Posted on 12/23/2005 2:41:51 PM PST by John Jorsett
A senior at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth says he was visited at his parents’ home by two agents of the Department of Homeland Security who were investigating why he had requested a book by former Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong through interlibrary loan. The student, who has asked university officials to shield his identity, told two UMD history professors that the incident took place in late October or early November after he attempted to obtain a copy of the first English edition of the Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-tung, published in Beijing in 1966 and popularly known in China as the “Little Red Book,” for a class on communism.
The story broke in the December 17 New Bedford Standard-Times as the result of an interview with UMD faculty members Brian Glyn Williams and Robert Pontbriand, who mentioned the incident as an example of government monitoring of academic research. Williams told American Libraries, “The student told me that the book was on a watch list, and that the books on this list had changing status. Mao was on the list at the time, hence the visit, which was also related to his time abroad.”
UMD Library Dean Ann Montgomery Smith told AL that the student had requested the book by phone from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, not through the UMD interlibrary services as originally reported.
The UMD chancellor’s office released a statement December 19 that said, “At this point, it is difficult to ascertain how Homeland Security obtained the information about the student’s borrowing of the book. The UMass Dartmouth Library has not been visited by agents of any type seeking information about the borrowing patterns or habits of any of its patrons.” Chancellor Jean F. MacCormack stated, “It is important that our students and our faculty be unfettered in their pursuit of knowledge about other cultures and political systems if their education and research is to be meaningful.”
Kirk Whitworth, a spokesman for the DHS—the U.S. cabinet department that oversees the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, the Secret Service, and Citizenship and Immigration Services, among others—said in the December 21 Standard-Times that the story seemed unlikely. “We’re aware of the claims,” he said. “However, the scenario sounds unlikely because investigations are based on violation of law, not on the books and individual[s who] might check [them] out from the library.”
An earlier report that the incident occurred at the University of California at Santa Cruz has proven false.
As long as the left wants to make up stories...I suggest a two-fer: make the one guy who was visited for his book selection be the same one guy who's actually been to ANWR.
Maybe after reading that book he thought the government SHOULD come investigate what he checked out of the library.
Idiot: "No, Dave." (reads from index card) "Imagine my surprise when George W. Bush and Dick Cheney personally opened fire on my family, killing my Muslim aunt, my African-African-American uncle who'd been nominated for the Nobel Peace prize for turning hundreds of kids on to lives of crime, and my Jewish/Palestinian cousin. The president then spat on our copies of the Koran and the Bible, while the heartless Dick Cheney tore up my copies of the collected works of Noam Chomsky. All I have to say, Dave, is: Is THIS America?"
(Audience applauds; Dave smirks)
The two "agents" were his parents wondering why he is wasting their money.
The first clue was that it was a student and the U of Mass.
You could not be more wrong. It's more like...
FR: 9876498435648
MSM: 0
The first clue that the story was a fraud was that the student said he wanted the book for a class, but the only copy he wanted was a first edition english translation, printed in 1966.
Fake, but accurate.
Do they really think the government has spare agents to send out everytime certain books are checked out?
It only reflects their egos... they think they're that important.
Thanks for reminding us of the most succinct summary of the MSM's attitude regarding proof. I should tape that to my monitor so that I see it before reading every story.
The other unlikelihood is the nature of this book itself. It's common curriculum material. I have a copy in my own personal bookshelves and I very seldom attempt a violent overthrow of the U.S. government...
The onlt factual information I see here is that the student requested the book. The Library says they ddint provide any information to the Feds. All we have is an idiot who wanted to read Mao's book and then came up with this wild BS story about cops questioning him.
Let me guess: His parents werent home that day?
bttt
Even if bogus, this story got me to wondering about procedures.
If you do get a visit by DHS agents, are they required to fully identify themselves? I mean, do you get to inspect their badges and write down their names and numbers? Or are DHS considered undercover? Would you get in trouble if you tried to take their picture with a cellphone camera? Could you record your interview with the agents?
Do you get mirandized by DHS agents? Do you have the right to refuse to answer questions without a lawyer present? If DHS agents knock at your front door and they don't have a warrant, can you just close the door in their faces?
How does the DHS handle interviews with people who may be legally considered juveniles? Do different rules apply, as they do in criminal law?
As I said, even if this story is bogus, it got me thinking. Suppose this kid was interviewed by two people claiming to be DHS agents. How could he prove the interview took place? Would he have to file FOIA requests?
What a forum!
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