Dear T.S.A.: Please Profile Liberal Arts Students
by Charles C. JohnsonNick George, a senior at my sister college, Pomona College, was detained by TSA earlier this year. On February 10, he filed a federal lawsuit with the ACLU against TSA, the FBI, and the Philly police. (His father is an attorney and former public defender in the Philadelphia-area.) The lawsuit claims that he was detained for his Arabic flash cards. I think it’s because he was suspicious all throughout.
George is known as being very far to the left on the campuses, which is saying something for Pomona College. After a Pomona Student Union event discussing the state of the media, George tussled with Ross Douthat for over an hour, saying that the right — by which he meant Glenn Beck and Fox News — was effectively nuts and dishonest — much to the chagrin of those of us who wanted to talk to Douthat about something a bit more substantive.
And rather unsurprisingly, his political views on his Facebook profile are listed as “Communist Party of Bulgaria.” (He was asked by TSA agents whether or not he was a Communist; Facebookers of the world might think twice about what they put up in that section from now on.)
So George is not Mr. C.I.A. wannabe, as the mainstream media is trying to spin it. Take, for instance the opening lines of Daniel Rubin’s column for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
A federal agent sizing up Nick George might peg him as Most Likely to be Recruited by the CIA. He’s a physics major at a top college, is minoring in Middle Eastern studies, speaks Arabic, has lived in Jordan, and is adventurous enough to have backpacked through Sudan and Egypt.
Or rather, here’s what the federal agent could have thought instead.
- Physics major? Possibly knows how to make a bomb.
- Went to Sudan? One of the world’s most vibrant terrorist training camps are located there. (Mahmoud Ahmadinejad once called Sudan called the second home of the “dear, pious and revolutionary brothers.”)
- Middle Eastern studies? Right, because Columbia’s Middle Eastern studies department isn’t a hotbed of radicalism. Oh wait? It is?
On these grounds alone, I’m glad that the TSA agent erred on the side of arresting George, which is pretty much what Deb Saunders wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle. (It has since come out that George also visited Malaysia, home of Muslim extremism, and Indonesia, home of the largest Muslim population on the planet. Neither of these things should disqualify him from flying, but he shouldn’t be surprised about being screened a bit more.)
George wasn’t planning on suing, but the ACLU persuaded him, according to Pomona College’s The Student Life. The ACLU also seems to have turned him into something of a constitutionalist. (The ACLU apparently learned of it from Philadelphia Daily News columnist Dave Davies’s 9-11 article. You can watch the video where George talks with the ACLU here.)
Looking at the suit now, “The point is to make it very clear that there are rules, that you have to follow the rules, and that when you don’t follow the rules there are repercussions,” said George. “The point is to make it clear the TSA cannot do whatever they want.”
The TSA didn’t do whatever it wanted. It followed protocol.
And maybe, just maybe you were more suspicious than you have been letting on.
Again from The Philadelphia Inquirer:
According to a federal suit filed yesterday on his behalf by the American Civil Liberties Union, a TSA supervisor asked him, “How do you feel about 9/11?”
George said he had hemmed and hawed a bit. “It’s a complicated question,” he told me by phone. “But I ended up saying, ‘It was bad. I am against it.’ “
Rubin should have done his homework. In Pomona’s newspaper, The Student Life, George was quoted as saying:
“She looked at the book I was reading and said, ‘You obviously read… how do you feel about 9/11?’ and I said, ‘I don’t know, I’m against it…’ And she said, ‘Yeah, well do you know who did 9/11?’… and I said, ‘Osama Bin Laden.’ And she said, ‘Do you know what language Osama Bin Laden spoke?’ and I think I just said, ‘Arabic.’”
“A complicated question”? “You don’t know”? Are you kidding me?
Every time I fly from my hometown of Boston, MA I see two flags draped over the terminals of the two planes that slaughtered nearly 3000 people. Ninety-two of my fellow Bay Staters didn’t come home that day, the third highest casualty figure after New York and New Jersey. Oddly enough, it doesn’t seem such a complicated question to me, but hey, I’m not a Middle East studies major.
Oh, and that photo that The Philadelphia Inquirer used where he looks like Mr. American? (See the one right here, which was provided by Nick George to The Philadelphia Inquirer.)
Photo provided by Nick George to the Philadelphia Inquirer
Here’s another photo where he looks like he doesn’t ever shave. He came back from the Middle East shaved, with shorter hair. Where have I seen that before?
The reaction to George’s arrest and lawsuit have been predictable in its silliness. The most foolish response has been Matt Yglesias’s post titled, “A Missed Torture Opportunity.”
