This morning, I’m leaning toward H.R. McMaster to be the guy with the biggest epaulettes. A minor break with his boss over Radical Islamic Terrorism jargon is enough to pin my paltry hopes on the guy.
We’ll reboot the whole democracy thing once the Breitbartians have settled in on Elba.
You’re with us on this one, right Italy?
My right or their right?
did you want links? google works wonders.
Being a white woman, Mem Fox seems to have received a quick apology.
Perhaps I would have more confidence in that strategy if I had more confidence in the competence and motives of those tasked with observing them.
In the absence of said confidence, I fall back on: if you are given a badge and gun, and you use that power to intimidate innocent people, you do not deserve that power. In the case of bullies and bigots, the power clearly goes to their heads. Failure to take away their badge and gun when they act in obvious bad faith will only embolden them. They will take it as a sign that society approves of their actions.
We can register our disapproval with whoever will listen. I’m not sure what the best venue for that is.
I hope Mr. Ali is talking to a damn good lawyer, and takes those responsible for his mistreatment to court. That could make a large stink indeed.
Yes, for example. But he was hardly alone in this, and had plenty of people more than willing to carry out his orders. Nor did it end with him.
Not even that, necessarily, but “He created a set of expectations I was trying to fulfill!” Which further insulates superiors from actions perpetrated by those under them.
From the U.S. embassy staff in Australia. (Which makes sense, because she was told - albeit incorrectly - that she was being held because her paperwork wasn’t in order, something they were responsible for. Also, helping Australian visitors to the US is kind of their purpose, so when that gets fucked up, it’s got to be embarrassing and hurt their professional pride, if nothing else.) Of course, this raises the question - who’s going to apologize to American citizens who are mistreated?
Their President? ;(
Elba is a nice little place and doesn’t deserve these scumbags. Something like South Georgia Island would be a better place to put them, except that they will probably annoy the penguins.
Antarctica. I’m told it’s a cool place for “populist” politicians to winter. Give 'em pup tents and a small supply of firewood for an authentic camping experience…
Are you saying this was merely a misunderstanding?
Let them count birds and run the weather station in exchange for air-drops of supplies.
Dunno - it has a relatively mild climate. We’d consider it a very mild winter in most regions of my country (although we’d probably get heartily sick of it, as there is very little seasonal change there). However, think of the poor birds.
Edit: The weather on Bouvet Island today (1°C) is pretty much like what we’re currently experiencing in Ottawa, and we are having a very mild winter this year.
I have no idea what sort of situation this was. The only information that I have read is that released by Mr. Ali’s attorney. An attorney’s job is not to give complete, unbiased, and truthful accounts to the press. It is his job to portray his client in the best possible light.
So, I can only comment on facts. It is a fact that a person’s place of birth is printed on each US Passport. Perhaps asking questions with easily verified answers is some sort of interrogation method that I am unfamiliar with. It also seems pointless to ask the origin of a person’s name, as most of us can take neither credit nor blame for it.
As a person who travels a huge amount, I know what it is to be in customs purgatory, and subject to pointless questions and repeated searches. It is not a pleasant experience, but I am not sure that much can be done about it.
You’re also someone who’s falsely accused Muslims of breaking the law.
I am not accusing Mr. Ali of anything. I have no reason to disbelieve any of the details in the published account. I also do not know what rules Border Patrol officials are required to follow when questioning citizens returning to the US. I would like to know, but that seems like the sort of thing that would be classified.
I will stand by my original claim that a person’s place of birth is printed on their US Passport. As far as why they would ask about that, the only thing I can come up with is that perhaps it is typical to ask a question where the answer is known, to observe the subject’s response when answering a question truthfully, and use that information to try to detect when the person is being evasive or untruthful. But that is a reasoned guess on my part.
So you’re guessing the officers had a good reason for detaining him even though you have no evidence. Some people would call that an accusation, but you have notably different standards for certain groups.
I have not said one thing about their reasons for detaining him. I addressed their questioning him. As far as I know, they question everyone, although it is usually brief. I don’t claim to know anything about Mr. Ali, or the CBP officials involved. If you want to accuse Mr. Ali of something, do it yourself.
I am through. MB Out.
Were you ever personally detained for hours without stated reason while being questioned about your religious beliefs? Did authorities ever ask the provenance of your given name in a way that suggested it might indicate you were a terrorist?
If not, please drop the “I know exactly what this is like” schtick. Obvious profiling is obvious.
Yes, it’s interesting that you defend what you only guess are their reasons for questioning them but ignore the detention. Why do you give the officers the benefit of the doubt but not the victim? By your own admission you’re only selectively considering the facts.
And to be absolutely clear I’m not accusing Mr. Ali of anything. I’m not the one with a history of making false accusations.
