The authorities who arrested Ahmed are probably upset that the President is interfering with the way they do Texas.
Maybe so, but as a scientist and a resident of the Great Republic of Texas, I appreciate and applaud the President’s decision.
This guy should get an invite too.
I think this is cool, but I kinda do wonder. A friend of mine looked at the pictures, and identified the clock as an off the shelf model (possibly LM8560) that he just removed from the case.
It’s still very neat, but when I hear “built a digital clock” I kinda thought it meant programming micros and sodering up 7 segment displays and the like. Kinda disappointed to see it means “removing the plastic casing from a store-bought product.”
But still, the kid was doing robotics and other things, so quite possibly the clock was going to be purposed into something else… but was kinda just disappointed to see he wasn’t “making” a clock, but instead just took it out of its case.
I have seen pics of the alleged device and you’re right - they do look like a clock that has been taken out of the housing and put in to a project box. Not really worthy of a White House visit, IMO. But you know what? Not deserving of an arrest either.
Between the two, I’d rather he get the white house visit and encouraged to do science than the arrest 
All in all, this sends the right message. Nerds like me and others everywhere are giving this kid all kinds of rewards and benefits and lauding, while bullies that turned into cops and school administrators are whining about “fear and bombs and Muslims.”
I think this is beautiful.
If he does go, will they let him back in to the Republic of Texas?
He’s also received a scholarship to Space Camp and invitations to visit/tour Google and Facebook. I think the entire internet is rooting for Ahmed right now.
Wait, you are a scientist in Texas? I didn’t know such people existed down there.
Thanks Obama! Seriously nice way to take a shitty experience with the law and turn it around for the kid.
Probably one of them there anthropologists that studies primitive cultures.
It’s pretty obvious what is going on… America’s #1 secret Muslim is attempting to enlist another member into his plot to destroy America.
This is starting to kill me. There’s a huge amount of support of this overreach of school authority because we can kinda understand the kid, he’s nerdy and trying to be not-white in Texas. However it’s not like there isn’t a article about a kid with autism getting body slammed by an officer and brought to jail every few weeks. Or perhaps the insane number of African American students getting suspended/criminal sentences from police in schools. It’s just so hard to care about someone who isn’t like us? (Not blaming any person - or this site - in particular. Just been having a weirdly frustrated reaction to this all. It’s good, but why him and why now.)
Because almost every nerd/geek out there has been picked on by bullies in school, and now many of us have grown up and gotten into positions of power where we can come righteously down on the side of this particular kid.
Seriously, the cop who said “That’s who I thought it was” to the uneducated teacher who reported him to the mayor whose made her career off of being a bully, this whole thing just resonated.
Nerds sick of bullies who grew up to become cops.
Nerds who have trouble caring about people who are not also nerds then. Beautiful. Glad to see the progress being made.
“Republic of Texas”, as if Texas even knows what a “Republic” is?
Kid needs to come back with a Bronco Bama tat…
Not who have trouble. But who empathize more with one of their own.
Because this is a pretty clear-cut example of a kid who was doing something good (independent initiative in science and engineering!) but, due to racism, was treated as if he had done something bad.
I’m confused. When I google LM8560, I get things like this:
http://www.unisonic.com.tw/datasheet/LM8560.pdf
which requires a bit of wiring to make it a clock. (and has no case)