Of course in a world where the TSA didn’t have a “law-enforcement approach” to terrorism or a “pre-9/11 mindset” they could have easily resolved this problem. All they would have to do is strap the kid to a board, tilted so that his head is below his feet. The straps would be uncomfortable, though they wouldn’t have any particular skin-lacerating properties thus making the process totally humane. Then the face is covered with cloth, and water could have been poured over George’s face. This process institutes an apparently unbearable physical sensation of imminent drowning. Initially, George would simply loudly protest that he didn’t know anything, but soon enough sufficiently application of torture (or as Marc Thiessen and the Gestapo call it, “enhanced interrogation techniques”) would have the guy singing.
Seeing as the United States has waterboarded only three terorrists, I don’t think George would have made the cut, but thanks for spreading total lies about our interrogation practices, Matt! I’m sure that’ll go over well with the international community.
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107 Comments
David Rubin shows his own stereotyping by writing that because this smart alec is white and clean cut he would look more like a candidate for the CIA – wouldn't that be a sort of profiling? Something the libs say we should never do? He is another regressive ripping off the taxpayer with his frivolous lawsuit and being all around selfish.
If you want respect, it's up to you to earn it. Almost every single person on an airplane wants safety far more than perfection from TSA, an inconvenience is a small price to pay.
I agree. Perhaps our airlines should contract the work out to the same folks who conduct security checks for El Al. They seem to be pretty darned effective.
They had better start profiling teabaggers. One of them flew a plane into a building yesterday.
Nick "Putz" George.
Except that most everything that was written by the guy was right out of leftist literature dumbass. Did your parents have any kids that lived?
Bottom line is I can't think of one government agency that would outperform a private company motivated by profit or greed if you prefer. Better product, more innovation, cheaper cost, on and on.
Government monopolies are a horrible, expensive, inneficient machine.
They already profile many "right wing radicals" and also people like Martin Luther King. It's preemptive if you will.
THAT WAS A LEFTIST! Just like YOU! You will not be allowed to spred this lie! Got it?
ok ANON, I hope you just forgot your sarcasm tag… read something other then Time Magazine online.
He ranted against Bush and Reagan and here is a lil snippet from his Suicide letter :
“The communist creed: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.
The capitalist creed: From each according to his gullibility, to each according to his greed.
Joe Stack (1956-2010)”
yeah, cause we know the tea parties are all for communism…
The media is so predictable…
If I operated my business like government, I would be bankrupt within 30 days and probably completely out of business within 60… heck, the federal government is bankrupt, but they have the luxury of printing more money.
in his death note he praised communism.
The guy was a tax protesting teabagger.
He flew the plane in a building occupied by the IRS for God's sake.
This guy looks like the American Taliban guy. Put him in the same cell holding Illinois Nazis.
What insight! Anyone who is protesting the government is a conservative and of course part of the tea bag movement, brilliant insight.
You really should stop posting when you are drunk
"in his death note he praised communism"
He was tax protester you idiot. He flew the plane into a building occupied by the IRS.
TEA. Taxed Enough. Already.
Get it?
God you people are stupid.
Well, what goes around comes around. They have played kick the can with the economy to long and screwed the American people with TARP, GM takeover, on and on. T
The day of reckoning is coming, they can either try to inflate or default on policy, i think they will inflate, the worst part about it is that they are going to hurt the people they lie to even worse.
When Obama says he avoided a double dip depression he is flat out lying or incredibly ignorant to the monetary policy and situation at hand.
This kid is worthless leftis scum, too bad his parents didnt practice the abortion that they preach to the underclass.
Within a year we will see this doofus in a dirty robe with towel on his head screaming about how Alah wants america to be destroyed from some undisclosed location in pakistan, etc. etc. etc.
This is an unsubstantiated lie told by lying liars who hate the truth.
Was not a "teabagger." Was apolitical.
I knew him as "Stack."
He was a good guitar player.
If you don't have a problem with waterboarding you shouldn't have a problem with the local police using it.
This guy could have been the next "panty bomber", given the red flags. Good for the TSA. ACLU….. what a joke. If it really meant American Civil Liberties, they would be more concerned about the potential that this guy could have been a terrorist.
Profile? Yes, Yes, Yes!
Wow you have uncle Barry's talking points down to a t don't you. I mean after all we see those tea party people quoting Karl Marx and the communist manifesto all the time as what they would like to emulate.
How much do you get paid to be a little dimmie troll? Obvious for as pathetic argument you put out there they are paying you too much.
