Man Arrested for Dynamite Remark in Fort Lauderdale Airport ["D@mn-what was I thinking" alert!]

Associated Press ^ | September 23, 2002 | AP

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) - A retired teacher was in jail Monday, charged with making a comment about explosives inside an airport. Robert Smith, 61, and his wife were checking in at the US Airways ticket counter in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Sunday for a flight back to their home in York, Pa. following a South Florida vacation.

Smith made reference to his luggage being heavy and then remarked, "That bag has dynamite in it," police said. Two US Airways employees heard his comment and Broward County police quickly responded, detaining Smith, clearing the area and searching his bags.

Police didn't find any explosives and Smith has not been found to have any links to terrorism, Broward County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Liz Calzadilla said.

Smith was charged by the state with making a false report of planting a bomb or explosive and could face up to 15 years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines if convicted. Federal officials declined to press charges, Calzadilla said.

With his plans to fly canceled, Smith was being held on $75,000 bond Monday. It wasn't immediately known if he had a lawyer.

[riri]

Yet, those 3 charmers from Alligator Alley are roaming around free. Go figure.

[FreedomPoster]

This one looks "hold muh beer" worthy.

[guitfiddlist]

How many decades has this idiot heard that you don't make jokes about hijackings and bombs at airports? What a complete maroon.

[FreedomPoster]

I still think Peggy Noonan's Wall Street Journal editorial titled "Hippocratic Oafs" is the definitive "take" on those three. They should be in jail.

[Crawdad]

Jimmy Walker is at it again.

[umgud]

You also have to remember to say "Hello Jack", not "Hi Jack".

[mhking]

"Hold muh beer 'n watch this!" PING....

If you want on or off this list, please let me know!
This has come about after much badgering by you, my friends and extended family...

[Dallas]

This chaps my ass too.......how typical of govnmt employees to waste resources.

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

Yet, those 3 charmers from Alligator Alley are roaming around free. Go figure.
Well of course!

America has become the Land of the
'dont-you-dare-look-at-me-suspicious-or-deny-me-anything-because-im-a-minority-and-a-victim-in-this-great-country"

[riri]

I had my first taste of this mentality first hand last week. I was waiting to pick up my daughter from Kindergarten and I always make small talk with another mother who waits. She is 2nd generation Mexican/American. She proceeded to tell me that she had asked the teacher if she needed some help in the classsroom and the teacher said "No, I think I am ok right now". To which she replies to me, "She just didn't want my help because she is a racist and doesn't like Mexicans." I thought that was odd, but hey whatever.

So about two days later she was telling me about her neighbor complaining about noise her family was making. To which she says to me (you guessed it) He's just a racist, who doesn't like Mexicans...My point-how are we ever going to undo this mentality?

[hoosierskypilot]

So, basically he's in jail because he's a lousy comedian. I tell lousy jokes all the time. Hope I don't go to jail because of it.

[FreedomPoster]

Lemme give ya a hint. This stuff wasn't funny before 9/11, and it *dang sure* isn't after.

[BulletBrasDotNet]

Can I have a JACK Daniels on the rocks? Pow, boom, bag, bong, 5,230 SWAT, FBI, and local police descend on 37 year old mother travelling with two children. Wait... this nonsense will be report soon. If anyone in an airport had a brain cell that could understand English and calculate common sense, it would be a miracle.

[FreedomPoster]

My point-how are we ever going to undo this mentality?

Confront it at every opportunity. For instance, did you take the opportunity to ask if her family was making a lot of noise? And if she hemmed and hawed, ask why it was racist if they were, indeed, making a lot of noise?

I took the opportunity to point out the racism demonstrated by Jihad Cynthia McKinney and her crew in our recent election, to the black folks at work. Most of them agreed with me, when it was pointed out.

If we give people a "pass" on this stuff for fear of being called a racist, we are finished. I'm through being politically correct.

[Frank_2001]

Be safe and say "Hello JOHN" And never say "hey, those are dynamite shoes you're wearing"!;)

[BigBobber]

Can anyone tell me: How many times, in the history of the world, has a terrorist ever pointed out the presence of explosives in his luggage?

So why do single digit IQ legislators and secuuity agents make a Federal issue out of this? Are they really afraid that if everyone said they had explosives in their luggage that the inspectors would get confused and not be able to determine who the REAL terrorist was?