Reporter doesn't like questioning

Washington Post ^ | 3/24/03 | Courtlan Milloy

[Tspud1]

Something Suspicious Is in the Air

By Courtland Milloy Monday, March 24, 2003; Page B01

The sign above the highway leading into the nation's capital advised motorists to "Report Suspicious Activity" and gave an 800 number for the Office of Homeland Security. As a reporter, I figured this was right up my alley and set out yesterday to report on things that struck me as suspicious.

For instance, near the Jefferson Memorial, I saw a five-foot-tall metal box that was hooked up to an electrical outlet and equipped with a high-tech antenna and chrome-dome receptor. What was it?

I asked a couple of National Park Service workers and some Cherry Blossom Festival organizers whose tent was set up next to the thing if they knew. Little did I know that my inquiry would become a suspicious activity in itself.

"We hear you've been asking curious questions," U.S. Park Police officer Michael Ramirez said as he and fellow officer Karl Spilde approached me from behind a blossomless cherry tree. "Why are you doing that?"

Both officers carried 9mm semiautomatic pistols, Mace and batons. Perhaps because I had just left the Jefferson Memorial, where I'd read a few lines about "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" and "all men are created equal," I felt bold enough to pose a question of my own: "Why are you asking me that?"

[Tspud1]

He should have identified himself. Can't blame the officers for doing their jobs and protecting him. I don't think he should have published their names.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Awwwwwwww. I hope the post didn't waste the ink to print this.

[MineralMan]

Well, perhaps he should have called the 800 number. Who knows?

This should be an interesting thread, I'll bet. It'll provoke responses of all kinds, from warnings about jack-booted thugs to people saying it was none of his business what that box was.

I'll be following it closely.

[r9etb]

Both officers carried 9mm semiautomatic pistols, Mace and batons.

All drawn, no doubt. I'm shocked that the reporter didn't have them mounted on armored, rabid rhinoceroses covered long, poisoned spikes. And the radioactive goggles -- can't forget those.

Jeeze -- what a whiny little sh*t.

[CrimeOf73]

Eight officers responded to the call for backup. One told me that, legally, I was not being arrested, just subject to "investigative detention."

That can't be legal, can it?

[MEG33]

Hope he's had his hot tea and is all better.

[cgk]

Or was it that an African American -- whom someone may have mistaken for a Middle Easterner -- was asking them?

That's as far as I got in the article, sorry. I have no respect - no matter what someone does - if the chip on their shoulder suddenly gets its own voice.

[dead]

Reporter doesn't like questioning

Chose a pretty stupid career then.

[discostu]

Perfect cutoff point for your excerpt. Right at the paragraph where he decided to get lippy with guys with guns. I don't understand why people would give crap to cops then get upset when the cops don't put up with it. If he was apporached by two Hell's Angels packing heat would he give them lip? If you can't respect the man, respect the side-arm.

[dead]

I hate people (like that idiot in the mall with the "No War" shirt on) who deliberately go out and try to get into a confrontation with the police, only so they can feign outrage when it happens.

BTW, the jerk does look like a terrorist:

[Truth29]

IMHO, the reporter wasn't upset. This was all a setup to create his own story. There ought to be a way to cite him for deliberately causing an incident that diverted a number of officers from other duties and to continue the charade for quite some time. What else didn't get done becaue he was busy composing his non story in his head?

[MEG33]

Seems like an agenda to me.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Police: "Are you looking for trouble?"
Milloy: "Yeah. Which way did he go?"

[TruthNtegrity]

I don't blame this guy at all.

Two weeks ago, there was a unmarked chemical/gas tanker stopped on a bridge over I95. No blinkers, no nothing. Looked strange to me.

I called the Fairfax Police who took all my personal information and then insisted on my staying on my cellphone. I explained that (a) I don't have unlimited daytime minutes (b) I had given them all of the information I had (c) I might go through an area where I'd get cut off (d) I needed to make another call.

This "dispatcher?" was insistent that I stay on the line while they "checked this report out". I insisted that I didn't need to stay on the line - I had reported everything I knew, that there wasn't any driver around and that it bothered me that there weren't any lights blinking on the truck, etc.

I disconnected, and shortly after that, the dispatcher called me back, saying "I told you to stay on the line". This time I hung up and turned my cellphone off.

I resented being treated like an idiot, and I resented that they thought I should burn all of my daytime minutes while they checked this out.

To my mind, if they think it was a "crank" call, they certainly have my address, my name, where I live and both my home telephone number and cellphone.

I'm tired of being treated like an idiot for reporting "suspicious" activity, and will think real hard about doing it in the future. Truth is, if I think it is something that bears investigating, I will make the call, but I know I will not be treated with respect or patience.

Just a warning for those who want to do the right thing and make the call when they see something that they think needs to be reported. The people at the other end of that call will not be nice, and they will insist that you stay on the line while they check it out.

[delacoert]

"Jeeze -- what a whiny little sh*t."

You can email him at: milloyc@washpost.com

[weegee]

ping

[albee]

Perhaps the reporter should shave off his Saddam Hussein mustache!

[weegee]

I don't have a Washington Post account so I will not be reading the rest of this article. Can anyone tell me if he ever got an answer/wrote about what that thing was?

I think I know what it was, a mcguffin.