[Blue House Sue]

“She wasn’t exactly smuggling agricultural goods.”

No, she was exactly smuggling an agricultural good.

[Ken H]

The point is, the agent could have explained that it was illegal and let her get rid of it.

Instead, that prick of a human being imposed a $500 for an apple she got in flight from Delta.

[madison10]

That was NOT her intent. It was snack, not contraband.

[AndyJackson]

It is idiots like you that make one dispair of the Republican Party and the future of our republic.

Don’t be an utter clueless ditz. Pleas? Pretty please?

[jobim]

Good research, and a very sensible view of the situation. It not about one apple, it’s about protecting the health of Americans and protecting American agriculture. No one else seems to care about the risks to our health or the risk to American farmers. “That was NOT her intent. It was snack, not contraband.” How would an agricultural parasite that is not currently present in American apple crops know that it was not her intent to smuggle contraband? Or, are American apple crops immune from contracting disease or parasites that are smuggled into the country by persons who had not intent to destroy American crops? Try flying into Orlando from Athens with a bag of oranges. It is about protecting American agriculture. “She wasn’t exactly smuggling agricultural goods.” No, she was exactly smuggling an agricultural good. If she got that apple on that Delta flight from Paris, that apple is not allowed in the United States. >

What's with you, Blue Sue? An innocent apple given by the airlines has you in a tizzy. It's reactions like yours that make our country increasingly less livable. You have a bug up your ass about invasive species, so much so that you fail to see how innocent this woman is. She offered to throw it away or eat it, But that isn't good enough for you. I wonder what you are doing on Free Republic. Are you a plant for some organization?

[miss marmelstein]

Bull! She put an apple given to her by the airline in her carryall. May even have forgotten about it. Some of you nitpickers would do well under the nazis.

They should have just taken the damn apple away from her.

Meanwhile, people with TB and other communicable diseases come across our border every day and are welcomed with Teddy Bears.

[zeugma]

No, she was exactly smuggling an agricultural good.

God save us from those who worship the law.

Once upon a time, when this nation was an actual Constitutional Republic, the law had to consider intent as well as just the bare facts. Apparently, the only people for whom alleged "intent" matters are those named 'Hillary Clinton'.