And ummm I hate to tell you this but one of your patethic hero Barry's best friends helped bomb federal buildings and I don't think anyone is associating Bill Ayers as a right winger. Darn those facts they slam you dumbasses every time.
OK, I think ANON is trolling. I really hope so…
in case you don’t know what that is:
“In Internet slang, a troll is someone who posts inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum, chat room or blog, with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion.”
TSA guards commercial airliners not puddle jumpers
ROTFLMAO!!!! This dipshit, calling ANYONE stupid?
The guy ranted against the lack of universal single-payer health insurance, the Catholic Church, Christians generally, big banks, big business, and George Bush…..
Christ, why are liberals permitted to breed? Their larvae ought to be drowned at birth.
Like liberals don't have problems with the IRS? Geithner, Daschle, Dodd, Rangel…
The un-American Criminal Liars Union is coddling a Johnny Jihadi loon, yet again. No surprise here…….
Nope, just abortions; exhibit A "anon".
He's not drunk, just stupid! But by the same logic anyone that disagrees with how Obama is governing is racist, just ask Mikatollah!! All you have to do is say I don't think Obama is doing such and such right and right away old Mika is calling you a racist birther that can't stand the fact Obama is black. It's all part of that Alinsky tactic, grasp the image, polarize it, and smear the hell out of it if its true or not!!
Waw, just wow. You are such a wanker. Go away troll, and leave us alone.
Hi jharp you useless idiot!
May as well hire the Muslims. It took – what – 14 Mossad terrorists just to kill one Hamas guy.
I hear Blackwater may be available soon… or is it Xe?
But they did it with style… and didn't get caught.
puhlease, blackwater is a government extension mercenary, not operating in the free market.
And let's not forget run-of-the-mill, mainstream Obama supporter Amy Bishop.
Before you run off half cocked you should really go read up… he has a little something for everyone.
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2010/0...
Right. That's why he closed his letter with this:
"The communist creed: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.
The capitalist creed: From each according to his gullibility, to each according to his greed."
Do your homework. Hell, even Mika called you out.
Working as an attorney for the ACLU is recession proof….
Hey, wait a minute. He says ObL was responsible for 9-11? Gee, I thought only Conservatives, neocons, etc believed that? Don't all right thinking people know that 9-11 was a Mosad/CIA/Boooosh conspiracy?
No problem, they just deal with them.
Hey, be kind, he obviously put no effort into his analysis. That nametag he's wearing is so HE doesn't forget his name.
He did seem to be an equal opportunity hater.
Never thought I would ever agree with you an anything….. but what a great idea! Bet we could bust the Mexican drug cartels; illegal immigrant smugglers; Russian mafia that is stealing millions and millions of medicare dollars in L.A. alone; oh gosh I could go on and on.
As a side note: As a kid I almost drowned twice, once in the ocean, once in a pool….boo hoo, swallowed some water, but I survived. Get over the waterboarding talking points.
Just remember, the proglibs believe that if they repeat a lie often enough and loud enough, that it will become the truth.
Liberals hate paying taxes, not forcing others to pay them. I am so sick of liberals accusing these nut jobs of being right wing. Same with Timothy McVay. All of his rants were straight out of the left wing play book too, but it only takes one journalist to say he was anti-government therefore a radical right winger and out come the rest of the lemming journalists to carry that water and then everyone else starts believing it instead of doing a little research for themselves. It never ceases to amaze me how ill educated, yet completely brainwashed the left wing is.
And there is absolutely nothing wrong with hating taxes. Federal Income tax is unconstitutional. Just take a moment to google how the 16th amendment was ratified. In a nut shell, it legally wasn't. So just because this nut job didn't want to pay his taxes, don't go saying that tax haters are teabagging right wing radicals. If you had even the most remedial education in U.S. history you would realized how right the right wing is on the subject of taxes.
What's wrong with killing a terrorist?
Thank You! Amazing how the fact she adored Obama is a non-issue for most everyone, and her leftiness has no bearing on her marksmanship or targets. While both sides have extremist nuts, it seems the only connections get made with the right.
As long as these ridiculous connections are made, the division between the sides will continue to grow. Extremism from both sides will continue to bolster the number of independent voters. There are nuts in the world who are neither racist, or conservative. Too bad people speak without letting facts get in the way.
The root of the problem is that the U.S. government should not provide security for private companies. They just can't get away from non seperation of corporation and state.
I agree JK, and El Al really knows security, as someone mentioned.
