. Thank you...
My daughter, Sasha Tarrant, teaches at Brazosport College and today
sent me this note. I thought you might find it interesting and she
gave me permission to pass it along.
Bryan & Vicky A.
Students earning honors credit at BC by individual contracts must
presented their work to the Honors Committee at the end of the
semester. One young man completed a research project on airport
security changes following 9-11. As you will see, his selection of
this topic came from a frightening personal experience. I felt it was
worth passing along.
This student is from England and was recently "detained" for four
hours for absolutely no reason. He carried nothing that was questionable
and did not represent any sort of a threat. He was traveling over
Christmas to see his family and was "randomly" selected for further
screening.
He was kept at Bush International Airport in a room with armed guards and
about 30-40 other "randomly selected people" for 4 plus hours.
During
his detention he was never questioned, but was prevented from calling
to let anyone know where he was or that he would be late. He never knew
when he would be released. While in this room two people were
visiting and found out that they were from the same hometown. One decided
to
get someone to take a picture of the two of them to share with friends
back home, an innocent enough thing. One of the armed guards came over,
took their camera, opened it, crushed the film and said "no pictures."
There were no signs saying photos were prohibited and they weren't taking
pictures of the guards or their confinement circumstances, just one
innocent photo of a chance encounter with someone from their hometown.
This is a very honest, innocent young man and he was released without
ever being questioned or having any explanation for his detention. He
missed his connecting flight and had to wait 16 hours for another
flight. He was not compensated for his unexpected costs resulting
from this delay. His family members waiting to pick him up were in a panic
when he did not reach his destination. Their fears were increased
when they could not find out where he was. When they asked airline
officials all they could say was "he was on this flight" but nothing
about where he was or if he was safe.
This is very similar to the NAZI "papers" and "no cameras" from World
War II. We are living in a police state and do not have the freedoms
we proclaim. I have heard several other similar accounts, but this one
is from right here at BC. Have we sacrificed freedom for a false sense of
security? Are we any safer by harassing this young man and the others? Who
is next? Which freedoms are next?
I leave you with this thought from WW II: "First they came for the
Communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then
they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because I
wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I
didn't speak up because I wasn't a Catholic. Then they came for me, and by
that time no one was left to speak up." Pastor Martin Niemoeller Nazi
victim.
===================
"If ignorance ever goes to $40 a barrel, I want drillin' rights on
that man's head." Texas Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower discussing
President George Bush's policies.
I got this from my friend Jim. Thank you...
My daughter, Sasha Tarrant, teaches at Brazosport College and today
sent me this note. I thought you might find it interesting and she
gave me permission to pass it along.
Bryan & Vicky A.
Students earning honors credit at BC by individual contracts must
presented their work to the Honors Committee at the end of the
semester. One young man completed a research project on airport
security changes following 9-11. As you will see, his selection of
this topic came from a frightening personal experience. I felt it was
worth passing along.
This student is from England and was recently "detained" for four
hours for absolutely no reason. He carried nothing that was questionable
and did not represent any sort of a threat. He was traveling over
Christmas to see his family and was "randomly" selected for further
screening.
He was kept at Bush International Airport in a room with armed guards and
about 30-40 other "randomly selected people" for 4 plus hours.
During
his detention he was never questioned, but was prevented from calling
to let anyone know where he was or that he would be late. He never knew
when he would be released. While in this room two people were
visiting and found out that they were from the same hometown. One decided
to
get someone to take a picture of the two of them to share with friends
back home, an innocent enough thing. One of the armed guards came over,
took their camera, opened it, crushed the film and said "no pictures."
There were no signs saying photos were prohibited and they weren't taking
pictures of the guards or their confinement circumstances, just one
innocent photo of a chance encounter with someone from their hometown.
This is a very honest, innocent young man and he was released without
ever being questioned or having any explanation for his detention. He
missed his connecting flight and had to wait 16 hours for another
flight. He was not compensated for his unexpected costs resulting
from this delay. His family members waiting to pick him up were in a panic
when he did not reach his destination. Their fears were increased
when they could not find out where he was. When they asked airline
officials all they could say was "he was on this flight" but nothing
about where he was or if he was safe.
This is very similar to the NAZI "papers" and "no cameras" from World
War II. We are living in a police state and do not have the freedoms
we proclaim. I have heard several other similar accounts, but this one
is from right here at BC. Have we sacrificed freedom for a false sense of
security? Are we any safer by harassing this young man and the others? Who
is next? Which freedoms are next?
I leave you with this thought from WW II: "First they came for the
Communists and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then
they came for the Jews and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn't speak up because I
wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I
didn't speak up because I wasn't a Catholic. Then they came for me, and by
that time no one was left to speak up." Pastor Martin Niemoeller Nazi
victim.
===================
"If ignorance ever goes to $40 a barrel, I want drillin' rights on
that man's head." Texas Agriculture Commissioner Jim Hightower discussing
President George Bush's policies.
