Student's tall tale revealed. Confesses fabricating US surveillance story [Mao's "Little Red Book"]

Boston Globe ^ | December 24, 2005

[John Jorsett]

It rocketed across the Internet a week ago, a startling newspaper report that agents from the US Department of Homeland Security had visited a student at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth at his New Bedford home simply because he had tried to borrow Mao Tse-Tung's ''Little Red Book" for a history seminar on totalitarian goverments.

The story, first reported in last Saturday's New Bedford Standard-Times, was picked up by other news organizations, prompted diatribes on left-wing and right-wing blogs, and even turned up in an op-ed piece written by Senator Edward M. Kennedy in the Globe.

But yesterday, the student confessed that he had made it up after being confronted by the professor who had repeated the story to a Standard-Times reporter.

The professor, Brian Glyn Williams, said he went to his former student's house and asked about inconsistencies in his story. The 22-year-old student admitted it was a hoax, Williams said.

''I made it up," the professor recalled him saying. ''I'm sorry. . . . I'm so relieved that it's over."

The student was not identified in any reports. The Globe interviewed him Thursday but decided not to write a story about his assertion, because of doubts about its veracity. The student could not be reached yesterday.

[John Jorsett]

People are idiots to think they can get away with making this sort of thing up in the age of New Media. People were dissecting this story before it was 2 minutes old.

[mtbopfuyn]

Knew it was fishy from the start. The jerk should be hauled into the dean's office and kicked out of college.

[eyespysomething]

''I feel as if I was lied to"... said Williams, an associate professor of Islamic history.

Um, you were lied to moron!

[pointsal]

Did this run as Page One at the NYT?

[mware]

So when does Senator Kennedy issue his apology???

[andyk]

turned up in an op-ed piece written by Senator Edward M. Kennedy in the Globe.

I'm sure the opportunist will publish a retraction any second now...

[eyespysomething]

Even if the assertion was a hoax, she said, it did not detract from Kennedy's broader point that the Bush administration has gone too far in engaging in surveillance.

Even if it was a lie, its the seriousness of the charges!! I am speechless, just like some senators should be!

[saquin]

Laura Capps, a Kennedy spokeswoman, said last night that the senator cited ''public reports" in his opinion piece. Even if the assertion was a hoax, she said, it did not detract from Kennedy's broader point that the Bush administration has gone too far in engaging in surveillance.

Fake but accurate? Do they still think they can get away with that?

[John Jorsett]

Fake but accurate? Do they still think they can get away with that?

Are you kidding? It's probably on their business cards :-).

[andyk]

Laura Capps, a Kennedy spokeswoman, said last night that the senator cited ''public reports" in his opinion piece. Even if the assertion was a hoax, she said, it did not detract from Kennedy's broader point that the Bush administration has gone too far in engaging in surveillance.

LOL, "fake but accurate". These guys are too much.

[andyk]

Dang, ya beat me.

[goresalooza]

This student is simply preparing for a long career as lying journalist with the NY Slimes.

[Gaffer]

In my view this could be construed as a form of treason. This 'student' should face some serious prison time...

[Mr. Brightside]

Mao's first rule.

If you lie big enough, everyone will believe you.

[bray]

This kid has a journalist job waiting for him at the Old York Times!

Merry Christ's Night

[SamAdams76]

Well I guess I'm going to have to retract my story about Ted Kennedy being a child molester and a heroin addict. But dammit, even though I was totally wrong to spread those false allegations, none of this should detract from my broader point that Ted Kennedy abuses kids and takes way too much heroin.

[Texas Mom]

So when does Senator Kennedy issue his apology???

Hope you're not holding you breath. I think you may be turning quite blue if you're waiting for this.

[kitkat]

I think this student now needs a visit from the FBI and reported for making false claims against the government.

[karnage]

It's just another example of why it's better to tell the truth: it's easier to keep your story straight!