They'll want to inflate their way out of this. It's the only way, I think. It's gonna be like 1979 all over.
Blackwater may slip out of the country and disappear. soon.
As the student discussed in the article, I have requested the editors publish a response.
-Nick George
Did you watch the videos? Wigs and spotters passing each other – all "James Ben Bond"…
Have you heard about the Paris hits in the 80's to slow down Iraq's Bomb project? Super stealthy -NOT!
One guy answered his door in a hotel – POW! Dead. They ran down a hooker that was in th way and witnessed with a big black Mercedes. Sounds like a 70's action movie.
I don't. Let them waterboard away.
Don't want to be waterboarded? Don't commit crimes.
Did you read his screed anny? No? It's very "telling".
Like the Harvard educated hater in Alabama – LEFTIST!
That's what I derived from it, he was all over the place.
He deluded himself that the tax code EXCLUDED HIM!
For a smart guy (and a bass player) he sure missed on that one.
Don't get busted in Mexico Dhassel – they have torture as a "police tool" and they USE IT!
Not "patty cakes" waterboarding either – it's major league stuff. Most of the world will break you fingers off, just for starters if they think you're holding back.
They are pretty well connected. Their fate will hinge on the State Department contract.
This punk needs a good ass kicking.
He's hunting for trouble, diminishing our defenses with legal pathfinding and looks like a coddled,pampered putz.
They have made some high profile screw ups. While I understand the need for civialian contractors for certain security roles – to free up combat troops, etc. these guys have been on the edge for awhile.
The "hooker on the payroll" deal pisses me off. Those guys make BIG bank, they need to buy their own "party favors". That might end them. I'd applaude that.
He appeared deluded, but just self aware enough to be a tragic case, because he knew he was screwed. He couldn't see any honorable way out. Sprinkle in a little depression and you've got a time bomb. He walled himself off so it was unlikely that anyone would be able to intercede on his behalf.
Sounds like the carnage could have been much worse. And his selection of ramming an airplane into a building to kill himself was a way that he knew would be national news.
to view a partial list of crimes committed by FBI agents over 1500 pages long see
forums.signonsandiego. com/showthread.php?t=59139
to view a partial list of FBI agents arrested for pedophilia see
dallasnews. com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3574
Ya, I'm really sorry someone else appears to have died besides the pilot.
I lived in Austin for 15 years. The longer I lived there the more I was ready to leave. It's a bit of a pressure cooker that I thrived on when I was young, but it will eat you up if you let it. The traffic sucks (but it sucks MANY places) and it's hot and humid in the late spring -summer- early fall. There is alot of "keeping up with the Jones" pressure if you let that get to you – I don't know – I'm ambililant about Austin after being there so long. i'm back in El Paso to finish Grad Skool (hee hee) and it WAY slower here.
He just let it all get to him, he seemed to have rationalized in his mind that professional free agents like him were exempt from sections of the tax code. That's delusion.
look who chimed in below – the subject of this article – he wants – and deserves – equal time
And in prison, if you kept your books the way Congress does.
[...] Read more… [...]
A response for what… How about YOU explain it, as that would save us all a lot of time. Take accountability – you are not a victim, but I know that's very popular these days with the younger generation and the ACLU. If the article isn't correct, then state your case. That is how the adult world works.
You had red flags everywhere, so convince us why they shouldn't have pulled you out of the line. There are consequences for your life actions, even if you thought they were "hip" at the time. Grow up dude!
'Sorry about your mind, Inbreeder, get hooked on phonics.
So what is the relevance to this topic? Although I won't check out your references, I'm sure we can all agree that there are nasty, scary, pediofiles everywhere (churches, boy /girl scouts, schools, day care, teachers, little league, any and all places they have access to kids). It is SICK but a sad reality. Funny, you failed to mention Kevin Jennings.
I'm not sure why you are pointing the finger at the FBI but if they are guilty, then those that do that are guilty as well as the other professions.
Sounds like this kid is a closet follower of the pedophile prophet of doom, or just plain stupid.
Bullshit Sunshine Blowing Connie. More people have been killed and detained and hassled and late because of the cretins at TSA than any other kind of crime on planes.
Right on Nick….I was harassed once by those TSA assholes too….we don't have to kowtow to them. Their job is to check for weapons only….not to interrogate you.
The fools who accept this behavior on their part would have no problem supporting a police state where thought is a crime.
eh nothing. It might be the "new method" to control these people. Asymetrical cuts both ways.
see below
Probably because most of you long hairs was dopers. I was around during that time and hung with the long hairs and that was about the composition of the that was doing drugs.
