Not a bomb - Jailed man says airport cops 'overreacted'

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 1/14/03 | Alan Gathright

[MikalM]

The man who was arrested with his wife at the San Jose airport last week for putting notes in the couple's luggage deriding security screeners said in an interview Monday that authorities overreacted when they jailed the pair for three days.

[Ramius]

Way to go, Earth muffin. What part of "don't make jokes" is really that hard to understand?

I will agree with one point though: Baggage searches *should* be done in the presence of the owner, and sealed for the trip. Anything else simply opens them up to way too much liability for items that later go missing during baggage handling. It's also just a good practice.

[Bobby777]

'tis not the days to be joking around with airport security ... certainly not a pre-written note ... it could be taken as misdirection ...

[Restorer]

I'm in trouble. I carry electronic stuff all the time.

It shouldn't be (isn't) illegal for me to protest stupid security measures.

[giznort]

What a moron. His wife looks like the typical aging hippie chick evironmentalist.

[cmsgop]

HI , WE ARE STUPID! JOIN US !!!!!

[Greybird]

I like this guy's spirit! I'll do the same thing, the next time circumstances dragoon me into {shudder} flying on a commercial aircraft. Enough three-day-imprisonment overreactions will weigh down the bastards' budgets. We KNOW what "writing to your Congressman" does -- precisely nothing.

"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed --
and thus clamorous to be led to safety -- by menacing it with an endless
series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary." -- H.L. Mencken

[AppyPappy]

Donahue, who was released along with his wife and will not be prosecuted

You and I would be looking to 1-6.

[MikalM]

Protesting is one thing. Staging an irresponsible stunt like this, and then whining about being busted for it, is quite another.

[wimpycat]

"To the uniform puppets opening this bag -- Congratulations! You've just brought this once free nation one step closer to becoming a fascist police state."

Before I read the part in the article that says this guy is a leftist environmental wacko nutjob, I was thinking it was probably some extreme right-wing so-called constitutionalist wacko nutjob. The fact that both types of extremist nutjobs would say the same thing is not lost on me.

Donahue, a bird painter and environmental activist...

You'd think an environmental activist wouldn't be going around painting birds...I don't think the birds like that sort of thing.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Right, the wires and the batteries weren't supposed to look like a bomb and Peter Townshend was just "doing research for his book" when he was downloading kiddie porn. Uh-huh.

BTW, this ought to be a no-brainer but I'll make the point anyway.. Want to protest airport security measures? How about....not flying? But I don't think these left-wing-nuts would be capable of that amount of coherent thinking. Sheeesh.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

when he isn't teaching ecotourists how to climb trees

Where does one even begin to respond to this?

[Joe Hadenuf]

Just more fruits and nuts from Maine.....

[Greybird]

The usual lineup of FReepers, I see, who don't really give two hoots in hell about the imposition of a police State, as long as they can get their licks in about Democrats or anyone else they despise.

When the FBI does a no-warrant search of your computer's hard drive (and the rest of your house, including your gun cabinet, just for good measure, since they're in it already), are people like these going to be protesting its happening to YOU? I wouldn't blame them if they didn't bother.

[Poohbah]

are people like these going to be protesting its happening to YOU?

No, they wouldn't--and they never did. They're left-wing whackos.

[BraveMan]

"Look, you don't write a note like that unless you want someone to read it, " said Santa Clara County Assistant District Attorney Karyn Sinunu.

Box of Cracklin' Oat Bran: $4.42

Pack of Sharpie Twin Tip Markers: $6.11

Handwritten note to uniform puppets: Free

 

Having someone draw the attention of Airport Security away from yourself: Priceless!

[MikalM]

I'll try again:

There's a strong case to be made that airport security measures now are excessive. I for one don't trust having my luggage opened and inspected without my witnessing it.

But carrying a fake "bomb", with a note attached that basically says "F*** You!" to security personnel, is the mark not of a conscientious dissenter, but a spoiled BoBo narcissist completely out of touch with reality.

[TightSqueeze]

"I'm fully in support of them screening the bags," he said from his in- laws' Santa Clara home Monday. "I just think passengers have a right, for their privacy and peace of mind, to be there when inspectors open their bags."

I am going to send this couple ten thousand dollars for their trouble and I suggest that everyone do the same, this is the freedom we are in fact fighting for.

[Revelation 911]

something doesnt sound right - an eco greener protesting fascist / socialist behavior

[dighton]

Screw these idiots. They begged for trouble, and they got it.