Legal Action Expected in Box Cutter Case

AP ^ | Oct 19, 2003

[Leroy S. Mort]

A dollar says this kid ends up speaking at the Democrat Convention.

[diamondjoe]

They're trying to figure out how to charge him with 2 counts of embarassing the FBI, 4 counts of ridiculing TSA, and 3 counts of making airport security look like an international laughingstock.

It's exactly as I predicted: they'll throw the book at this moron, while doing nothing to address the very serious security lapses he revealed. Typical.

[ctonious]

Let's hope the government can hold two disparate thoughts in it's head at the same time. First, the TSA is a pork-barrel joke full of incompetent gropers, and second, this little smart-ass needs his butt kicked. Simple as that.

[diamondjoe]

I agree the kid is a little brat, but c'mon, he TOLD THEM what he was going to do, and when he was going to do it! And he still go through. Good lord, that is a scary thought to anyone who realizes that your average Al Qaeda op is unlikely to send such detailed messages in advance of an attack.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

I'll bet this kid doubles as a computer hacker in his spare time. Same mentality.

[ctonious]

Imagine if this moron shows up at an Israeli restaurant in Haifa, stands up and opens up his coat showing a belt full of fake dynamite, and says "Ha! You idiots! Lookit how easy it was to- KaBLAM!!" End of smartass lecture - end of smartass.

There are better ways to constructively point out the obvious gaping holes in airport security than panicking the traveling public - and instigating a search of 7000 airplanes.

[pepsionice]

The bottom line to this whole story....this kid will spend 12 months in a fed prison...become gay...write a book on the whole experience...make a million dollars off the whole experience....whilst the Feds do nothing to fix their entire security problem.

[Dr Warmoose]

they'll throw the book at this moron, while doing nothing to address the very serious security lapses he revealed.

What are you talking about? Certainly the TSA will step up their efforts to feel up women, strip search the elderly and loot other passengers of their harmless belongings. This is the Fe'ral Government we are talking about here!

[Dr Warmoose]

There are better ways to constructively point out the obvious gaping holes in airport security than panicking the traveling public - and instigating a search of 7000 airplanes.

I'm listening... what are they? Apparently the TSA doesn't react to their own investigator's assessments and it takes a punk kid using a rather dramatic (and retrospectively effective) act in order to get the myrmidons to wake-up.

[Rodney King]

There are better ways to constructively point out the obvious gaping holes in airport security than panicking the traveling public

I wasn't panicked. The second it was news it became obvious not to be panicked. What was the threat? Only a total moron would think that someone who did this was an actual threat to them.

[ctonious]

I'm listening... what are they? Apparently the TSA doesn't react to their own investigator's assessments and it takes a punk kid using a rather dramatic (and retrospectively effective) act in order to get the myrmidons to wake-up.

So - are you saying this is an appropriate way to fix the problem? Are you really...?

[ctonious]

Imagine if this moron shows up at an Israeli restaurant in Haifa, stands up and opens up his coat showing a belt full of fake dynamite, and says "Ha! You idiots! Lookit how easy it was to- KaBLAM!!"

And I suppose this would be an appropriate way to point out security problems in Israeli restaurants? Look. We all agree the TSA is full of short-bus morons - but when has it ever helped any of the traveling public to ring their alarm bells in this fashion?

Pulling fire alarms in school hallways - and then loudly carping about how long it took for the fire department to get there is an analogous "technique" of pointing out a problem. Is this appropriate? You tell me....

[Dr Warmoose]

So - are you saying this is an appropriate way to fix the problem?

There is quite some distance in "fixing the problem" and simply "identifying the problem.". Clearly the problem has been identified, the next step is to decide to take action. I believe that this was the main motive for the kid's actions. Panic and fear are traditionally good motivators. A terrified public, shocked into hysteria on 9-11, is what gave us the overreaction and the hundreds of billions dollars spent on this endless war on terrorism. If some doofus with modeling clay and bleach can get people calling their congress critters, at least the "decision to take action" will be in effect.

But by judging how the Fe'ral Government responds to most "problems", the cure is often much more worse than the disease.

[Dr Warmoose]

Pulling fire alarms in school hallways - and then loudly carping about how long it took for the fire department to get there is an analogous "technique" of pointing out a problem. Is this appropriate? You tell me....

Given the caveat that everyone within the school can't do anything to save themselves until the fire department arrives. But the alarm bells are for those within the building, not for the sake of the FD. When the alarm bells of ineffective TSA agents goes off, We The People should be able to take the appropriate action.

[ctonious]

Panic and fear are traditionally good motivators. A terrified public, shocked into hysteria on 9-11, is what gave us the overreaction and the hundreds of billions dollars spent on this endless war on terrorism. If some doofus with modeling clay and bleach can get people calling their congress critters us the overreaction and the hundreds of billions dollars spent on this endless war on terrorism the traveling public, at least the "decision to take action" will be in effect.

[baltodog]

This kid may be a leftist but the fact of the matter is that he broke through our security.
OUR AIRLINES ARE NOT SECURE!!!!
The feds suck at internal security and this proves it!!!
How far would he have gotten on El Al???
My brother quit doing contract work for the TSA (he installed and repaired baggage security machines) because of the beaurocracy....he was at Detroit Metro during the big blackout this summer. A TSA guy was escorting him through the baggage claim area when the lights went out. Pitch black. No procedures in place.

[First_Salute]

Bump.

[Shermy]

Update:

Box Cutters on Planes 5 Weeks, FBI Says

[jethropalerobber]

...this little smart-ass needs his butt kicked.

nathaniel t. heatwole is a true patriot if there ever was one.

give him a medal and kick your own butt.

[jethropalerobber]

There are better ways to constructively point out the obvious gaping holes in airport security...

name one.

what are you going to do? write a letter to your congressman?