I don't know. I'm really on the fence here. I think the TSA is out of control. (like making a crippled FOUR-YEAR-OLD remove a prosthetic to go through a metal detector). Security is very important, but this typical government bloat doesn't use common sense and instead makes life hell for honest Americans while not profiling those who could easily have ties to terrorism. Sure, there are some potential flags here, but I'd bet if the kid was an outright Muslim and looked arabic, he'd get RIGHT ON THAT PLANE because they wouldn't want to "profile" him.
This kid is clearly an ass, but I tend to come down on his side. Just the fact they asked him if he was a communist: What the hell does that have to do with anything? Did the communists blow up planes and take down the twin towers? If that was the case, why is the socialist Obama allowed to fly?
Security is VERY important. The TSA is BIG GOVERNMENT in every sense of the word. It's a joke. It needs to be fixed.
yeah….and the Jews in pre-war Germany were probably 'troublemaker and communists' too……….
Amazingly, the origins and purpose of all this chaos are predicted and accounted for in the prophetic, political Conspiracy Thriller book, BLACK ROAD 2012, which I bought on amazon, and was a real goose-bumpy, totally absorbing ride: http://tinyurl.com/amazon-BLACK-ROAD-2012
You are dead on James, another spawn of an uber-liberal attorney Daddy who probably sued or threatened to sue anyone who made his life a little less comfortable.
Not a bad idea, we would probably have a whole lot less crime. Good suggesion Hass.
Put pen to paper and write a response. You are a college boy, write away.
Give it up, facts will not make a dent in the protective foil hat that anon has adorned for many a year. Typical lib, impervious to anything that is counter to his preconcieved notions. In his mind, tax protester = right wing, as if anyone on the left would welcome and enjoy being hounded by the IRS for years over some tax issue.
if he was black he'd have been a terrrrist
right, so you believe everything the terrrists say and write? That is real retardation.
I like the call for eugenics in your last sentence there, doesn't that make you a liberal from the 19th century? That is the latest wingnut theory about liberalism, please try to keep up with your fellow nutjobs!
I agree the TSA can be a pain in the ass, this punk was SEEKING a problem (it seems) and got one. Get in the damn line, clear the checkpoint and get on with your day. That's reasonable.
This punk is looking for trouble, a lawsuit, an issue of some type.
and the trade unionists, they got rounded up and gassed pretty quick too.
I read that as well, biggest waste of time ever, do not buy it if you like having your brain in working order.
or be black
he didn't mention Jennings because there is no evidence he is a paedophile.
There is lots and lots and lots of evidence that being in a loonybins organisation like the christian church, leads inevitiably to paedophilia.
But he is the center of the universe, don't ya know.
The people who brought us 9-11 are the same ones who brought us the TSA.
Since all the tax cheats are actually protesting their taxes, I guess that Timmy 'Turbo Tax' Geitner, Tom Daschle, et al are TEA baggers. Wonderful logic!!!
Get it?
God you people are stupid!!!!
[...] » Dear T.S.A.: Please Profile Liberal Arts Students – Big GovernmentAnd rather unsurprisingly, his political views on his Facebook profile are listed as “Co… [...]
[...] » Dear T.S.A.: Please Profile Liberal Arts Students – Big GovernmentAnd rather unsurprisingly, his political views on his Facebook profile are listed as “Communist Party of Bulgaria.” (He was asked by TSA agents whether or not he was a Communis… [...]
Right on Nick….I was harassed once by those TSA assholes too….we don't have to kowtow to them. Their job is to check for weapons only….not to interrogate you.
The fools who accept this behavior on their part would have no problem supporting a police state where thought is a crime.
Interesting that a website like this whose philosophy is anti big government attracts people who have a Statist mindset when it suits them.
When I was 19 ( Haight-Ashbury days ) you were subject to police harassment and illegal searchs for merely having long hair…you were branded a drug fiend by the straight majority.
And the Statist majority came forward with the same sheeple attitude…….'why are you looking for trouble, punk'.
All freedom loving citizens should support Nick in his case.
Too bad TSA wasn't in existence on 9/11….the terrorists may have been caught before they committed the autrocities. It was a private contractor in charge….
Maybe TSA wouldn't have because we were all naive Americans thinking we were safe in our "cocoon"…fat, dumb and happy…
Teabagging=what Clinton was running around having done. More appropriately describes the Libtards.
I'm not a Teabagger, or even a Republican; I'm an Independent, but I'd want you profiled for sure!
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